A lack of cyber security can leave businesses vulnerable to substantial losses and the impact can be huge and long lasting.
- Could an agency team operate without IT?
- What would happen if business data (including banking) was lost, stolen or misused?
- How could an agency cope if IT and web systems were hacked or suffered a virus attack?
- What would be the impact on an agency’s business’ reputation?
Even businesses that use third-party hosting companies/sites may still be exposed to cybercrime and subsequent liabilities.
Enhancing cyber security
There are several steps property businesses can take to enhance their cyber security and help protect against a cyber-attack:
- Train staff: Incidents can be caused by social engineering, targeting staff members who have access to the business systems. Continuous training of staff to become ‘secure humans’ ensures they can play their part in defending organisations.
- Vulnerability scanning: Invest in systems to monitor external boundaries for any vulnerabilities to prevent these becoming an entry point for cyber criminals. Penetration testing, a form of ethical hacking, allows for a deeper understanding of vulnerabilities by assessing systems from an attack rather than defensive lens.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Making use of MFA can make it harder for criminals to gain access to accounts through stolen or reset passwords. Not all MFA methods are equal, and attackers are constantly looking at ways to bypass weaker methods. Agents should carefully consider which option provides suitable protection.
- Importance of a plan: Creating a plan that can be easily implemented in the wake of an attack can make a vast difference in how a business responds and the severity of the outcome. Plans should consider all eventualities, down to how to communicate when all usual systems are unavailable.
- Cyber insurance: Having cyber insurance in place can support a business getting back to full operations in the event that it falls victim to a cyber-attack.
Gallagher’s Cyber Defence Centre
To help avoid cybercrime attempts from being successful, consider training employees and utilising cyber defence tools. Gallagher provides a cyber-defence package suitable for business owners with offices of all sizes.
Cyber Defence Centre members can benefit from a range of resources, including:
- Vulnerability scanning
- Threat intelligence webinars
- Cybersecurity training
- Regular email updates on the latest cyber thinking
Specialist Cyber Insurance from Gallagher
- 24/7 hotline to report incidents
- Liability cover for legal costs and damages following a data breach
- Cover for potential fines and penalties following a data breach
- Specialist team to investigate and manage crisis communications
- Cover for costs associated with cyber extortion or ransomware attacks
Contact the Gallagher Propertymark team for a quote by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 612 0068.
Why Gallagher?
- Partnered with Propertymark for over 35 years to provide specialist insurance solutions for estate and letting agents.
- Professional Indemnity Insurance – included as standard with Propertymark’s Company Advantage scheme
- Employers’ Liability Insurance
- Public Liability Insurance
- Office Insurance
- Directors' and Officers' Liability Insurance
- Cyber Insurance
- Trusted by over 100,000 businesses across Gallagher in the UK*.
- Rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot, with over 7,000 reviews*.
- All Propertymark Protected Company policyholders have access to support from a dedicated account management team.
*Correct as at September 2025.
Gallagher Professional Indemnity Insurance
Gallagher, Propertymark’s official insurance broking partner, has worked with the association for over 35 years to arrange specialist insurance for members.
Propertymark Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Reference number: 311786) and which is permitted to arrange general insurance contracts. Registered address: Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited, Spectrum Building, 55 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 7AT.
