Contingent bodily injury
When a cyber incident becomes a safety issue
Cover for physical injury arising from a security failure
The scenario
A manufacturing business relies on connected systems to monitor and control parts of its production environment. Following a security failure, those systems are disrupted and machinery does not operate as expected.
Production is interrupted, and a safety concern emerges involving equipment used by site visitors and external contractors.
What started as a cyber incident is no longer confined to screens and systems, it now has the potential to cause physical harm.
The issue is no longer just operational disruption – it's the possibility of injury to third parties and the claims that could follow.
The risks to consider
Cyber risk is often viewed as an IT problem rather than an operational one. But for businesses that rely on connected machinery, operational technology, and automated processes, the consequences can extend far beyond data and networks.
When physical operations are affected, a cyber incident can create risks for customers, visitors, suppliers, contractors, and other third parties, potentially leading to bodily injury claims as well as disruption.
The Markel difference
Markel's cyber cover can respond to claims for bodily injury that arise directly from a security failure, helping businesses manage the financial consequences of incidents that cross from the digital world into the physical one.
Conversation starter
“If a cyber incident affected your production systems, what impact could that have on your employees, customers, and wider operations?”