Non-IT critical service provider business interruption
When an outsourced provider brings your business to a halt.
Business interruption cover for cyber incidents affecting critical third-party providers.
The scenario
A property developer relies on an outsourced payroll and HR provider to manage contractor payments, workforce records, and essential administration.
One morning, the provider suffers a cyber incident and its systems go offline. The property developer's own systems are unaffected, but the impact is immediate.
Contractors cannot be paid. Workforce information cannot be accessed. Administrative processes grind to a halt, and site activity begins to feel the effects.
The business hasn't been targeted directly, yet operations are still disrupted by a cyber incident beyond its control.
The problem isn't inside the business – it's one step removed.
The risks to consider
Many businesses rely on third-party providers to keep day-to-day operations running. Payroll providers, HR partners, payment processors, and other outsourced services can all become critical links in the chain.
When one of those providers experiences a cyber incident, the financial impact can quickly spread to the businesses that depend on them.
The question is not just how resilient a business's own systems are, but how dependent it is on third-party providers it does not control.
The Markel difference
Markel's cover can help protect businesses against interruption caused by a cyber incident affecting a critical non-IT service provider.
This means cover can extend beyond incidents affecting the insured's own systems, helping businesses manage the financial impact of disruption caused elsewhere in their supply chain.
Conversation starter
“Which third-party providers would have the biggest impact on your business if they suddenly became unavailable?”