If your business transacts business, markets or communicates via the Internet or you store the personal or proprietary data of others on a computer system, you have cyber liability risks. It used to be the case that cyber criminals targeted the biggest businesses with the most data-rich environments. That has changed. Small and midsize companies in all industries are now attractive. What’s more, you don’t have to be a victim of cyber crime—you can create problems of your own.

At Evans, Pires & Leonard, we have spent more than 40 years becoming familiar with the cyber risks that companies face. If you have a data breach or transmit viruses or malicious code—even by accident, you can be held responsible for the costs other parties incur as a result. If a data leak results in the theft of valuable intellectual property, identity theft or reputational harm, you can expect a stiff third-party claim for expenses and losses.

Keep in mind that a cyber breach often also generates regulatory investigation as well as an internal need for a forensic analysis of your data and systems. These can be very costly. Adding to the financial hardship, you most likely will have to notify all affected parties, seek legal defense, and manage the crisis internally and in the public forum.

A cyber liability insurance policy is meant to help with all these costs, and some insurers are now creating policies to respond to problems in the cloud. Several of our insurer partners also offer crisis management services as an enhancement to their cyber liability insurance product. A cyber security option can add coverage for business interruption and other losses you face from a cyber attack that are not covered by standard business property policies.

If your general liability policy excludes coverage for allegations of cyber-related intellectual property or libel, look to options available through a cyber liability insurance policy.