10 ways to secure private data

Insurers and their employees are liable for the loss of any clients' personally identifiable information. Photo: jannoon028/Shutterstock

Insurance agents and brokers are not exempt from following the new guidance the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) recommended in April. They, as well as insurance companies and agents, can be held liable for the loss of prospect or client Protected Health Information (PHI) or personally identifiable information (PII), such as a person’s full name, date of birth, address, and Social Security numbers.

The Principles for Effective Cybersecurity: Insurance Regulatory Guidance looks to state insurance regulators “to ensure that personally identifiable consumer information held by insurers, producers and other regulated entities is protected from cybersecurity risks.” The guidance encourages insurers, agencies and producers to secure data and maintain security with nationally recognized efforts such as those embodied in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) framework.