Cyber claim frequency declined for large U.S. businesses in 2025, but the cost of those claims rose sharply. According to Chubb's 2026 Cyber Claims Report, average claim severity doubled to more than $4.4 million, while U.S. data-breach claims reached a historic average above $10.2 million.
For claims adjusters, the report points to a more complex cyber claims environment. AI-enabled attacks can move quickly across systems, ransomware events may affect multiple businesses in a supply chain, and large losses can spread well beyond the insured's own network. These factors can complicate causation, business interruption analysis, vendor review, and loss documentation.
Litigation is also becoming a larger driver of cyber claim costs. Chubb cited lawsuits tied to older privacy statutes now being applied to website tracking tools, streaming platforms, cookies, and pixels. This trend may require adjusters to evaluate cyber claims alongside privacy liability allegations, regulatory exposure, defense costs, and settlement pressures.
The report also highlights growing compliance concerns as states adopt new privacy laws. For carriers, adjusters, and risk professionals, the takeaway is clear: cyber claims are becoming less frequent in some segments but more severe, more legally complex, and more connected to third-party and supply-chain losses.
