
Cybersecurity risk is no longer a peripheral concern — it’s now a core issue for claims adjusters navigating complex cyber, property, and business interruption claims. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has reported a 50% increase in nationally significant cyberattacks over the past year, spotlighting a surge in threats affecting major corporations and essential services. With incidents disrupting Jaguar Land Rover’s global manufacturing and costing retailers like Marks & Spencer hundreds of millions in damages, adjusters are seeing a sharp escalation in both the frequency and severity of cyber-related claims.
These disruptions don’t just impact single entities — they cascade through supply chains, affecting insureds at every level. When a cyberattack grinds production to a halt or compromises sensitive data, commercial policyholders often turn to cyber coverage, contingent business interruption clauses, and liability policies to recover losses. Adjusters must be fluent in interpreting these coverages amid evolving threat landscapes. The UK government’s intervention, including a $2 billion emergency loan to keep supply chains afloat, also highlights how claims handling must adapt to state-backed responses and high-level geopolitical interference.
With MI5 and the NCSC identifying hostile state actors — including China, Russia, and Iran — as key drivers of cyber threats, insurers and adjusters need to consider both attribution challenges and the broader national security implications when evaluating and adjusting claims. What’s unfolding in the UK is a strong signal for U.S. adjusters: cyber resilience, clarity in policy language, and readiness for multifaceted loss events are more critical than ever.