Cyber Insurance Checklist: Using MDM to Lower Premiums

In 2022, buying cyber insurance was a financial decision. In 2026, it is a technical audit. The days of filling out a generic questionnaire and receiving a $10 million liability policy are over. Following the ransomware explosion of the early 2020s—where average payouts hit $1.18 million—underwriters have stopped trusting and started verifying. Today, a ‘Soft Market’ exists only for the secure. If you can prove robust hygiene against a comprehensive cyber insurance checklist, premiums are stabilizing. If you cannot, you face sub-limits, exclusions, or outright denial of coverage. The difference between a 30% premium hike and a flat renewal often comes down to one thing: Evidence of Control.

This is where your Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) strategy becomes a financial asset. Hexnode is not just an IT tool; it is your Evidence Engine. This guide details the specific technical controls insurers demand and how to use Hexnode to satisfy them, lowering your risk profile and your premiums.

The Shift: From “Self-Attestation” to “Telemetry”

Insurers have moved from “Trust” to “Zero Trust.”

• Old World: You checked a box saying “All laptops are encrypted.”
• New World: You must export a CSV log showing the encryption status, TPM version, and last check-in time of 5,000 endpoints.

If you are managing this via spreadsheets, you are uninsurable. You need real-time, historical telemetry.

The 5-Point Cyber Insurance Checklist

We have analyzed the requirements from major carriers (Marsh, Aon, Chubb, AXA) to create this definitive checklist. Here is how to map Hexnode features to Insurance Mandates.

1. Asset Inventory: The “Unknown Device” Exclusion

The Insurer’s Fear: A breach originating from a “Ghost Device”—an unpatched iPad or laptop that IT forgot existed. If you cannot list your assets, an insurer cannot calculate your risk.

• The Mandate: Maintain an automated, real-time inventory of all hardware accessing corporate data.
• The Hexnode Fix:
  • Action: Enable Automated Enrollment (Apple Business Manager / Android Zero Touch / Windows Autopilot).
  • Result: Every device purchased is instantly registered in Hexnode before unboxing.
  • The Artifact: Export the All Devices > Hardware Inventory report. This is your “Source of Truth” for the underwriter, proving 100% visibility.

2. Encryption at Rest: The “Safe Harbor”

The Insurer’s Fear: A laptop is left in a taxi. If the drive is unencrypted, it is a reportable Data Breach (expensive). If it is encrypted, it is merely a “Lost Asset” (cheap).

• The Mandate: Enforce Full Disk Encryption (FDE) on all portable endpoints.
• The Hexnode Fix:
  • Windows: Enforce BitLocker policy. Configure “Store Recovery Key in Hexnode” to ensure data is recoverable but secure.
  • macOS: Enforce FileVault. Set “Escrow Personal Recovery Key” to Hexnode.
  • The Artifact: Create a Compliance Policy where Encryption = Active. Your dashboard will show “100% Compliant,” which serves as proof that a lost laptop does not trigger a GDPR/HIPAA notification event.

3. Patch Management: Closing the Window

The Insurer’s Fear: A Zero-Day vulnerability (like Log4j or BlueKeep) remains unpatched for 30 days, inviting ransomware.

• The Mandate: Apply critical security patches within 14-30 days of release.
• The Hexnode Fix:
  • Action: Configure OS Update Policies to “Download and Install Automatically” outside of business hours.
  • Constraint: Use Hexnode to defer updates for 3-5 days to a “Canary Group” (IT Team) to test stability, then blast to the fleet.
  • The Artifact: The Device > Compliance > OS Version report proves that 99% of your fleet is on the latest secure build, reducing the “negligence” argument during a claim.

4. Identity & Access: The “MFA” Checkbox

The Insurer’s Fear: Stolen credentials. MFA is now non-negotiable. If you don’t have it, you don’t get insurance.

• The Mandate: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all remote access.
• The Hexnode Fix:
  • Integration: Hexnode integrates with Okta, Azure AD (Entra ID), and Google Workspace.
  • Enforcement: Use Hexnode to enforce Conditional Access. If a device is unmanaged or non-compliant (e.g., Jailbroken), Hexnode signals the IdP to block the login even if the user has the password.
  • The Artifact: This proves you have “Device Trust” implemented, a tier of security that often qualifies for premium credits.

5. The “Kill Switch” (Remote Wipe)

The Insurer’s Fear: A terminated employee refuses to return a device containing sensitive IP.

• The Mandate: Capability to remotely sanitize data from lost/stolen devices immediately.
• The Hexnode Fix:
  • Action: The “Corporate Wipe” (for BYOD) and “Complete Wipe” (for Corporate-Owned) commands.
  • The Artifact: The Action History Log shows exactly when the wipe command was issued and when the device acknowledged it. This timestamped log is a critical legal defense during a data leakage lawsuit.

The “Hidden” Risk: Shadow IT & Application Control

Insurers are increasingly asking: “Do you restrict what software users can install?” Allowing users to install “AnyDesk” or random PDF converters is a massive liability.
Actionable Step: Use Hexnode’s Blacklisting/Whitelisting capabilities.

• Strict Mode: Create a “Mandatory App List.” Anything not on the list is blocked (Kiosk Mode/App Locker).
• Loose Mode: Blacklist known risky apps (Tor Browser, Torrent clients, Unapproved Remote Desktop tools).

Insight: Showing an underwriter that you proactively block “Shadow IT” demonstrates a maturity level that moves you from a “High Risk” to “Preferred Risk” tier.

Negotiation Strategy: The “Compliance Report”

Do not just email the policy document to your broker. Bring data to the renewal meeting.

The Workflow:

• Run a Mock Audit: One month before renewal, use Hexnode to scan for “Non-Compliant” devices (e.g., encryption disabled). Remediate them.
• Export the “Green Dashboard”: Generate a PDF report from Hexnode showing:
  • 100% Encryption Rate.
• • 100% Patch Compliance.
• • Zero Jailbroken/Rooted Devices.
• The Ask: Submit this report with your application. Ask your broker: “We utilize an automated compliance engine (Hexnode) that reduces your risk of paying a ransomware claim. What premium credit is available for this level of control?”

Cyber insurance covers the cost of the fire. Hexnode creates the fireproof building. You should pay less for fire insurance if you live in a bunker.

Conclusion: Security is an Investment, Not a Cost

The narrative that “Security is a cost center” is dead. In the age of six-figure insurance premiums, a robust UEM strategy is a Cost cost-containment mechanism. By implementing Hexnode, you are doing more than securing devices. You are building a defensible, auditable infrastructure that signals to the insurance market: “We are a safe bet.”

Don’t wait for the renewal notice. Start your audit today.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does using an MDM lower cyber insurance premiums?

Yes. Insurers determine premiums based on Risk Assessment. By using an MDM (like Hexnode) to prove you enforce critical controls—such as Encryption (BitLocker/FileVault), Automated Patching, and Remote Wipe capabilities—you demonstrate a lower risk profile, often qualifying for “Preferred” pricing tiers or avoiding sub-limit exclusions.

2. What are the top 5 requirements for cyber insurance in 2026?

While policies vary, the “Essential 5” controls almost all underwriters demand are:

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all remote access.
• Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) integration.
• Secured, Encrypted Backups.
• Patch Management (fixing vulnerabilities within 30 days).
• Asset Inventory (knowing exactly what devices are on the network).

3. How does Hexnode help with Ransomware insurance claims?

During a ransomware claim, insurers investigate “negligence.” Hexnode helps defend against negligence claims by providing Audit Logs that prove devices were patched and compliant before the attack. Additionally, Hexnode can remotely wipe compromised devices to stop lateral movement, mitigating the total damage of the claim.