Be Prepared For Carrier Cybersecurity Audits

By Lamar Garrett, Redbird Security

There is a conversation starting to happen between carriers and their appointed agencies that most agencies don't know is coming. It is not a renewal discussion. It is not a market access negotiation. It is a cybersecurity audit. The agencies that are not prepared are finding out what that means for their carrier relationships the hard way.

What carriers are actually checking for

The audit checklist varies by carrier, but the core requirements are consistent across the industry. Here is what your agency will likely need to demonstrate:

Asset Management

Every device your team uses needs to be current, patched, and accounted for. Aging hardware or outdated operating systems is one of the first things flagged. Not because it looks bad, but because it represents an active vulnerability.

Password Management

A password manager is no longer a best practice recommendation; it is an expectation. Your team using memory, sticky notes, or shared spreadsheets for credentials is a liability that carriers are actively looking for. The question is not whether your agency has a password policy. It is whether your team is following one.

Multi-Factor Authentication

MFA on some systems is not MFA. Carriers want to see it everywhere. A single unprotected login is the gap that attackers find first.

Device Encryption

Every laptop and workstation your team uses should be encrypted. This is the control that protects your client data if a device is lost or stolen and it is one of the most commonly missing items in agency audits.

Security Awareness Training

Your team is your first line of defense and your biggest vulnerability. Carriers want evidence that your employees receive regular training. Not a one-time onboarding video but an ongoing program that keeps your team sharp against phishing, social engineering, and credential theft.

Failing a carrier audit does not result in a strongly worded letter. The consequences are real and they compound quickly.

It might not happen today, but more carriers are adopting this approach. It’s best to be prepared.

 

Thanks, Lamar Garrett 

e: lamar@redbirdsecurity.com