A cyber incident can expose employee information, interrupt operations, or send a customer’s payment to the wrong account. Understanding how rent-to-own cyber insurance responds starts with knowing what your policy actually covers. APRO’s webinar, “Cyber Insurance Demystified: What You Need Before the Breach,” brought those questions into focus through claims examples and practical guidance for rental operators.
APRO member Brown & Brown, Inc. Vice President Devin Hernandez led the session, facilitated by APRO Vice President Jen Troke. Hernandez’s central message: businesses need to understand both their vulnerabilities and the protection behind their policies.
Rent-to-Own Cyber Insurance Starts with Understanding Coverage
Having cyber coverage listed within a business owners policy does not necessarily mean an operator has comprehensive protection. Hernandez explained that coverage included in a broader policy may carry low limits, exclusions, or gaps in areas such as business interruption. He encouraged operators to examine those provisions alongside the protection available through a standalone cyber policy.
That review should also account for how the business is organized. During the Q&A, Troke raised a dealer’s experience discovering that expected coverage did not extend across the operation. Hernandez emphasized the importance of including all applicable legal entity names, particularly when stores or regions operate under separate entities.
For operators reviewing cyber insurance, the takeaway is practical: discuss the entire business with the broker. Ask how the policy addresses each entity, what limits apply, and which losses or response expenses are covered. Hernandez stressed that cyber policy language varies, making the details especially important.
A Breach Can Cost More Than Stolen Money
One example involved an RTO operator whose employee sent W-2 information in response to an email that appeared to come from someone assisting with taxes. The recipient was actually a cybercriminal. Although the incident did not involve a fraudulent paymnent, it exposed sensitive employee information and required a coordinated response.
Hernandez described how that operator’s policy paid for an IT specialist to investigate whether the attacker remained in the system. It also covered attorney-prepared notifications and 36 months of credit monitoring for affected employees. The example illustrated why operators should look beyond reimbursement for stolen funds when evaluating coverage.
A separate case involved a roofing company whose invoice was manipulated to redirect a customer’s $75,000 payment. Hernandez said the company’s cyber policy ultimately covered the claim. Together, the examples showed how ordinary communications can become costly incidents – and why the specific policy terms matter.
Use the Insurance Review to Strengthen Preparedness
Hernandez compared cyber underwriting to a property inspection: carriers examine the systems and practices behind the risk. That review may include multifactor authentication, website updates, payment processing, and vulnerabilities in existing technology. It can also give businesses an opportunity to address weaknesses identified during the process.
Human behavior remained a recurring theme throughout the discussion. Busy employees can mistake a fraudulent request for a legitimate one, particularly when the message appears familiar or urgent. Troke pointed attendees to APRO’s Cybersecurity Hub for resources addressing passwords, multifactor authentication, and other staff practices.
By connecting insurance expertise with situations rental businesses recognize, APRO gave operators concrete questions to bring to their teams and brokers. The full session offers additional context on claims, underwriting, and renewals to support a more informed coverage review.
Watch the full APRO webinar replay – proudly produced and presented by the Association of Professional Rental Organizations.
About Brown & Brown Inc.
Brown & Brown, Inc. is a national insurance brokerage and risk management company headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida. The company provides property and casualty insurance, employee benefits, and specialized insurance solutions to businesses, organizations, and individuals across a variety of industries. Brown & Brown, Inc. has been an APRO member since 2026.
