Ep. 34 - Fortifying Your Defenses: Practical Strategies to Prevent and Mitigate Cyber Risks - with Linda Comerford

11/09/23 • 40 min

Linda Comerford, Head of Claims North America at Resilience, brings her extensive experience in cyber incident response and cyber insurance to this episode.
With her deep understanding of the challenges faced by leading cybersecurity and cyber insurance professionals, Linda provides valuable insights and practical advice that can help professionals in these fields navigate the evolving landscape of cyber threats.
Join Anthony and Linda as they unpack the importance of communication between underwriting and claims teams, the evolving landscape of cyber threats, common mistakes insureds make, the role of cyber insurance in cybersecurity, and more.
You'll learn:
1. Why effective communication between underwriting and claims teams is crucial in navigating the complex world of cyber threats
2. The biggest mistake clients make with their cyber policy and practical advice on how to prevent and mitigate cyber issues
3. How professionals in the cybersecurity and cyber insurance fields can adapt to the challenges of an ever-evolving cyber landscape
4. The vital role that cyber insurance plays in bolstering cybersecurity efforts and protecting businesses from potential financial losses
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About Linda:
Linda Comerford is the Head of Claims for North America at Resilience, where she joined in September 2023. She has extensive experience in the cyber insurance industry, previously serving as the Incident Response Practice Leader at AmTrust, overseeing cyber claims, vendor assignments, and privacy counsel.
Before AmTrust, Linda worked in cyber claims roles at Rockville Risk Management and Proven Data Recovery. She holds an MFA in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College and a BA in English from Oregon State University.
Find Linda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindalouisecomerford/
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About Resilience:
Resilience is the cyber risk solution company that’s on a mission to help make the world cyber resilient. Founded in 2016 by experts from across the highest tiers of the U.S. military and intelligence communities, and augmented by prominent leaders and innovators from the insurance and technology industries; Resilience helps financial, risk, and information security leaders continuously improve their organizations' cyber resilience by connecting cyber insurance coverage with advanced cybersecurity visibility and a shared plan to reinforce actionable cyber hygiene.
Website: www.cyberresilience.com
Industry: IT Services and IT Consulting
Company size: 51-200 employees
Headquarters: San Fransisco
Founded: 2016
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About the host Anthony:
Anthony is passionate about cyber insurance. He is the CEO of Asceris, a company that enables its clients to respond to cyber incidents quickly and effectively. Anthony is originally from the US but now lives in Europe with his wife and two children.
Get in touch with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyhess/ or email: [email protected]
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This podcast is produced by our friends at SAWOO.

Previous Episode

Ep. 33 - Harnessing the Power of Data: How it Shapes Cyber Insurance Risk Selection and Pricing - with Meghan Hannes

There's a paradox in cyber underwriting: we want to avoid claims where possible, but we need claims data to make sound assumptions and improve our pricing models.
In this episode, Meghan Hannes, US Head of Underwriting Management at Beazley, dives deep into the world of cyber insurance, revealing insights into underwriting risk selection and pricing. She also uncovers the challenges and misconceptions in the application process and highlights the crucial role of underwriting management in supporting insureds and optimizing risk profiles.
You'll learn:
1. The evolution of the cyber insurance market and how it impacts your role as a professional.
2. The importance of data and claims analysis in risk selection and pricing.
3. The challenges and misconceptions in the cyber insurance application process and how to overcome them.
4. The crucial role of underwriting management in supporting insureds and optimizing risk profiles.
5. The future of cyber insurance and why proactive risk monitoring is essential for success.
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About Meghan:
Meghan Hannes leads the execution of Underwriting Management across the US Cyber & Technology team at Beazley. Ms Hannes has acted as a Co-Chair for many Cyber Risk Industry Events and was named the 2020 NetDiligence ‘Toby Merrill’ Cyber Industry Award recipient. Ms. Hannes has 20 years of experience in Cyber, Media, Tech E&O and Professional Liability Insurance and has lent her voice as a contributor to several organizations and industry events such as Lloyd’s, Reuters, AMBest, PLUS, Intelligent Insurer, Insurance Business America and the Women in Cyber Conference; Member of the Eniac Ventures Expert Network. Ms. Hannes joined Beazley in early 2022, having previously helmed up Cyber & Technology E&O P&L and strategy as Product Head at Hiscox. Prior to Hiscox, she held various Privacy & Network Security Product Management and senior level underwriting positions at Axis Insurance, The Hartford, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies and served as Director of Underwriting at start-up Insurer CloudInsure.
Find Meghan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanhannes/
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About Beazley:
Beazley is a leading sustainable, specialist insurer. It is defined by its people and a culture that values being bold, striving for better and doing the right thing. The services and products that it provides deliver peace of mind and offer the most advanced thinking in the insurance market.
Website: http://www.beazley.com/
Industry: Insurance
Company size: 1,001-5,000 employees
Headquarters: London
Founded: 1986
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About the host Anthony:
Anthony is passionate about cyber insurance. He is the CEO of Asceris, a company that enables its clients to respond to cyber incidents quickly and effectively. Anthony is originally from the US but now lives in Europe with his wife and two children.
Get in touch with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyhess/ or email: [email protected]
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This podcast is produced by our friends at SAWOO.

Next Episode

Ep. 35 - The Legal Perspective: Talent Shortages, Insurance Pricing, and Supply Chain Risk in the Eyes of an Attorney - with Spencer Pollock

Spencer Pollock is a Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Attorney at McDonald Hopkins with a wealth of knowledge on the interplay between law, insurance, and cyber.
Tune in to this episode for insights into talent shortages, insurance pricing dynamics, and the escalating risks in supply chains. Spencer also casts his thoughts over topics like inconsistent data laws, current events, the impact of insurance on the cybersecurity market, and more.
You'll learn:
1. Insights into the limited pool of cyber law experts
2. The balancing act in cyber insurance pricing
3. The crucial role of insurance in shaping cyber practices
4. Strategies to manage burgeoning supply chain risks
5. Navigating the US's fragmented data protection law landscape
6. Perspectives on current trends in cybersecurity law
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About Spencer:
Spencer is a Member of the national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team at McDonald Hopkins with experience defending hundreds of cyber incidents and data breaches and assisting organizations with privacy compliance. Spencer is a recognized leader in the data privacy and cybersecurity legal community and a frequent speaker and guest on numerous television and radio shows, and podcasts, and hosts the “Cyber Law Revolution” podcast.
Find Spencer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-s-pollock-esq-cipp-us-cipm-7111b336/
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About McDonald Hopkins:
Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Baltimore/Annapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, and West Palm Beach. With more than 175 attorneys and 50 service and industry teams, the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges our clients face. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com.
Website: https://www.mcdonaldhopkins.com
Industry: Law Practice
Company size: 201-500 employees
Headquarters: Cleveland, OH
Founded: 1930
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About the host Anthony:
Anthony is passionate about cyber insurance. He is the CEO of Asceris, a company that enables its clients to respond to cyber incidents quickly and effectively. Anthony is originally from the US but now lives in Europe with his wife and two children.
Get in touch with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyhess/ or email: [email protected]
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This podcast is produced by our friends at SAWOO.