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Cybersecurity Is Not Just an Insurance Policy—It’s Your Digital Seatbelt (and Airbag, and Brake Pedal)

  • Writer: Scott Crabb
    Scott Crabb
  • Jun 4
  • 3 min read


If you're a small business owner, you've probably heard people talk about cybersecurity like it’s some sort of digital insurance policy.

“You’ll be glad you have it when something bad happens!” they say.

Let me stop you right there.

Cybersecurity is not like insurance. It's not a nice-to-have. It's not something you only think about when disaster strikes. Cybersecurity is more like your seatbelt, your brakes, your headlights, and your horn—all rolled into one. You don’t wait until after the crash to wish you had working brakes.

But somehow, many small businesses treat it that way. Maybe you’re thinking:

“I’m just a bakery/bookkeeper/boutique marketing agency—why would a hacker care about me?”

Here’s why: hackers love small businesses. You're the low-hanging fruit in the digital orchard. You might not have millions in the bank, but you probably have customer data, payment info, maybe a login or two you reuse a little too often, and—best of all—you probably haven’t changed your password since the Obama administration.


The Real Cost of "Waiting Until Something Happens"

Let’s say your business gets hit with ransomware. You click a link in an email that looks like it’s from your accountant, and suddenly your files are locked tighter than your grandma’s Tupperware lid.

Now you're faced with a choice: pay thousands in Bitcoin, or lose your files forever.

You call your insurance company, and they say:

  • “Sorry, that’s not covered,” or

  • “Yes, but your deductible is $10,000,” or

  • Worse: “Wait… you didn’t enable multi-factor authentication? Yikes.”

Meanwhile, your business is offline, your clients are spooked, and your employees are looking at you like you’re the virus.


Cybersecurity Isn’t Just Protection—It’s Peace of Mind

Here’s the good news: cybersecurity doesn't have to be expensive or complicated.

You don’t need a full-time IT staff in a bunker 30 feet underground monitoring blinking red lights.

Start with the basics:

  • Use strong, unique passwords (no more "password123")

  • Enable two-factor authentication (yes, that annoying text message thing)

  • Back up your data regularly (and make sure you know how to restore it)

  • Update your software (that pop-up isn’t optional—it’s a lifeline)

  • Train your staff (if Bob from accounting thinks “Click here to claim your Amazon reward!” is legit, we have a bigger problem)

Think of these like washing your hands before surgery—basic hygiene, but it prevents catastrophe.


Cybersecurity as Business Enablement

Look, cybersecurity isn’t just about locking the doors. It’s about showing your clients and customers that you take their data seriously. It builds trust. It shows you're professional. It keeps you from spending your weekend Googling “how to decrypt files” or “how to tell clients their info was stolen without sounding panicked.”

Plus, having solid cybersecurity practices can help you:

  • Win contracts (many companies now require it)

  • Pass audits (even the scary ones)

  • Sleep better at night (honestly underrated)


Don’t Treat Cybersecurity Like a Rainy Day Fund

You wouldn’t install airbags after a car crash. You wouldn’t wait until your house burns down to buy a smoke detector. So why treat cybersecurity like an afterthought?

It’s not just insurance—it’s your daily safety system, your digital hygiene, your cyber vitamin C. It helps you stay healthy, resilient, and in control.

Because at the end of the day, nothing says “we’ve got our act together” like a company that doesn’t end up in the news for a data breach.



Need help putting a simple cybersecurity plan in place for your small business?Let’s chat. We speak plain English, not tech jargon—and we don’t judge if your Wi-Fi password is still “123456.”



 
 
 

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