Cyber Insurance for Medical Practices | Peter Vickers Insurance Brokers

By Peter Vickers Insurance Brokers | medical practice business insurance, cyber insurance, business insurance |

Your Next Emergency Might Not Be a Patient.

29th October 2026

On Monday morning, the waiting room was filling up. Reception staff were answering calls, patients were arriving for appointments, and doctors were preparing for a busy day.

Then the practice’s computer systems stopped responding.

At first, the team assumed it was a routine IT issue. A receptionist restarted her computer. Another tried logging in from a different workstation.

Then a message appeared:

“Your files have been encrypted. We have copied your patient records. Pay, or the information will be released.”

Within minutes, an ordinary working day became a crisis.

A locked system. A waiting room full of patients.

The team could no longer access appointment details, medical histories or clinical notes.

Patients at reception wanted to know why their appointments were delayed. Doctors needed to decide which consultations could safely proceed without access to the usual systems.

The practice manager began postponing appointments while trying to reach the IT provider. Nobody yet knew how far the attack had spread—or whether the backups could be used to restore operations.

But the attackers’ claim raised an even more troubling question:

Had confidential patient information actually been stolen?

Then the calls started

By the afternoon, a post about the disruption had appeared in a local community Facebook group.

“Does anyone know what’s happening at the clinic? They’ve cancelled my appointment.”

Other comments followed. Some were concerned. Others speculated about a data breach.

Then a patient called reception after receiving a suspicious email. The sender claimed to hold personal medical information and demanded money.

The practice could not immediately establish whether the email was connected to the attack. But the fear it created was real.

Patients wanted answers. Staff did not yet have verified information to give them.

The impact went far beyond the computers

As the disruption continued, appointments were cancelled and revenue was lost. Wages, rent and other operating costs still had to be paid.

The owners faced urgent decisions about restoring systems, investigating the possible data theft and communicating with patients. They also needed specialist advice about any notification obligations.

Every decision felt time sensitive. Yet acting without the right guidance could create further problems.

The practice owners immediately called IT providers, who then said they would contact their external server backup provider to assess the recovery options. They gave a rough estimate of $30,000 to restore systems and data from backup, subject to further assessment.

The practice owner had purchased cyber insurance however had never needed to use it.

Now, with the clinic struggling to operate, they picked up the phone to call their insurance broker.

“We’ve been attacked. We can’t access our records, and our patients are worried. What do we do next?”

How a broker would assist.

Following a cyberattack, the broker at PVIB can provide guidance and support throughout the claims process:

Responding to the initial call: Gather the key details, check the policy’s notification requirements and help the practice promptly contact the appropriate cyber incident-response service.
Notifying the insurer: Help notify the insurer and access any emergency response support available under the policy.
Coordinating communication: Liaise with the practice, insurer and appointed IT and legal specialists, while those specialists manage technical recovery and legal advice.
Explaining cover and claim requirements: Help the practice understand potential cover, excesses, limits and approval requirements, and assist with gathering invoices, incident reports and evidence of financial loss.
Providing ongoing support: Follow up on progress, help resolve claim queries and keep the practice informed through to the claim outcome.

Cover and claim payments remain subject to the policy terms and the insurer’s assessment.

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