Sponsored content: Matthew Waller, head of cyber at Travelers Europe, discusses how the psychological impacts of a cyber attack felt by employees can be supported
In today’s digital age, cyber threats are a reality that businesses can’t afford to ignore. That’s especially true for small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are often most vulnerable.
Beyond the technological and financial fallout of cyber incidents, these events can have a lasting psychological impact on the people tasked with responding to them.
To help businesses manage through this, Travelers has introduced the Cyber Post-Claim Wellbeing Service. This support offering is designed to address the mental health needs of people involved in cyber incident response.
Included in every cyber insurance policy from Travelers at no additional cost, this service offers confidential, specialist mental health support through HelloSelf, a third-party provider of psychological and well-being services.
The service is available to up to four employees from an insured organisation’s cyber response team, following the first notification of loss.
Employee well-being
According to the UK government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024, half of UK businesses experienced a cyber incident or data breach in the previous year.
The tangible costs of cyber attacks are well known, but the psychological effects – including stress, anxiety, anger, reduced productivity and low morale – are only beginning to be understood. As a result, the impacts can often be underestimated or overlooked.
In addition to posing significant financial and technological challenges to a business, cyber security breaches generate human challenges that can be difficult to overcome without support.
Through the new well-being service, Travelers can help businesses treat emotional health with the same urgency as system restoration or data recovery.
How it works
Through the Cyber Post-Claim Wellbeing Service, eligible employees will receive:
- An initial six sessions with a qualified HelloSelf clinician – via secure video or telephone.
- Access to additional sessions, subject to approval by Travelers, based on clinical recommendations.
- A range of expert support from cognitive behavioural therapists, counselling psychologists or clinical psychologists, tailored to the person’s needs.
Most importantly, the service is confidential. Neither Travelers nor the employer will know who accesses the service – and using it has no impact on the cyber claim itself.
Eligible employees can begin accessing HelloSelf support shortly after notifying Travelers of their loss. HelloSelf will guide them to the right care, ensuring they receive the necessary help – whether it’s to manage a pressing crisis or lingering stress.
A proactive step
As cyber incidents become more frequent and complex, businesses have to not only protect their systems but also care for the people behind them. Protecting employee well-being is simply an extension of an organisation’s cyber risk management strategy.
- To learn more about Travelers Europe’s cyber insurance, click here
