How much does cyber insurance cost in Australia?

Based on data for cyber insurance policies arranged through upcover, a typical small business pays around $1,200 a year for cyber cover. Half of cyber premiums arranged through upcover fall between around $900 and $2,100 a year. Some premiums run well above this range, depending on factors such as the business's industry, revenue and security controls.

Key takeaways

• Cyber insurance costs may move with factors such as industry, revenue, security controls, claims history and the chosen limit of insurance.
• Two cyber quotes may differ in how they cap some types of loss and in the security conditions they set.
• Cyber policies commonly exclude some losses, such as incidents known or reasonably foreseeable by a senior executive before cover started.

Cyber insurance is designed to cover costs after a data breach or cyber attack. First-party costs may include incident response, forensics, notifying affected people and data recovery.

Third party cover may respond to claims from customers or regulators. Cyber cover is subject to the policy terms, conditions and exclusions.

Cover depends on the policy and insurer you choose. Check the policy wording and its terms and conditions for what is and isn't included.

How much does cyber insurance cost by industry?

Prices for cyber cover differ by industry in policies arranged through upcover.

Figures are for Sept’26.

How these figures were prepared

Figures come from cyber policies arranged through upcover for Australian businesses, reviewed in August 2026. Amounts are yearly premiums and include stamp duty. What businesses commonly pay is the middle half of premiums, from the 25th to the 75th percentile. A quarter of businesses pay less than this range and a quarter pay more.

Prices start from the smallest premium in the data, not an advertised price. Your premium may depend on factors including your turnover, data exposure, security controls and the cover you select, so treat these figures as a guide, not a quote.

What affects the cost of cyber insurance?

Your price may depend on factors including your industry classification, your revenue and the stage of your business. Licensing, professional or contractual requirements may also influence the limit of insurance you consider, which may affect the cost. Your existing controls and risk framework, your answers to insurers' risk questionnaires or proposals, and your recent claims history may also affect the total cost of your insurance.

upcover's cyber page lists business type, revenue size, data handled and security controls among the factors affecting cost. The excess on a cyber policy, "the first amount an insured must pay towards a claim before the insurer pays", may also affect its price.

upcover's cyber requirements guide explains the controls insurers may ask about.

Does a lower cyber insurance premium mean less cover?

A lower cyber insurance premium may or may not mean less cover. Two cyber quotes may also differ in their sub-limits for ransomware or email fraud, excess and security conditions. A sub-limit is "a maximum amount the insurance company will pay for a specific type of loss, which is within the overall policy limit". upcover's cyber limits guide explains how businesses weigh a cyber limit and its sub-limits.

Compare the premium with the financial exposures the policy is designed to address. upcover's guide on why cyber insurance may be relevant looks at what a cyber incident may cost.

What does cyber insurance commonly exclude?

Cyber policies commonly exclude some losses, and each policy wording sets out its own exclusions. Exclusions commonly include, but are not limited to:

• intellectual property claims, such as patent or trade secret disputes, although an exception may apply to some software copyright claims
• incidents a senior executive knew about, or could reasonably foresee, before cover started
• outages at third party utilities or telecoms providers, unless the provider's own security failure directly caused them

Important: This list is not exhaustive. Exclusions vary between insurers. Always refer to the policy wording and its terms and conditions for the exclusions that apply to you, and if you have questions you should speak to your insurance broker or the upcover team.

upcover's guide to cyber insurance explains cover options and claims examples.

How upcover can help

upcover arranges cyber insurance for small businesses. upcover works with 80+ insurance partners and can arrange quotes from a range of insurers.

• 70,000+ businesses covered across Australia
• 4.9/5 customer rating
• 80+ insurance partners

Get a quote for cyber cover.

Frequently asked questions

Does cyber insurance cost include stamp duty and GST?

In upcover's industry figures, each amount is a yearly premium including stamp duty and GST and fees, if included. As at the time of writing (October 2026), the Australian Taxation Office says GST is generally charged on insurance other than life and health insurance.

Does a higher limit increase cyber insurance cost?

The specified limit (the limit shown on the policy schedule) may affect the cost, alongside factors such as industry, revenue, controls and claims history. If your contract sets a minimum cyber limit, that requirement may influence the specified limit you consider.

What does cyber insurance cost for a startup?

If your startup is a technology business, upcover's startup insurance cost guide explains pricing for cyber cover alongside other covers a startup may hold.

Which industries pay more for cyber cover?

Of the industries shown in upcover's cyber cost figures, professional services and IT and telecommunications businesses have the highest typical prices for cyber cover. Controls and recent claims history may also affect the cost for any business.

Do security controls affect cyber insurance cost?

Controls such as multi-factor authentication and backups may affect the cost of cyber insurance, along with claims history and the cover selected. Answers about those controls may be relevant to the duty of disclosure, "the obligation to reveal all material facts that could influence the insurer's decision to provide coverage or set terms".

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_{Written by upcover's editorial team.}

_{This article provides general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not tax advice: speak with a registered tax agent about how GST applies to your business. Cost figures are a guide as at [PRICING OWNER TO CONFIRM: Month Year], not a quote. Insurance availability and cover are subject to underwriting and the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of the relevant policy. Read the policy wording and its terms and conditions before deciding. upcover arranges insurance products with selected insurers and underwriters and does not compare all general insurers or insurance products available in the market.}