what do accession do in cyber?

Through its two massive operating companies—Risk Strategies (retail) and One80 Intermediaries (wholesale)—Accession Risk Management Group brings a highly sophisticated, two-pronged approach to the cyber insurance market.

Rather than just selling basic cyber policies, Accession has built out dedicated cyber practices that focus on risk quantification, technical consulting, and specialized wholesale placement. Here is exactly what they do in the cyber space:

1. Risk Strategies: The Retail & Advisory Arm

Risk Strategies approaches cyber insurance from a consultative, risk-management perspective. They don't just broker the policy; they actively help clients build their cyber defenses to make them more insurable.

• Proprietary Cyber Risk Management Platform (RMP): Launched prior to the BRO acquisition, this platform goes beyond standard insurance placement. It provides clients with external vulnerability scans and actionable recommendations to shore up their cyber defenses before they even go to the underwriting market.
• FAIR-Based Risk Quantification: Risk Strategies utilizes advanced, data-driven modeling (like the FAIR framework) to financially quantify a client's cyber risk. By modeling specific scenarios (e.g., a massive ransomware attack vs. a targeted data breach), they help clients mathematically determine exactly how much coverage limit and what retention (deductible) level they actually need, rather than just guessing based on industry benchmarks.
• Bespoke Coverage Structuring: They focus on building out coverage for first-party direct losses (business interruption, forensic investigations, data restoration, and ransomware/extortion payments) as well as third-party liabilities (network security and privacy liability). They also structure proprietary policy extensions to cover "silent cyber" risks—situations where a cyber event triggers a physical property damage or general liability claim.
• Incident Response & Claims Advocacy: They assist clients with tabletop exercises and incident response planning. If a breach occurs, their dedicated claims team manages the response, coordinating with forensics, legal counsel, and the insurer.

2. One80 Intermediaries: The Wholesale & Program Arm

While Risk Strategies works directly with the end-client, One80 operates in the wholesale space, meaning they help other retail insurance agents place incredibly difficult or highly specialized cyber risks.

• Targeted Industry Niches: One80 operates specialized cyber liability programs designed for high-risk or complex industries that standard carriers often avoid. Their target classes include healthcare, financial institutions, law firms, municipalities, and technology companies.
• Comprehensive Coverage Access: As a premier wholesaler with massive market leverage, One80 accesses top-tier global carriers (including direct access to Lloyd's of London) to secure critical coverages. This includes coverage for regulatory response costs, PCI re-certification, public relations mitigation, and ransom payments.
• In-House Binding Authority: One80 acts as a Managing General Agent (MGA) for certain programs, meaning they have the "pen"—the delegated authority from the insurance carrier to underwrite, price, and bind cyber policies in-house. This gives them a massive speed advantage when quoting complex risks for their retail broker partners.

By acquiring Accession, Brown & Brown didn't just buy a book of cyber premium; they acquired an entire ecosystem of cyber risk modeling, technical consulting, and exclusive wholesale access that dramatically elevates their capabilities in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the insurance market.