Short answer
Cyber insurance quotes vary because carriers include different coverages, set different retentions and price risk differently. In quotes we ran in 2026, the most and least expensive $1M options for the same firm were often 3 to 6 times apart. A higher price did not reliably mean broader coverage, so the coverage lines need a side-by-side look.
How much do cyber insurance quotes vary for the same firm?
Across the 2026 quote sets we ran, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive $1M option for one firm ranged from 1.7x to 6.3x. The median spread was about 2.8x.
Two examples show the range:
- An $800K architecture firm received quotes from $585 to $3,683.
- A $1.7M engineering firm received quotes from $926 to $4,617.
These figures reflect quotes we ran in 2026 and are not a market average. Your own quotes will depend on your firm, state, controls and claims history. For a broader view of pricing, see our post on what small A&E firms pay for cyber insurance.
Why cyber insurance quotes vary even at the same limit
Matching limits do not mean matching coverage. The lines that differed most often in our quotes were:
- Social engineering, invoice manipulation and client funds coverage, which some quotes included and others did not
- Retention, which was $1K, $2.5K or $5K depending on the option
- Ransomware coverage, where some policies pay on behalf of the firm and others reimburse it afterward
- Breach response, which sometimes sits outside the limit and sometimes erodes it
- Bricking coverage, which ranged from a $50K sublimit to the full $1M
- Whether the carrier includes a cyber risk report
- Whether the carrier is admitted or non-admitted
Any one of these can change how a policy responds after an incident, and each can move the premium.
Price, rating and coverage are three different things
Many firm owners assume the most expensive quote offers the most protection. Our data did not support that. The highest-rated carrier was the most expensive option in 10 of the 12 sets it quoted. Its quotes did not include breach response outside the limit or client funds coverage.
That does not make a highly rated carrier a poor choice. An AM Best rating measures financial strength, meaning the carrier’s ability to pay claims. It does not measure how broad the coverage is. A firm may reasonably value that financial strength and still need to check which coverages are included.
Example: three quotes for the same firm
Consider a hypothetical architecture firm comparing three $1M quotes. The carrier names are replaced with letters, and the figures are illustrative.
| Carrier A | Carrier B | Carrier C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | Lowest | Middle | Highest |
| Retention | $5K | $2.5K | $1K |
| Social engineering and client funds | Not included | Sublimit | Not included |
| Breach response | Inside the limit | Outside the limit | Inside the limit |
| Bricking | $50K | $1M | $50K |
In this example, the highest price does not carry the broadest coverage. Carrier B sits in the middle on price and includes more of the lines that matter to a design firm. Which option fits best depends on the firm’s contracts, controls and tolerance for a higher retention.
What to check first when comparing cyber insurance quotes
Start with these five lines before you look at the premium:
- Social engineering, invoice manipulation and client funds: Confirm whether each is included and at what sublimit.
- Retention: Note the amount your firm pays before coverage responds.
- Ransomware: Check whether the policy pays on behalf of your firm or reimburses you.
- Breach response: See whether it sits outside the limit or reduces it.
- Bricking: Compare the sublimit to the full limit.
Our guide to comparing cyber liability quotes walks through each row, and how to read a proposal explains where to find these details in the documents.
Related questions
Why are my cyber insurance quotes so different?
Carriers differ on included coverages, retention, how they pay ransomware losses and whether breach response sits inside the limit. Pricing models also differ, so the same firm can land far apart.
Does a higher cyber insurance premium mean more coverage?
Not necessarily. In the quotes we ran in 2026, the highest-priced option was often not the broadest. Compare the coverage lines directly instead of relying on price.
What does an AM Best rating tell me about a cyber policy?
It reflects the carrier’s financial strength. It does not tell you which coverages are included, so review the policy terms separately.
What does pay on behalf mean in a cyber policy?
It generally means the carrier pays the covered cost directly rather than reimbursing you after you pay. The exact terms depend on the policy form.
Should I choose an admitted or non-admitted cyber carrier?
Each has different regulatory and form characteristics, and neither is automatically better. Ask your broker how the difference applies to the specific quotes in front of you.
Talk to an agent if you’d like help sorting through your own quotes.