A new survey conducted by business insurance provider SME Insurance (SMEi) today reveals that 34% of UK small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) polled could be uninsured for the biggest risks they face.
Of those firms that have insufficient insurance cover, 34% chose cyber-attacks from a list of major risks as the biggest threat to their business, according to the research*. Public liability is ranked in second place by 28% of SMEs, followed by crime, such as break-ins, at 19%.
When it comes to cyber-crime, 30% of respondents state they would be most vulnerable to computer viruses, while 22% claim data theft is the sole digital threat. According to 15% of respondents, a lack of security awareness amongst its employees may be leaving their business vulnerable online.
Following widespread flooding across the UK last winter, 44% of SMEs questioned believe the UK government and the Environment Agency could do more to protect small businesses from flooding, with 22% stating that national flood defences could be improved.
Jonathan Webber, Commercial Director for SME Insurance commented: “This survey highlights an apparent lack of insurance protection among SMEs for threats that could be potentially catastrophic to their businesses, which unfortunately puts them in a vulnerable position. Identifying and securing the insurance protection they need should be their top business priority.”
SME Insurance provides a breadth of specialist commercial insurance products specifically designed to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses operating in a wide range of sectors. For further information, visit www.smeinsurance.com
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