Cyber and Privacy Insurance for Ontario Clinics
Health records are among the most valuable data criminals can steal, and small clinics are frequent targets. We connect Ontario clinic owners with licensed brokers who understand PHIPA obligations and cyber coverage.
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Service & Support:
- Follow-up from a licensed broker within 24 hours
- Policy Review and Comparison
- Risk Assessment
- Help with certificates of insurance, policy changes and contract reviews
- Renewal planning well before your policy expires
Quick answer
Do Ontario clinics need cyber insurance?
Most do. Ontario clinics that hold personal health information are health information custodians under PHIPA. After a privacy breach they must notify affected patients and, in many situations such as theft of records or ransomware, the Information and Privacy Commissioner. They must also report annual breach statistics by March 1. Cyber insurance helps pay for breach response, notification, legal advice, system recovery and lost income.
Your PHIPA obligations after a breach
Under Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act, health information custodians must notify affected individuals when personal health information is stolen, lost or used or disclosed without authority. The Information and Privacy Commissioner must also be notified in several situations, including theft of records or devices, ransomware, unauthorized snooping and significant breaches.
Custodians must also report the previous calendar year's breach statistics to the Commissioner by March 1 each year. Responding properly takes time, legal help and sometimes forensic investigators, which is where cyber insurance helps.
Connect NowHow CommercialInsurance.ca works
We are not an insurer or a broker. We find you the right one.
Matched by industry
We connect you with a broker who works with businesses like yours, not a generic call centre.
Licensed Ontario brokers
Insurance brokers in Ontario are licensed by the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO).
Fast follow up
Once we receive your information, a professional in our network will connect with you within 24 hours.
No cost to be matched
Our referral service is free for businesses. You deal directly with the broker for quotes and coverage.
What clinic cyber insurance can cover
Cyber policies vary, but these are the costs most clinics care about.
Breach response
- Privacy lawyers and breach coaches
- Forensic investigation
- Patient notification
- Credit monitoring where appropriate
Ransomware and recovery
- Restoring EMR and booking systems
- Data recovery
- Negotiation and response experts
- Extortion costs where permitted
Lost income
- Business interruption from outages
- Cancelled appointments
- Extra staff time to recover
Liability
- Claims from affected patients
- Regulatory investigation costs
- Privacy class actions
Fraud
- Social engineering and payment fraud
- Fraudulent invoice schemes
- Coverage limits vary
What reduces risk
- Multi factor authentication
- Encrypted laptops and backups
- Staff privacy training
- Access audits in the EMR
Be ready before the breach
Tell us about your clinic's systems and records and we will connect you with a licensed Ontario broker who places cyber coverage for health practices.
See also our general cyber insurance guide.
Connect NowClinic Cyber Insurance FAQs
When must a clinic report a privacy breach to the IPC?
PHIPA requires notification to the Information and Privacy Commissioner in several situations, including unauthorized use or disclosure, theft of records or devices, ransomware, further use after an initial breach, patterns of similar breaches, related discipline, and significant breaches.
Is an encrypted stolen laptop a reportable breach?
The IPC's guidance treats stolen information as reportable unless it was de identified or encrypted. Encryption is one of the most effective protections a clinic can use.
Does my EMR provider's insurance cover my clinic?
Generally not. The vendor's insurance protects the vendor. As the custodian, your clinic remains responsible for its patients' information.
How much does cyber insurance cost for a clinic?
Small clinics can often buy a basic policy for roughly $1,000 to $5,000 a year depending on revenue, records and security controls. These are estimates only.
What happens after you request commercial insurance?
1Discovery Call
(30 to 45 min)Understand operations, contracts, assets, and loss history.
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We will request your
expiring policies and loss runs.
2Risk Mapping
(1 to 3 days)Document exposures, limits, sublimits, deductibles, and endorsements that fit your contracts.
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3Market Placement
(2 to 5 days)Approach the right markets
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and negotiate terms, exclusions, and deductibles.
4Proposal & Bind
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Protect your team too
Offer health, dental and life benefits your employees will value.
We also connect Ontario businesses with licensed benefits advisors, from two person teams to growing companies.
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