IT Support for Insurance Brokerages

The broker management system is the centre of the business

Whatever platform a brokerage runs, that system holds client policies, renewal dates, claims history, and communication records, and it needs to be fast and available throughout the business day. Performance issues with these platforms are frequently caused by server resources, network latency, or workstation age rather than the software itself, which is why infrastructure and application troubleshooting need to happen together rather than in isolation.

We support the servers, network, and workstations these platforms run on as part of our managed IT services, and coordinate directly with software vendors when an issue needs their input.

Client data: financial, personal, and sensitive

A brokerage file can include a client's income, banking details for premium payments, health information tied to certain policy types, and claims history that touches on accidents or losses. That combination makes brokerages an attractive target for cybercriminals and makes strong data handling practices a business necessity, not a nice-to-have. Our cybersecurity for insurance brokerages guide goes into this in more depth.

Remote and hybrid access for brokers

Brokers frequently work outside the office, whether visiting a commercial client's site or handling calls from home, and they need the same secure access to the broker management system and client files that they would have at a desk in the office. Poorly secured remote access, such as exposed remote desktop connections, is one of the most common entry points attackers use against small offices, which we cover in remote access, VPN versus zero-trust.

Email security for a phishing-heavy target

Insurance brokerages are a favourite phishing target because attackers know a convincing email impersonating a carrier, a client, or a payment request has a real chance of getting acted on quickly. Business email compromise attempts targeting wire transfers or premium payments are common enough that every brokerage should treat email security as a priority, not an afterthought, following the practices in secure business email from phishing.

Backup and business continuity

A brokerage that cannot access client records during a system outage cannot service claims, process renewals, or answer basic client questions. That makes backup and continuity planning central to brokerage IT, not a compliance checkbox. We cover this in detail in business continuity planning for insurance firms, and our backup and disaster recovery services build the recovery plan around how quickly a brokerage needs to be back online.

Secure document sharing with clients and carriers

Policy documents, claims forms, and renewal paperwork move constantly between brokers, clients, and carriers, and email attachments are not always the safest way to move that volume of sensitive paperwork. A dedicated secure portal reduces the exposure compared to sending documents as plain attachments, which we cover specifically in secure client document sharing for insurance.

Working with regulatory and licensing bodies

Ontario insurance brokers operate under oversight from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario and, for some lines, other regulators, and specific questions about data handling obligations tied to licensing should go to those bodies or to legal counsel rather than to an IT provider. What we can do is implement the technical safeguards, such as access control, encryption, and documented backup, that support whatever obligations a brokerage has confirmed with its own regulator or insurer.

Frequently asked questions