Around 80% of UAE institutions now treat cyber insurance as a core risk management tool.
The UAE cyber insurance market has reached an estimated value of around USD 70 million, according to the UAE Cybersecurity Council, as more organisations adopt insurance policies as part of broader risk management strategies amid rising cyber threats.
The council said around 80% of institutions and companies in the UAE now consider cyber insurance an essential component of their cybersecurity frameworks. Demand is expected to continue growing in the coming years as attacks become more sophisticated, harder to contain and increasingly costly for businesses.
According to the council, artificial intelligence and social engineering are playing a larger role in cyberattacks as organisations deepen their reliance on digital infrastructure, cloud services and online platforms. Cyber insurance policies typically help companies cover the cost of incident investigations, data recovery, legal liabilities and compensation claims following cyber breaches or service disruptions. The council noted that these policies also support faster restoration of operations and business continuity after attacks.
The council stressed that cyber insurance should not replace cybersecurity systems, but instead function as one part of a wider protection strategy that includes prevention, monitoring, response planning and recovery measures.
Critical sectors including financial services, healthcare and energy were highlighted as particularly vulnerable due to the potential for attacks to disrupt essential services and expose sensitive data.
The council also noted that insurance providers are increasingly tying coverage eligibility to minimum cybersecurity standards, requiring companies to adopt basic security controls before policies are approved. It said this shift is helping improve readiness, regulatory compliance and alignment with international best practices.