For Kiwi businesses, technology has become the backbone of daily operations — from online payments and cloud accounting to customer databases and third-party platforms. But as businesses become more connected, cyber risk becomes less of an “IT problem” and more of a business reality: disruption, downtime, and the pressure of making fast decisions when you’re already under stress. 

What’s changed is not just the frequency of cyber incidents — it’s the impact. Many events start small: a convincing phishing email, a compromised login, or a supplier issue that takes systems offline. For a small business, even a short outage can mean stalled operations, lost revenue, reputational damage and customer frustration — often with limited internal capability to manage the response. 

That’s why the conversation is shifting from “Can we prevent everything?” to “How quickly can we respond, recover, and keep the business moving?” 

QBE’s cyber offering, QCyber Protect,  has been built with that reality in mind — drawing on global experience in complex cyber markets, and tailoring the approach to the needs of New Zealand businesses. It’s designed not only to provide financial protection, but also to connect customers with the right expertise at the time they need it most. 

As Miro Dordevich, QBE Pacific, Head of Cyber, puts it: 

“When a cyber incident hits, customers don’t just need a policy — they need a calm, coordinated response. Our focus is getting expert support around them quickly, reducing disruption and taking pressure off the business.” 

A key part of that is partnership. Cyber incidents are fastmoving and multidisciplinary — incident containment, legal considerations, communications, and recovery planning can all come into play. QBE works with specialist providers and trusted partners, so customers aren’t left trying to navigate complexity alone. 

Because in a cyber event, one thing matters most: reducing stress and restoring confidence, so business owners can focus on what they do best — serving customers and keeping their business running. 

Talk to your insurance broker or adviser about how QBE can help protect your business in an increasingly digital world. 

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Article added: Sunday 12 April 2026