A weekend cyber attack that disrupted operations at Heathrow, Dublin, Brussels, and other major European airports has thrown a spotlight on the escalating insurance implications of digital threats across the aviation sector. The incident underscores not only the vulnerability of critical infrastructure but also the growing demand for robust risk transfer solutions for corporate travellers. For brokers selling these covers, new consumer data reveals a clear appetite for travel policies that deliver faster, more predictable protection during such disruptions — creating new opportunities for brokers to tailor innovative solutions for their clients.
According to GlobalData’s 2024 UK Insurance Consumer Survey, 45.7% of UK consumers said they would pay more for a travel insurance policy that pays out automatically. Of these, nearly a quarter would accept a premium increase of up to 5%, while 14.1% would pay up to 10% more. By contrast, 37.5% were unwilling to pay extra and 16.8% remained unsure.
The timing of these findings is significant. The cyber attack forced airlines and airports to revert to manual processes, leading to dozens of cancellations, hundreds of delays and widespread passenger frustration.
In such cases, parametric travel insurance products — which trigger automatic payouts when predefined events occur, such as cancellations or delays — offer an efficient alternative to traditional claims handling. For insurers, it reinforces the potential for these solutions to differentiate travel cover and deliver quicker financial relief to affected passengers.
For carriers and airports, the disruption also underscores cyber as a core operational exposure. While aviation insurance has long addressed areas such as hull, liability and terrorism, cyber risk remains a developing market.
Many traditional policies limit or exclude coverage, pushing airlines and airport operators toward dedicated cyber products. These policies can provide business interruption protection and access to forensic, incident response and crisis management services, which are increasingly vital as reliance on digital infrastructure grows.
GlobalData’s 2025 UK Commercial Insurance Broker Survey found that 53.6% of brokers identified cyber as the emerging product with the greatest growth potential. For aviation in particular, the need to strengthen cyber resilience is accelerating as reliance on interconnected systems grows and passenger volumes return to pre-pandemic levels.
For insurers, the challenge is twofold — to build awareness of parametric travel cover as a solution for consumers facing increasingly frequent disruptions, and to position cyber insurance not only as a financial backstop but as a tool for prevention and response. Together, both product lines are set to play a greater role in helping businesses and travellers manage risks in an environment shaped by both digital threats and operational uncertainty, the company said.
