PERSONAL CYBER

Personal Cyber Insurance in South Africa

Compare and buy personal cyber insurance online for South African individuals and families. Cover for identity theft, online fraud, cyber extortion, cyberbullying support and the cost of restoring your devices and data.

Underwritten on the iTOO Personal Cyber wording, Bi-me makes it simple to get specialist personal cyber cover without the back-and-forth."

Get a personal cyber quote

See what personal cyber covers

Online quote journey

Tell us about you

Household, devices and online activity in a few questions.

Pick your sum insured

Choose a cover limit that matches your exposure.

Review and compare

See premium, excess, benefits and exclusions side by side.

Buy online

Eligible policies bind digitally with documents emailed instantly.

What is personal cyber insurance?

Personal cyber insurance protects individuals and families against the financial impact of online crime — identity theft, banking and online fraud, cyber extortion, ransomware on personal devices, cyberbullying and the cost of restoring hacked devices, data and online accounts. It is distinct from business cyber liability and is designed for personal, family and home-network use.

Get a quote online

Who needs personal cyber insurance in South Africa?

Personal cyber is built for South African individuals and families with a meaningful digital footprint, online banking, social media, cloud storage and connected devices in the home.

Families with children online

Why it matters: Kids on social media and gaming platforms face cyberbullying and scams.

Example: A child is impersonated online and harassed; the policy funds counselling and content takedown.

High-net-worth individuals

Why it matters:

Wealthy individuals are targeted for identity theft and SIM-swap fraud.

Example: Fraudsters port your number and clear a bank account before you notice.

Remote workers

Why it matters: Personal devices double as work devices and store sensitive data.

Example: Ransomware locks your laptop and family photos.

Active online shoppers

Why it matters: Card and bank credentials are exposed across many merchants.

Example: Stolen card details lead to fraudulent purchases you have to reverse.

Social media creators

Why it matters: Account takeover can wipe years of content and income.

Example: Your Instagram or TikTok account is hijacked and held for ransom.

Anyone with a home network

Why it matters: Smart-home devices expand the attack surface.

Example: A compromised router leaks data from every device in the house.

WHAT'S COVERED

What does personal cyber insurance cover?

Subject to the policy wording, limits, exclusions and excesses, cover may include:

Theft of Funds: Reimburses financial losses from online fraud.

Identity Theft: Covers costs to restore compromised identities.

Data Restoration: Pays for IT services to recover lost files.

Cyberbullying: Provides expert help against online harassment.

Cyber Extortion: Covers professional support for ransomware attacks.

Shopping Fraud: Protects against losses from online merchant scams.

Express Kidnapping: Offers crisis response for digital abductions.

Data Breach Liability: Covers third-party legal costs from privacy leaks.

WHAT ISN'T COVERED

What is not actually covered by Personal Cyber Insurance?

Subject to the policy wording, but Common exclusions include:.

Losses arising from your own fraudulent or criminal acts

Business-related cyber incidents (covered by business cyber liability)

Losses already recoverable from banks or merchants

Pre-existing incidents known before inception

Hardware repair where there is no cyber event

Losses caused by failure to keep software updated (where excluded)

Unverified or speculative crypto-asset losses

Losses outside the territorial limits in the schedule

REAL WORLD SCENARIOS

Common personal cyber claim scenarios

Theft of funds

Hackers break into your banking app and clean out your account before you even notice.

Ransomware on a family laptop

Family photos and tax records are encrypted; the policy funds specialist recovery.

Identity theft

Someone opens credit accounts in your name. Response services help shut them down and clear your name.

Cyberbullying

An online troll launches a relentless harassment campaign, dragging your name through the mud across social media.

Online-shopping fraud

Credentials stolen from a breached retailer are used for unauthorised purchases.

Social-engineering scam

A convincing email impersonates a service provider and tricks you into transferring funds.

REAL WORLD SCENARIOS

Personal cyber vs. Business cyber liability

They sound similar but cover different things.

Personal cyber insurance protects you and your family from everyday digital threats like identity theft, online fraud, extortion, and cyberbullying. Business cyber liability, on the other hand, is built for companies and legal entities, stepping in when data breaches, third-party privacy claims, operational downtime, or regulatory penalties threaten your bottom line.

KNOW THE TERMS

Technical terms, in plain English

IDENTITY THEFT RESPONSE

What identity-theft response covers

Beyond reimbursement, personal cyber typically includes access to specialists who help you freeze credit profiles, lodge fraud alerts, reissue compromised documents and notify the relevant institutions.

CYBER EXTORTION

How cyber-extortion cover works

If a criminal locks your device or threatens to release data unless paid, the policy responds with specialist negotiators and, subject to the wording, may fund a regulated payment plus the cost of recovery.

Includes forensic IT to remove the threat
Negotiation handled by specialists, not you
Funds to restore data from clean backups

COST

What affects the cost of personal cyber insurance?

Premiums are tailored to your specific exposure. Common factors include:

Number of people covered in the household
Sum insured and excess
Online activity profile

Crypto-asset exposure
Territorial scope
Previous incident history

QUOTE PREP

What you'll need for a quote

Names of family members to be covered

Primary devices and operating systems

Whether you hold crypto-assets

Whether you use online banking and stock trading

Required sum insured

Any past cyber incidents

FAQ

Frequently asked Questions

What it covers: Reimburses you when hackers drain your bank account, credit cards, or mobile wallet, or when phishing scams trick you into handing over your login credentials.
Real-world example: Your bank refuses to refund a fraudulent transaction because it went through using your valid details, or a spoofed email tricks you into sharing your password.
How your policy helps: We cover the investigation costs to trace the breach, reimburse your lost money, pay any resulting bank fees or missed-payment penalties, and fund the legal steps to go after the cybercriminal.

What it covers: Steps in when someone steals your personal details or ID information—often via a corporate data breach or hacked email—and uses them to open fraudulent accounts, take out loans, or commit tax and medical aid fraud.
Real-world example: Your compromised data is used behind your back to apply for credit lines or rack up fraudulent transactions in your name.
How your policy helps: We cover the expenses of cleaning up the mess, including lost income for taking time off work, notarizing affidavits, re-applying for credit lines, making reporting phone calls, up to six months of credit monitoring, and paying the replacement fees for compromised identity documents.

What it covers: Pays for specialist IT assistance to clean and decontaminate infected devices, recover encrypted or lost data, and even cover hardware parts replacement if damage requires it.
Real-world example: Ransomware encrypts your personal photos and files while browsing, or an infected flash drive corrupts your system, forcing a full format, operating system reinstall, and data restoration.
How your policy helps: We cover professional IT service fees to restore your software and files, along with the physical parts replacement costs for your computer if the malware damage demands it.

What it covers: Protects against malicious online harassment, intimidation, or stalking via digital channels that leads to severe consequences like job loss, false arrest, or diagnosed psychological trauma.
Real-world example: Your child faces severe social media harassment leading to depression, or online threats and leaked personal info cost you your job and cause deep emotional distress.
How your policy helps: We cover the expenses to scrub and remove harmful online content, replace lost income, fund legal action against the perpetrator, hire reputation management experts, provide upfront payouts for psychological treatment, and cover school transfer costs if your child needs to move.

What it covers: Shields you from digital black-mailers and ransomware attacks where cybercriminals threaten to leak private photos, lock your systems, or damage your reputation unless you pay up.
Real-world example: A malicious email attachment installs ransomware that locks your personal files with a payment demand, or a blackmailer threatens to publish your private texts and photos online.
How your policy helps: We cover specialist IT fees to verify threats and attempt system recovery, fund the ransom payout itself where appropriate, and pay for any other reasonable resolution expenses.

What it covers: Protects you if your compromised or malware-infected device spreads an attack to someone else's system, leaving you legally liable for their resulting damages.
Real-world example: Hackers use your unsecure home device as a launchpad to corrupt another person's files or hardware, prompting them to sue you for the damage.
How your policy helps: We cover IT forensics to investigate the source of the spread, pay your defense legal costs, and cover any court-awarded settlements or agreed-upon payouts.

What it covers: Protects you when you buy items online for personal use and fall victim to fraudulent merchants who take your money and vanish without delivering the goods or services.
Real-world example: You order a product, the e-commerce website disappears entirely, and review sites like Hellopeter reveal a long trail of scammed victims who never received their items.
How your policy helps: We reimburse your direct financial loss for the undelivered personal goods or services.

What it covers: Responds when you are abducted and forced under duress to drain your bank accounts via ATM withdrawals or digital transfers until you are freed.
Real-world example: You are intercepted and held against your will, forced to hand over your banking credentials or clear out your balances to secure your release.
How your policy helps: We cover the financial value of the funds or property you were forced to surrender to your kidnappers.

What it covers: Protects you if personal data belonging to others is stolen from your hacked devices or email, leading those affected to sue you for damages.
Real-world example: Hackers breach your personal files or email and steal sensitive information about other people, who then take legal action against you after their data is misused.
How your policy helps: We cover IT investigation costs to trace the data breach, pay your legal defense fees, and cover any court-awarded settlements or agreed-upon liability payouts.