Managed IT & Cybersecurity for Insurance Agencies
Secure, reliable IT support.
Linchpin is a managed IT and cybersecurity partner built for independent insurance agencies across the United States. We bring day-to-day IT support, cybersecurity controls, compliance readiness, and insurance-platform expertise under one accountable team — so your agency stays protected, prepared, and running.
Your agency depends on connected systems, sensitive client data, and employees who need fast answers. Linchpin manages the technology behind the work — from Microsoft 365 and employee devices to cybersecurity, backups, agency management systems, and long-term technology planning.
Insurance-specific technology. Security you can prove.
Linchpin combines insurance operations knowledge with managed IT and cybersecurity support. Our team understands the systems agencies use, the documentation regulators and underwriters request, and the operational cost of downtime. Aligned with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 and applicable state cybersecurity requirements.
More than 500
Endpoints Monitored
50+ years
Combined Insurance technology experience
Two insurance-platform partnerships
Applied Preferred Consultant Partner & Vertafore Orange Partner
Cybersecurity built around insurance agency operations
Insurance agencies store policyholder, financial, claims, identity, and employee information across multiple systems. A secure environment has to protect the network while accounting for the agency management system, carrier connections, Microsoft 365, remote access, third-party vendors, and the workflows employees use every day.
Linchpin’s managed IT and cybersecurity services are designed around those dependencies. When an issue crosses from the workstation to the AMS, a carrier download, or a cloud integration, your team has one partner coordinating the response.
What Linchpin Managed IT includes:
Help Desk and user support.
Responsive support for login problems, workstation issues, remote access, Microsoft 365, printers, scanners, and the everyday technology problems that interrupt client service.
Proactive monitoring and maintenance.
Network, server, device, and service monitoring; patching; routine maintenance; and early intervention before a small issue becomes a larger outage.
Microsoft 365 and cloud management.
Migration, licensing, identity management, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, email security, governance, and ongoing optimization.
Infrastructure management.
Servers, workstations, firewalls, Wi-Fi, VPNs, cloud environments, and hardware lifecycle planning.
User and device lifecycle support.
Consistent onboarding, access changes, and offboarding for employees, contractors, and remote team members.
Vendor coordination.
One technical partner to work with your AMS provider, phone vendor, rater, document management provider, and other technology vendors.
vCIO and technology planning.
A practical 12-to-24-month roadmap, budgeting guidance, quarterly reviews, and planning for growth, acquisitions, new locations, and changing risk.
Why agencies choose Linchpin
We're insurance, not just IT.
The people on our team have worked inside agencies and brokerages. We've built workflows in Epic. We know what your CSRs deal with at 4:30 on a Friday. Most MSPs cannot say that.
Applied Preferred Consultant Partner & Vertafore Orange Partner.
Recognized by Applied Systems as a Preferred Consultant Partner and by Vertafore as an Orange Partner. Few IT providers can claim both partnerships.
Built for the regulations you actually face.
Carrier IT questionnaires, E&O cyber requirements, state DOI standards, GLBA, and (where applicable) NY DFS Part 500. We build the controls to match.
Fast, great, and cost-effective.
You don't have to pick two. We've structured our service to deliver all three. Give us 10 minutes and we'll show you how.
The cybersecurity controls behind the service
Linchpin helps insurance agencies put layered security controls in place across users, devices, email, networks, cloud applications, and backups. The goal is to reduce the likelihood of an incident, detect suspicious activity quickly, limit its impact, and recover with a tested plan.
Available 24/7 security monitoring.
A staffed Security Operations Center (SOC) monitors alerts and coordinates response around the clock.
Endpoint detection and response (EDR/MDR).
Managed protection for workstations and servers, with investigation and response when suspicious activity is detected.
Multi-factor authentication and identity security.
MFA, access controls, least-privilege permissions, conditional access, and periodic review of who can reach sensitive systems.
Email and collaboration security.
Protection against phishing, malicious attachments, account takeover, impersonation, and business email compromise across Microsoft 365.
Vulnerability and patch management.
Routine scanning, prioritized remediation, operating-system and application updates, and reporting on unresolved risk.
Network and firewall security.
Secure configuration, traffic controls, remote-access protection, and ongoing monitoring of the agency environment.
Encryption and data protection.
Controls for protecting nonpublic information in transit and at rest, based on the agency’s systems and applicable requirements.
Security awareness training.
Role-appropriate training and phishing simulations that help employees recognize and report suspicious activity.
Immutable backups and disaster recovery.
Protected backups, retention planning, documented recovery procedures, and restore testing designed to keep the agency operating after ransomware, hardware failure, or a regional disruption.
Incident response planning.
A written runbook that defines roles, escalation paths, communications, evidence preservation, recovery steps, and post-incident review.
Cybersecurity compliance support for insurance agencies
Linchpin helps independent insurance agencies translate cybersecurity requirements into practical controls, documentation, and repeatable operating procedures. Applicability varies by state, license type, agency size, lines of business, and the information the agency handles, so the compliance roadmap begins with the agency’s actual obligations and risk profile.
Regulations and frameworks we support:
NAIC Insurance Data Security Model Law (Model #668) and state-adopted versions.
Support for the information security program, risk assessment, incident response, third-party oversight, and documentation expected of covered licensees.
New York Department of Financial Services Cybersecurity Regulation (23 NYCRR Part 500).
Support for covered entities working through risk-based cybersecurity program, policy, access, training, incident, and reporting requirements.
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act privacy and security obligations.
Support for written information security programs and administrative, technical, and physical safeguards where GLBA requirements apply.
HIPAA Security Rule.
Support for agencies that are covered entities or business associates and create, receive, maintain, or transmit electronic protected health information.
Technical and operational support for conforming with state privacy laws, including CCPA/CPRA.
vCIO/vCISO Solutions for your Agency
Linchpin’s virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) and virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) service can give your agency a named security leader who owns the cybersecurity roadmap, coordinates risk and compliance work, reviews the effectiveness of the program, and reports priorities to agency leadership. The vCIO/vCISO can work alongside Linchpin’s technical team so policies, controls, evidence, and remediation stay connected.
Additional services we can provide:
- Written Information Security Program (WISP/ISP) tailored to the agency’s environment.
- Documented cybersecurity risk assessment and prioritized remediation roadmap.
- Written and tested incident response plan with defined roles and escalation paths.
- Asset inventory, access-control standards, onboarding and offboarding procedures, and vendor-security documentation.
- Security awareness training records, control reports, restore-test results, and other evidence requested during reviews.
- Support for annual program review, leadership reporting, regulatory examinations, and cyber insurance underwriting requests.
Cybersecurity requirements evolve, and technology controls alone do not determine legal compliance. Linchpin provides technology and operational compliance support; your agency’s legal counsel should confirm which laws apply and approve legal interpretations.
Managed IT that understands your agency management system
Linchpin secures and supports the technology environment around the agency management system your producers, account managers, and accounting team use every day. Our insurance-specific team can help diagnose issues that cross between the AMS, user permissions, workstations, Microsoft 365, carrier connections, and third-party applications — without leaving your agency to referee multiple vendors.
Platforms we support include:
- Applied Epic
- Vertafore AMS360
- EZLynx
- QQCatalyst
- Hawksoft
- Dyad
- PLRater
- Other insurance platforms — ask us about yours.
Linchpin vs. a general business IT provider
A general business MSP may manage devices, networks, and Microsoft 365 well. Linchpin adds the insurance-system knowledge, regulatory context, and operational support independent agencies need when technology, cybersecurity, and client service overlap.
|
Capability |
LINCHPIN |
Typical general business MSP |
|---|---|---|
|
Insurance cybersecurity context |
NAIC/state-law, NYDFS, GLBA, and HIPAA support where applicable |
Business security practices; insurance obligations may require outside guidance |
|
Agency management systems |
Applied Epic, AMS360, EZLynx, and other insurance platforms |
Usually treated as third-party line-of-business applications |
|
Compliance documentation |
Risk assessment, information security program, incident plan, and evidence support are all available through Linchpin |
Availability and scope vary |
|
Security leadership |
vCIO and vCISO services available |
Availability and insurance experience vary |
|
Security operations |
24x7 SOC, MFA, EDR, email security, patching, backups, and incident planning |
Toolset and response model vary by provider |
|
Help Desk |
US-based support from a team familiar with insurance workflows and AMS dependencies |
General user and device support |
|
Vendor coordination |
AMS, rater, carrier connection, phone, document management, and cloud vendors |
Commonly limited to infrastructure vendors |
|
Technology roadmap |
Planning tied to agency growth, acquisitions, staffing, AMS strategy, security, and cyber insurance requirements |
General infrastructure and lifecycle planning |
How to get started with Linchpin
1. 10-minute conversation.
Tell us about your agency, team, AMS, technology environment, and the problems creating the most risk or friction.
2. IT and security assessment.
We review the current environment, security posture, support model, and insurance-system dependencies. You receive a written assessment of your current ‘State of the Union’ and a roadmap of where Linchpin can take you.
3. Practical 90-day plan.
If we are a fit, the proposal explains what is included, how support works, what it costs, and what will change first.
4. Ongoing support and improvement.
Linchpin manages the daily work, tracks risk, reviews priorities with leadership, and adjusts the roadmap as the agency grows and requirements change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are managed IT and cybersecurity services for insurance agencies?
Managed IT and cybersecurity services for insurance agencies combine daily technology support with security monitoring, identity and device protection, Microsoft 365 management, backups, incident preparation, compliance support, and strategic planning. An insurance-focused provider also understands agency management systems, carrier connections, policyholder data, and the workflows that keep client service moving.
Why does an independent insurance agency need an insurance-focused IT provider?
Insurance agencies depend on specialized applications and handle nonpublic information across employees, devices, cloud platforms, agency management systems, carrier portals, and third parties. An insurance-focused provider can connect infrastructure decisions to AMS performance, regulatory requirements, E&O concerns, cyber insurance underwriting, and the operational impact of downtime.
Which cybersecurity regulations may apply to an insurance agency?
Depending on the agency’s states, licenses, size, services, and data, requirements may include state versions of the NAIC Insurance Data Security Model Law, New York’s 23 NYCRR Part 500, GLBA obligations, HIPAA requirements for covered entities or business associates, and state privacy or breach-notification laws. Applicability should be confirmed with qualified legal counsel.
Can Linchpin help make our agency compliant?
Linchpin can help an agency assess risk, implement and manage technical safeguards, develop operational documentation, test response and recovery procedures, and maintain evidence. Legal compliance depends on the agency’s specific obligations and decisions, so legal counsel should confirm applicability and legal interpretations.
What cybersecurity controls does Linchpin manage?
Linchpin’s service includes [Roy: confirm exact stack] security monitoring, endpoint detection and response, MFA and identity controls, email security, patch and vulnerability management, network security, encryption support, security awareness training, and backups. Disaster recovery and incident response planning services are available with our vCIO/vCISO offerings.
Does Linchpin provide 24/7 cybersecurity monitoring?
Linchpin’s services include a 24/7 manned Security Operations Center monitoring your endpoints and cloud environment. For critical alerts, immediate action is taken to secure your data, identities, credentials and environment. Warnings or anomalous signals are assessed and escalated or de-escalated to provide the appropriate level of response regardless of the circumstances or time of day.
Does Linchpin offer vCISO services?
Linchpin offers both Virtual Chief Information Officer and Virtual Chief Information Security Officer services to provide executive-level guidance, oversight, and strategic alignment with your organization’s needs, objectives, and regulatory requirements.
Which agency management systems does Linchpin support?
Linchpin supports Applied Epic, Vertafore AMS360, EZLynx, QQCatalyst, Hawksoft, Dyad, and more. The team can coordinate issues across the AMS, employee devices, Microsoft 365, network, integrations, and related vendors.
Can Linchpin help with cyber insurance underwriting requirements?
Yes. As part of Linchpin’s vCIO/vCISO offerings, we can review applications, documents controls, supply evidence, remediates gaps, and coordinate with the agency’s broker and underwriter.
Can Linchpin work alongside an internal IT employee or existing provider?
Yes. Linchpin can serve as the agency’s full managed IT partner or provide specialized security, compliance, AMS, cloud, and project support in a co-managed role alongside internal resources. We customize the relationship specific to your needs and the skills, abilities, and responsibilities of your internal team.
How much do managed IT and cybersecurity services cost?
Pricing depends on the number of users and devices, locations, infrastructure, support coverage, security requirements, and project scope. Linchpin begins with a short conversation and assessment, then provides a proposal that clearly defines the services, tools, responsibilities, and monthly or project-based cost.
Related insurance IT and Cybersecurity resources
Give your agency one accountable technology partner
Reliable IT support, layered cybersecurity, compliance readiness, and insurance-system expertise work better when they are managed together. Linchpin helps independent insurance agencies protect client data, support employees, reduce downtime, and build a practical technology roadmap for what comes next.