New Supporting Member of ICMIF, Descartes, has been selected to provide digital risk insurance to the French Senate, the upper house of the French Parliament through the Descartes Insurance side of the organisation.

The contract was awarded following a public tender process and will see Descartes Insurance provide cover through its Cyber Shutdown Cover solution, in partnership with broker Foch Assurances. The partnership aims to help ensure the continuity of parliamentary activity in France in the event of a cyber incident affecting the institution’s digital systems.

Rapid, predefined compensation model

Descartes says its Cyber Shutdown Cover is designed to be triggered as soon as a malicious intrusion is detected. The resolution of the incident is supported by a specialist response team, and once the incident has been addressed, compensation is paid within a matter of days.

The product is based on a parametric-style approach in which the amount of compensation is agreed in advance with the policyholder and broker. This structure is intended to provide transparency and significantly faster claims settlement compared to traditional indemnity-based cyber insurance products.

Supporting public sector resilience

Descartes says the award of the French Senate contract marks a significant step in the company’s growth and underlines its capacity to respond to complex public sector requirements. Public institutions — including government bodies, local authorities and chambers of commerce — are increasingly exposed to digital threats and are seeking more responsive risk transfer solutions.

Violaine Raybaud, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Descartes Insurance, said: “We are proud to contribute to the resilience of our French institutions by putting our expertise at the service of the Senate, and thank it for its trust. This collaboration illustrates our ability to combine technological innovation with a detailed understanding of each customer’s specific needs.”