Agent Alert
January 24, 2019
Cybersecurity Reporting

As an attorney and title insurance agent, you and your staff regularly handle personal and confidential information. It is important that you have procedures in place to safeguard this private personal data from hackers and identity thieves.

New York title insurance agents are required to implement and maintain a written cybersecurity policy for the protection of nonpublic information. A title insurance agent must certify compliance annually to the Department of Financial Services.

A title insurance agent may claim an exemption from compliance by filing with the Department of Financial Services by February 15. Instructions for claiming an exemption may be found here:

This is a limited exemption and you must still implement and maintain a cybersecurity program that meets some but not all of the regulatory requirements. This includes an annual Certification of Compliance which must be submitted by February 15. Instructions for filing a Certification of Compliance may be found here: https://www.dfs.ny.gov/about/cyber_compliance_filings_instructions.pdf

Click here for a summary of the cybersecurity regulations with which an exempt title agent must comply. Generally, compliance with ALTA’s Best Practices will be sufficient to comply with the New York regulations. 
 
Should you have any questions, please contact Bob Picone, CATIC Title’s New York State Manager, at [email protected]