Catalyit Coffee Chat with Smart I.T. Services

The Rundown

In a recent conversation, Smart IT Services leaders Jerry Fetty and Bryant Caudill explained how insurance agencies are still too often treating cybersecurity and AI adoption as reactive issues — only seeking help after a breach, workflow problem, or compliance scare. Their message: agencies need stronger foundations before AI use outpaces their safeguards.

The Context

• Smart IT Services, founded in 1991, works exclusively with independent insurance agencies and focuses on IT support, security, automation, and now AI consulting.

• The team says many agencies still lack the controls needed to confidently qualify for cyber liability coverage, even while selling those policies themselves.

• A major emerging risk is “shadow AI” — employees using free AI tools without leadership approval and potentially exposing sensitive data.

• They recommend agencies start with better data governance, employee onboarding, written AI usage policies, and fuller use of tools already inside Microsoft 365.

Why it Matters

AI is quickly becoming part of the insurance agency tech stack, but without the right security architecture, it can surface confidential salary, leadership, or client information in seconds. This is a sharp reminder that for agencies, AI strategy and cybersecurity strategy are now the same conversation. Style reference based on the provided newsletter examples.

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