Personally identifiable information (PII)
In one sentence
Data that identifies a person (names with SSNs, financial details, health info) and triggers breach-notification laws if exposed.
PII is information that can identify an individual, especially sensitive combinations like a name plus a Social Security number, bank details, or health data. Losing it can trigger legal breach-notification duties and is a major driver of breach cost.
Why it's on your cyber insurance application
Applications ask what sensitive data you hold and roughly how many records. This sets both premium and coverage.
What this looks like in practice
Count the records once, roughly, and keep the number. Customer records in your CRM, employee files including Social Security numbers, anything with bank details. The count drives the premium and the coverage limit, and it's also the number you'll need in the first hour of an incident when someone asks how many people may have been affected.
The written evidence carriers accept
A “yes” on the application needs a document behind it. In the Readiness Pack, that document is:
Related terms
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