Upcover has added a deepfake-focused endorsement to eligible cyber insurance policies on its platform through a partnership with cyber insurer Coalition.

The option, called Coalition’s Deepfake Response Endorsement, extends cover to incidents involving AI-generated impersonation and provides access to specialist services to address reputational harm and fraud linked to deepfake content.

Deepfake scams have moved from novelty to mainstream cyber risk as generative AI tools reduce the cost and skill needed to create convincing audio and video. Australian banks and regulators have warned businesses and consumers about impersonation scams using synthetic voice and video. Small and medium-sized businesses are an increasing target for cyber criminals, given their reliance on email and messaging tools and the limited incident response resources many firms have.

Upcover positions the endorsement as a way for smaller organisations to access incident response support more commonly associated with larger firms. “We’ve already seen this with larger organisations, but a convincing deepfake of a founder or CEO can wipe out trust with customers, investors or staff overnight,” said Anish Sinha, Upcover’s COO and cofounder.

The services sit alongside cyber insurance rather than as a standalone product. Under the endorsement, policyholders can request deepfake forensic analysis and legal support to help remove fraudulent content from online platforms. They can also access crisis communications assistance for managing media enquiries and stakeholder messaging during an incident.

Response services

Coalition described the endorsement as part of its approach to pairing insurance with response support. “Deepfakes are the new frontier; they target trust, the most valuable asset that any business has. By bringing specialised deepfake forensics and legal support to Upcover clients, we’re ensuring that Australian businesses aren’t just insured against the fallout, but are actively supported in reclaiming their identity and reputation,” said Connor McKay, Coalition’s Head of Business Development in Australia.

Deepfake incidents can range from fabricated videos designed to damage a brand to synthetic voice recordings used to pressure staff into making payments or disclosing sensitive information. For SMBs, risks often centre on invoice fraud, business email compromise and social engineering attacks aimed at finance teams and administrators. A convincing impersonation of a director can also trigger contractual disputes if customers or suppliers act on false instructions.

Sinha said the rollout reflects faster adoption of AI tools across the economy and the impact on threat activity. “Given the pace of innovation with AI, it’s only a matter of time before these attacks become more prolific and begin to systematically target smaller Australian enterprises,” he said.

While the endorsement focuses on response, it also signals how cyber insurers and brokers are adapting to AI-related threats. Traditional cyber policies have centred on data breaches, ransomware and business interruption. The rise of synthetic media is pushing reputational harm and identity verification issues higher on the incident response agenda.

Platform distribution

Upcover distributes commercial insurance through a digital-first, self-serve platform. It serves more than 60,000 businesses and works with more than 40 insurers and underwriters. It targets startups and mid-market firms, as well as established businesses seeking faster quoting and policy management.

The Coalition endorsement is available through Upcover’s platform for eligible cyber policies in Australia. Sinha said the product is designed for access and speed. “By bringing Coalition’s deepfake response capability onto the Upcover platform, we’re making this kind of specialist protection available in minutes, not months, to the businesses that historically have had the least access to it,” he said. “Our goal is to make cyber protection simple, fast and accessible – and that now includes a clear response plan when deepfakes are used to commit fraud or damage a brand.”

The companies have already been working together on digital distribution. Their collaboration began in 2025 and introduced a self-serve approach to cyber insurance through Upcover’s channel. Both have pointed to under-insurance among smaller businesses as an ongoing problem, with some organisations still assuming they are not large enough to attract criminals.

Coalition operates in several markets, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada and parts of Europe. Its model combines insurance with security tools and advisory services, bringing the insurer closer to the incident response workflow, including coordination with legal providers and external specialists.

The endorsement arrives as insurers assess how AI may change claims patterns and response costs. Synthetic media can spread quickly and persist through reposts even after takedown attempts, increasing the time and expense involved in communications management and legal escalation, particularly when content appears across multiple platforms and jurisdictions.

Upcover and Coalition expect more businesses to consider cover for impersonation risks as deepfake tools become easier to use and harder to detect.