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Agents & Brokers

Is Your Client's MSP SPECTRA Certified?

As a broker, many of your clients likely rely on a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to keep their business secure. Right now, you have no way to know if that MSP is actually doing a good job protecting your client. At most, there's a contract, a logo, and a hope that the breach never comes. SPECTRA changes that. And it keeps you front and center as your clients' trusted risk advisor.

What SPECTRA Certification Is

SPECTRA is the only independent certification program that inspects and verifies MSPs: not a checklist, not a self-assessment, an actual inspection with documented evidence.

Learn more about Certification

  1. People

    Verified security controls and current, recognized staff certifications, aligned to NIST, CIS, and other recognized frameworks.

  2. Technology

    Deployment verified, not just licensed. SPECTRA confirms the tools an MSP sells are actually running and configured correctly.

  3. Process

    Onboarding, change management, and incident response protocols reviewed; including third-party dependencies.

  4. Performance

    Operational track record and client satisfaction analyzed.

  5. Ongoing

    Multiple touch points through the year, not a set-it-and-forget-it badge.

Why this matters to your clients

Most security certifications are self-reported: no inspection, no verification, no one confirming that the MSP does what it says. Your client is taking their MSP's word for it, and the numbers show what that risk actually looks like:

46%

Of small businesses will face a significant cyber incident.

1 in 5

will close within 6 months of a breach.

$84,000

average cyber claim cost for small businesses (Coalition 2025 Cyber Claims Report)

SPECTRA has found real examples of this gap during certification inspections: MSPs marketing 24×7 monitoring while only one device was actually enrolled, and MSPs operating on informal price sheets with no SLAs or defined service agreement. Neither received SPECTRA certification, and neither customer knew. That is what “taking their word for it” looks like in practice.

What this means for you as an Agent or Broker

  1. A faster application

    A short, 2-minute cyber insurance application with no technical questionnaire, because SPECTRA has already verified the applicant's cybersecurity posture through their certified MSP.

  2. Preferred pricing

    Preferred pricing tied to verified security, not guesswork: meaningful premium discounts from AM Best “A+” rated insurers.

  3. Referral path for clients

    A referral path for clients who don't yet have a certified MSP, or whose current MSP isn't certified: you're able to guide your clients to a network of certified MSPs without being tied to a specific cybersecurity vendor.

How to talk about it with your clients

You don't need a technical pitch. Start every new SMB account, every renewal, and every prospect who says their MSP “takes care of it” with one question:

“Is your MSP SPECTRA certified?”

If they are:

Your client has proof, not just promises, and a faster, better-priced path to coverage.

If they aren't:

Now your client knows what to ask for. You can refer them to a SPECTRA Certified MSP already verified near them, or refer their current MSP to SPECTRA to get certified.

A useful reframe for the conversation:

Your client’s MSP is either their strongest line of defense, or a very expensive false sense of security. SPECTRA certification is how you and your client find out which one it is before a breach forces the question.

How to reach out about the program

Inquire today
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  • Refer a client looking for a best-in-class MSP near them.
  • Refer an insurance applicant who has already had a breach and needs stronger security to buy or renew coverage.
  • Refer a complex client, a rollup, family office, or PE firm, looking for efficient, comprehensive, certified security across multiple entities.