The ISO 27001 and SOC 2 credentials show the company’s “commitment to safeguarding sensitive user information”, it said.

“Our priority is to safeguard the data we manage, ensuring it is used only for its intended purpose,” stated Tony Searle, chief information officer of guard.me International Insurance.

“We have implemented stringent access measures and provided comprehensive privacy and security training to all our employees, leaving no stone unturned in our commitment to preventing unauthorised access, disclosure, or misuse of data.”

“Our priority is to safeguard the data we manage”

In 2021, education was among the most-targeted industries for data breaches, while personal data including passport numbers and health details of some international students in Australia was stolen after insurance provider Medibank was hacked in October last year.

More recently, the Colorado Department of Higher Education in the US was the target of an attack in June.

guard.me said the two new certifications solidify the company’s position as “an industry benchmark for data protection and reinforces its commitment to safeguarding sensitive user information”.

It is promptly implementing legislative changes related to privacy, compliance and data security to ensure maximum protection for its clients, it added.

“This includes offering ID theft protection in every policy,” guard.me noted.

The company is also pursuing additional certifications as it creates a framework to manage data privacy.

The insurance provider has been very supportive of the Canadian higher education sector, donating to institutions such as Sheridan College on a number of occasions – including to create a Fund for International Musical Development – Niagara College, Centennial College and Georgian College.