Guest blog by RPost

Guest blogs are written by contributors outside of HawkSoft. The participants' views are entirely their own and may not reflect the views of HawkSoft.

In the insurance world, trust is everything. Clients depend on their agents to protect their most sensitive information—from medical history and financial records to personally identifiable information (PII). As cyberattacks evolve and regulations tighten, email remains both the most essential and the most vulnerable communication channel for agencies.

We only have to look at the Scattered Spider Hacks throughout 2025 to see that the industry is experiencing a rise in these types of attacks, and it’s through covert social engineering tactics and infiltrating communications.

Today, the need for proper email encryption isn’t just a best practice—it’s a business requirement. Insurance carriers, regulators, and clients all expect agencies to safeguard communications to the highest standards. But with so many encryption tools on the market, how can agencies know what to choose?

This article breaks down why email encryption matters, what types of encryption agencies should be using, and the key features to look for in a truly robust email encryption provider.

In this article:

• Why email encryption is critical
• What type of email encryption should your agency be using?
• What to look for in a robust email encryption provider

Why email encryption is critical

Encryption is the process of encoding data using an algorithm to make it unreadable to outside parties, which don't have the correct decryption key. Email encryption adds a layer of security to emails sent and received by your agency, as well as any sensitive information or file attachments they may contain. Here’s a few reasons why encryption plays a vital part in an agency’s security strategy.

Rising cyber threats targeting agencies

Insurance agencies have become high-value targets for cybercriminals because of the sheer amount of sensitive customer data they manage. Today’s threat actors are leveraging AI-powered phishing, deepfake identity spoofing, and credential harvesting schemes to intercept or manipulate email communications.

Context is key for cyber criminals, and if they’re able to access your communications freely they’ll be able to build the foundations necessary to access important data.

Encryption adds a crucial layer of protection—ensuring that even if a message is intercepted, it remains unreadable to unauthorized parties.

Stricter compliance & carrier expectations

Now more than ever, carriers and other entities agencies work with require secure transmission of sensitive data. Agencies can face fines, carrier audits, loss of appointments, and reputational damage if they fail to encrypt client communications properly. This includes regulations like:

• HIPAA
• GLBA
• State-specific privacy laws
• Carrier-mandated cybersecurity frameworks

Increasing client awareness

Clients are more security conscious than ever. With news cycles filled with data breach reports, customers expect their insurance agents to communicate securely—and they notice when an agency doesn’t take data protection seriously. Offering robust encryption helps agencies build trust and demonstrate professionalism.

It’s easier to maintain trust when your clients know you’re going the extra mile, rather than repairing the damage from a devastating cyberattack.

What type of email encryption should your agency be using?

Insurance agencies need solutions that are secure, compliant, easy for staff to use, and frictionless for clients. Here are the main types of email encryption you will encounter.

Transport Layer Encryption (TLS)

TLS encrypts the connection between mail servers.

• Pros: Automatic, invisible to the sender and recipient.
• Cons: Not all email recipients support strong TLS, and it only encrypts data in transit (while being sent), not data at rest (after sending).

Message-level encryption (true end-to-end)

The email content itself is encrypted, regardless of how it travels through the internet.

• Pros: Highest level of protection; doesn’t depend on the recipient's system.
• Cons: Harder to implement without the right tools.

Encryption with proof of delivery and compliance tracking

In addition to the previous elements, some providers (such as RMail by RPost) offer encryption that includes legal-grade evidence of delivery, encryption status, and time-stamped audit trails. This offers the highest level of trackability and peace of mind for agencies.

What to look for in a robust email encryption provider

Not all encryption tools are created equal. When partnering with a provider, insurance agencies should evaluate how they perform in these key areas.

Ease of use for agents and clients

If encryption requires extra steps, staff will bypass it—or worse, avoid sending sensitive information altogether.

Look for:

• Automatic encryption triggers based on content, keywords, or rules
• One-click or no-click workflows
• No login needed for recipients when possible

Compliance, legal proof, and audit trails

Agencies and customers need evidence that a message was encrypted, delivered, and accessed by the recipient. This protects agencies from liability and satisfies audits.

Look for:

• Tamper-proof proof of delivery
• Encryption status tracking
• Time-stamped records stored independently from your email server

Number of encryption options

A solid encryption provider should be able to adapt to different communication scenarios with different types of encryption.

Look for:

• Automatic TLS with fallback options
• End-to-end message-level encryption
• Portal-based viewing when required
• The flexibility to let the sender choose the level of encryption

Customizable security policies

Different teams may require different security settings.

Look for:

• Policy-based rules
• Automated detection of sensitive info
• Admin-level controls
• Logging and reporting dashboards

Seamless integration with your existing systems

Insurance agencies rely on AMS platforms like HawkSoft, CRM tools, policy management systems, and e-signature solutions.

Look for integration with:

• Outlook & Gmail
• Agency management systems
• Document signing workflows
• Mobile devices

Protection against human error

Human error remains the biggest source of data breaches. Encryption tools should help you identify mistakes and risks before sending.

Look for:

• AI-powered misaddressing prevention (e.g. alerts if you’re about to send to the wrong person)
• Encryption enforced automatically based on content
• Automatic fallback when a secure connection isn’t available

Level up your agency's email security

Secure email is no longer just a behind-the-scenes IT function—it’s a visible part of client experience and regulatory compliance. Insurance agencies that adopt modern encryption solutions position themselves as trustworthy, forward-thinking, and professional. Solutions like RPost, a HawkSoft partner, can help agencies modernize their communication security while keeping workflows efficient and customer friendly.