Firms could avoid claiming for computer breakdown and data loss on their business insurance policies by educating staff about the security risks associated with mobile devices.
According to Andy Wright, sales director at nonstopIT, lost and infected devices, such as USB memory sticks, are responsible for a large number of company security breaches and viruses.
He said there have been many stories in the news about employees losing such gadgets, some of which contain sensitive information about their business and their customers.
Indeed, research by networking provider Cisco has shown that almost one in five employees have left mobile devices unattended in public.
Furthermore, a quarter of IT managers said that one in four of the mobile devices they have given to staff in the last 12 months have been lost or stolen.
But Mr Wright said lost devices are not the only concern for companies.
"You've also got a lot of people bringing their own devices into the office, which are putting viruses on to the system," he explained.
Some business insurance policies provide cover against computer breakdown and associated data loss or damage to records.
Securing business insurance could therefore form part of a firm's overall security strategy, in addition to warning employees about the dangers of misusing or misplacing mobile devices.
