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Will your commercial insurance still be valid if you use Windows 10 after 14 October 2025? Possibly valid — but conditional. Your policy likely won’t be void automatically, but if you suffer a cyber incident, data breach, or business interruption, the insurer may refuse to pay out depending on the cause of the issue and your adherence to basic security standards. Here's what matters most: 1. Policy Wording Check for clauses like: "Reasonable precautions" or "Duty of care" Most commercial insurance requires you to take reasonable steps to protect your assets. "Software maintenance" / "Security standards" / "Patching obligations" These often mean using up-to-date and supported software. Continuing to use unsupported Windows 10 might be interpreted as a failure to meet these terms, especially if it's a known risk. 2. Cause of Incident If a cyber attack or data breach is traced to an unpatched Windows 10 vulnerability (which won’t be fixed post-October 2025), your insurer could argue: The breach was preventable and your system was non-compliant with industry best practices. Therefore, no compensation is due. 3. Cyber Insurance vs General Commercial Insurance Cyber insurance is more likely to have explicit exclusions for unsupported or out-of-date software. General business insurance (e.g., property, liability) may not care about your OS — unless the event involves IT systems (like data loss, ransomware, or business interruption caused by a cyber event). 4. Regulatory Non-Compliance = Higher Risk If your business also handles personal data, using unsupported software after 14 Oct 2025 could mean: Breach of UK GDPR Regulatory fines Reputational damage Most insurers won’t cover fines or losses due to regulatory breaches caused by avoidable IT failures. Want a sample email to your insurer? Here’s a simple message you can send to your insurance provider: Subject: Clarification Request: Use of Windows 10 After End-of-Life Dear [Broker/Insurer Name], We are reviewing our IT systems and would like to confirm whether continued use of Windows 10 after its official end-of-support date (14 October 2025) would affect our commercial or cyber insurance coverage. Specifically, could you confirm: Whether use of unsupported operating systems impacts our policy validity or any exclusions Whether a claim would be affected if a cyber incident is linked to such systems Any steps we should take to remain compliant with our insurance obligations Kind regards, [Your Name] [Your Business Name]
Windows 11 Upgrade – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)  1. Do I have to upgrade to Windows 11? No, upgrading to Windows 11 is optional. 2. What happens if I stay on Windows 10? Windows 10 will continue to receive security updates and support from Microsoft until 14th October 2025 . After that date, it will no longer receive regular updates, including vital security patches. 3. Is it safe to keep using Windows 10 after support ends? Once support ends on 14th October 2025, any security vulnerabilities found after that date will not be fixed, increasing your risk of cyberattacks, malware, and compatibility issues. You may also invalidate commercial insurance policies by running unsupported software that is deemed to be unsafe, and you may be in breach of GDPR. 4. Will my programs stop working if I don’t upgrade? Most programs that work on Windows 10 will continue to function as long as your hardware supports them. However, newer applications and updates will in most cases eventually require Windows 11. Software providers will also only provide support for their applications if they are running on a supported operating system. 5. Will my computer be compatible with Windows 11 later if I change my mind? It depends on your hardware. Windows 11 has stricter system requirements (e.g., TPM 2.0, newer CPUs). Our technical team can assist you if required. 6. Can I still buy a new PC with Windows 10? Most new PCs now ship with Windows 11. 7. Is there a cost for upgrading to Windows 11 later? No, the software upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is free for eligible devices. However, you may incur costs for new hardware, and/or configuration where appropriate. 8. What are the risks of staying on Windows 10 long-term? No security updates after October 2025 Possible compatibility issues with new apps and hardware Reduced support from software vendors and IT departments Greater risk of malware or data breaches Commercial insurance policies will, and may become invalidated. This includes policies such as Public Liability, Professional Liability, Business Interruption, Employer's Liability, Business Income, Directors and Officers Liability, Burglary/Contents and Cyber Insurance. Run the risk of breaching legal regulations or commercial policies, including Safeguarding, GDPR Article 32, Data Protection Act 2018, NIS Regulations, Cyber Essentials (Plus), DfE standards guidance, DfE Cyber Security Standards and DfE Data Protection Toolkit which also holds senior leadership and governors accountable. 9. Can I block or delay the Windows 11 upgrade notification? Yes, you can pause updates or use Group Policy (in Pro editions) to defer the upgrade. Microsoft also provides registry settings to block the upgrade prompt. 10. What should I consider before upgrading? Check if your apps and devices are compatible. Consider email, MS 365 and Google applications. Back up all of your files. Consider Documents, Desktop, Emails and so on. Review Windows 11’s features and interface changes Confirm your system meets hardware requirements
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