RICHMOND, Va. , Feb. 19, 2026 /CNW/ -- Markel, the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), announced today a new collaboration with Upfort to provide eligible U.S. cyber policyholders with an expanded suite of tools to help them safeguard their businesses and help reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

Upfort Shield, a multi-layer cyber defense platform, is now available to Markel eligible cyber policyholders, providing AI-powered, automated protection against common cyber threats. Policyholders can also gain access to an easy-to-deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution that uses behavioral analytics to help reduce the chance of a breach. Service availability and pricing may vary.

"Markel's relationship with Upfort helps strengthen our 360-degree approach to cyber insurance protection and ensures we are there for our clients before, during and after a cyber incident," said Paul Melone, Executive Underwriting Officer, Professional Liability at Markel. "Providing businesses with tools that help them predict, prevent and recover from threats empowers them to stay resilient and confident in an increasingly complex digital environment."

"This collaboration aligns with Markel's long-term cyber strategy to provide innovative insurance solutions for middle-market businesses," said Raphael Da Costa, Senior Director, U.S. Cyber and Tech at Markel. "It allows us to broaden our appetite, helping our policyholders strengthen their risk prevention, and position ourselves to deliver customized cyber coverage as the market continues to mature."

With capabilities ranging from advanced email protection to continuous monitoring and employee training, Upfort equips businesses with employee training, EDR and practical, easy-to-use tools that help strengthen resilience while allowing them to stay focused on running and growing their operations.

"By deploying the full Upfort Shield platform, Markel is adopting a proven cybersecurity solution with a multi-year track record of drastically reducing claim frequency," said Josh Riley, Co-Founder of Upfort. "This collaboration can deliver market-leading value to policyholders to help prevent cyberattacks while also equipping Markel with the actionable intelligence needed to lead the next era of data-driven underwriting."

Click here to learn more about Upfort's capabilities.

About Markel Insurance

We are Markel Insurance, a leading global specialty insurer with a truly people-first approach. As the insurance operations within the Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), we leverage a broad array of capabilities and expertise to create intelligent solutions for the most complex specialty insurance needs. However, it is our people—and the deep, valued relationships they develop with colleagues, brokers and clients—that differentiates us worldwide. 

About Upfort

Upfort is a leading cybersecurity platform focused on closing the protection gap through AI-powered defense and intelligent automation. By leveraging proprietary threat intelligence and insurance claims data, its advanced behavioral models are designed to stop high-impact attacks that bypass traditional controls. Upfort equips organizations of all sizes with the essential layers of cyber defense proven to prevent loss.

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SOURCE Markel