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Comparison Table

SECURITY AREA	ESSENTIALS	COMPLETE
Antivirus	Included	Included
Endpoint Detection and Response	Included	Included
Unified device backup	Included	Included
Datto SaaS Protection where applicable	Included	Included
Advanced email security	Not Included	Included
Security awareness training	Not Included	Included
Dark web monitoring	Not Included	Included
SaaS alerting	Not Included	Included
Microsoft 365 management	Not Included	Included
User and identity protection	Limited	Expanded

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Factor 1 – Device Risk

Essentials may address core device risks through:

• Antivirus

• EDR

• Backup

• Monitoring integration

This is important because insurance agencies depend on workstations, laptops, and servers for daily operations.
The agency should confirm:

• Every device is covered

• Agents are reporting

• Servers are included

• Backups are monitored

• Alerts are reviewed

• Unsupported devices are identified

If the agency’s primary concern is device-level protection, Essentials may appear sufficient.
The decision should not stop there.

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Factor 2 – User and Email Risk

Insurance employees receive large volumes of external email.
Common risks include:

• Fake carrier notices

• Fraudulent payment requests

• Impersonation

• Malicious attachments

• Credential theft

• Password-reset scams

• Compromised vendor accounts

• Phishing links

These threats may bypass basic device protection.
Complete adds controls that help address:

• Fake carrier notices

• Fraudulent payment requests

• Impersonation

• Malicious attachments

• Credential theft

• Password-reset scams

• Compromised vendor accounts

• Phishing links

For most insurance agencies, user and email risk is one of the strongest reasons to choose Complete.

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Factor 3 – Cloud and Identity Risk

Insurance agencies increasingly depend on Microsoft 365 and SaaS applications.
Risk areas include:

• Compromised passwords

• Unusual sign-ins

• Unauthorized forwarding rules

• Excessive administrator access

• External sharing

• Former employee accounts

• Suspicious cloud activity

• Third-party application access

Complete includes Microsoft 365 management and SaaS Alerts to help address these risks.
A device may be secure while a user account is compromised.
That is why identity and cloud controls matter.

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Factor 4 – Cyber Insurance and Regulatory Compliance

Cyber insurance applications may ask about:

• MFA

• EDR

• Email security

• Employee training

• Backup

• Incident response

• Microsoft 365 controls

• Monitoring

• Administrative access

Regulatory compliance reviews may examine similar areas.
Essentials may help satisfy some device-level controls.
Complete may provide broader support for:

• Email protection

• User training

• Identity monitoring

• Microsoft 365 management

• Cloud alerts

• Documentation

Cyber insurance requirements should be reviewed before selecting a security package because carriers may expect controls beyond endpoint protection.

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Factor 5 – Budget and Risk Tolerance

A business should expect to invest approximately $125 to $175 per endpoint per month for a properly secured environment.
Additional user-security expense may apply depending on:

• Email protection

• Training

• Microsoft 365 management

• Dark web monitoring

• SaaS alerts

• BCDR

• Penetration testing

• Compliance Manager

The agency should compare the additional cost of Complete with the potential cost of:

• Account takeover

• Fraudulent payments

• Ransomware

• Regulatory remediation

• Cyber insurance issues

• Downtime

• Reputational damage

The lowest monthly price does not necessarily create the lowest total business risk.

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How West Texas IT Consulting Structures Managed Services

Every managed engagement includes three layers:

1. Security Package

2. $40 per-endpoint Managed Services Fee

3. Tiered Technology Fee

The Managed Services Fee supports:

• Datto RMM

• Monitoring and patching

• Proactive alerting

• IT Glue documentation

• Secure password management

• Unlimited Help Desk support

• Coordinated remote and onsite support when warranted

The Tiered Technology Fee supports:

• 24/7 monitoring infrastructure

• Security operations

• Alert triage

• Monthly audits

• Technology Alignment Manager oversight

• Tooling and automation

• Service management

• Escalation

• Quality control

Some onsite hours may be included based on size, but onsite support should not be described as unlimited or free.

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Example – Choosing a Package for a 19-Employee Agency

Consider a 19-employee insurance agency in Midland with:

• 24 managed endpoints

• Microsoft 365

• Remote employees

• Sensitive client information

• Frequent external email

• No formal phishing training

• Cyber insurance renewal in six months

Essentials would provide:

• Antivirus

• EDR

• Backup

• Device-level protection

Complete would add:

• Email security

• User training

• Dark web monitoring

• SaaS alerts

• Microsoft 365 management

Leadership chooses Complete because the agency’s greatest exposure is not limited to devices. Email, credentials, users, and cloud activity create substantial risk.

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When Might Essentials Be Appropriate?

Essentials may be considered when:

• User and email protections are already managed elsewhere

• The organization has a mature internal security program

• Microsoft 365 is managed by another qualified provider

• The business has a documented reason for selecting device-only protection

• Leadership understands and accepts the remaining risk

The decision should be documented.
A business should not choose Essentials simply because it is less expensive without understanding the missing layers.

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When Is Complete the Better Fit?

Complete is usually the stronger fit when the agency:

• Uses Microsoft 365

• Handles sensitive client information

• Receives large volumes of external email

• Has no internal security team

• Needs security awareness training

• Wants dark web monitoring

• Needs cloud alerts

• Must support cyber insurance requirements

• Wants broader regulatory compliance readiness

• Prefers one provider to manage devices, users, and cloud systems

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Package Selection and Managed IT Budgeting

The security package is only one part of the total investment.
Leadership should also budget for:

• Managed Services Fee

• Tiered Technology Fee

• BCDR

• Penetration testing

• Compliance Manager

• Hardware projects

• Migrations

• New locations

• Exceptional onsite work

A complete managed IT budget should account for security packages, endpoint management, tiered technology services, and optional risk controls.

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Who Is Not a Good Fit for Complete Security?

Complete may not align with a business that:

• Wants antivirus only

• Refuses MFA

• Does not want employee training

• Does not want Microsoft 365 managed

• Chooses providers only by lowest price

• Wants the provider to accept risk without implementing controls

• Does not want proactive monitoring

Businesses that want minimal security and the lowest possible monthly bill may not be a fit for West Texas IT Consulting’s managed services model.

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Questions to Ask Before Choosing

Ask:

• Are users protected, or only devices?

• Is email security included?

• Is security awareness training included?

• Is Microsoft 365 managed?

• Are SaaS alerts reviewed?

• Is dark web monitoring included?

• Are backups monitored?

• Does the package support cyber insurance requirements?

• Which compliance needs are addressed?

• Which services are separate?

• What risks remain if Essentials is selected?

• How is the final package documented?

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Package Selection Checklist

Choose Essentials only after confirming:

• Device protection is the intended scope

• User protection is addressed elsewhere or consciously declined

• Microsoft 365 management is covered

• Email security risk is understood

• Cyber insurance requirements are reviewed

• Remaining risk is accepted

Choose Complete when the agency needs:

• Device protection

• Email protection

• User training

• Dark web monitoring

• SaaS alerts

• Microsoft 365 management

• Broader identity protection

• Stronger compliance readiness

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Conclusion

Essentials provides an important device-security foundation. Complete adds the user, email, identity, and cloud protections that most insurance agencies need.
For agencies with 15 to 30 employees in Midland, Odessa, and across the Permian Basin, Complete is generally the stronger choice because modern attacks frequently target people and identities before they target devices.
Review a managed services approach that combines endpoint protection, user security, Microsoft 365 management, and proactive oversight.