New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has asked insurers for detailed information on steps they are taking to protect their policyholders from cyber threats, the New York Department of Financial Services said Tuesday.

In a statement, the state agency said it has sent letters to 31 insurers requesting information on the policies and procedures they have in place to protect against cyber attacks.

“The extraordinarily sensitive health, personal and financial information that New Yorkers entrust to their insurance companies is a virtual treasure trove for hackers,” Gov. Cuomo said in the statement. “We’re intensely focused on making sure that banks have the protections in place they need, but we always have to keep at least one eye on the lookout for the next big threat. It’s vital that we stay ahead of the curve on cyber security because we know hackers aren’t going to give us any breathing room.”

“Cyber security at insurance companies is something that often gets overlooked, but it’s far too important to get caught in a blind spot,” Benjamin M. Lawsky, superintendent of financial services and co-chair of the governor’s Cyber Security Advisory Board, said in the statement. “We need to make sure that those insurance records are protected from hack attacks that could put New Yorkers at risk.”

Information requested

The department said the letters sent to insurers ask for:

• Information on any cyber attacks the company has been subject to in the past three years.

• Safeguards the insurer has put in place.

• The insurer’s information technology management policies.

• Funds and other resources dedicated to cyber security at the company.

• Governance and internal control policies related to cyber security.

A department spokesman said the information is due within 15 business days.

Insurers that have been sent the letter include American International Group Inc., Aetna Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Chubb Corp., Humana Inc., The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., Liberty Mutual Holding Co. Inc., MetLife Inc., The Travelers Cos. Inc. and United HealthGroup Inc.