by Michelle L. Hirsch, Senior Vice President
Identity Theft Can Happen To Anyone.
Can you say Equifax? Yikes! While identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States, it is more than a financial problem for the victims. With more and more breaches hitting the news, many individuals have no idea how to handle identity theft or a lost identity or who they can turn to for guidance. Fear, anger, helplessness, and frustration can become overwhelming. Thankfully, these victims can find guidance through their homeowner’s insurance—if they have the right coverage.
What will my Homeowners Policy Cover?
Maybe. Maybe Not. If you have a quality policy, this is what thorough identity theft protection and resolution services looks like:
- Assistance in filing a police report
- Assistance in creating a fraud victim affidavit
- Assistance in developing a comprehensive case file for investigative and claim-handling purposes
- Assistance with all documentation and phone calls needed to resolve your case
- A three-in-one credit report
- One year of credit monitoring
- One year of fraud monitoring with more than 1,000 public records databases
- Optional credit file freezes and assistance with state identity theft passport programs, where available
- Assistance for victims of wallet and purse theft
- An additional year of active follow-up service to avoid recurrence
Some homeowner’s insurance policies will also include reimbursement for reasonable attorney fees incurred or lost income from time taken off work while re-establishing identity.
What About Lost Identity Recovery?
With all the hurricanes we are seeing, what happens if you must leave your house in a hurry? Victims of a natural or man-made disaster—like a hurricane, earthquake, flood, home fire, or terrorist attack—who have lost their personal identification or legal or financial documents could receive assistance with the following from their homeowner’s carrier:
- Emergency authentication and coordination with aid organizations;
- Retrieving, replacing, or recreating lost or destroyed legal, financial, or personal identification documents;
- Communicating messages to and from law enforcement and government agencies, employers, and relatives, and other relevant institutions.
Protect Yourself With The Right Policy
Given the amount of data exchanged online each second, the threat of identity theft is more common than ever and the consequences can be devastating. Make sure you have the coverage you need without the headache. Let’s talk more—as the Insurance Insider, I’m happy to help! Give me a call at 800-686-8080.