Should You Get Identity Theft Insurance?

Identity theft is on the rise: In 2016, it affected more than 6% of all consumers in the U.S. Given the risks (and the consequences if you're targeted by a fraudster), identity theft insurance may seem like a great idea. But before you sign on the dotted line, make sure that you understand what you're getting yourself into.

Identity theft insurance doesn't work quite the same way as your standard auto or homeowner's policy. Despite the name, identity theft policies don't reimburse you for the money that fraudsters stole from you. Instead, your identity theft insurance will reimburse you for the cost of getting things straightened out again.

Identity theft insurance also won't alert you if your identity is stolen or help to prevent identity theft. For that, you'll need an identity theft protection plan. Several different companies offer such services for a modest monthly or annual fee. Because of its recent data breach, Equifax is offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection from TrustedID for one year. If you don't have such a service already, signing up might be a good idea. But you'll have to move fast, because the offer is only open until Jan. 31, 2018.

Source: Fool.com