Watch out for identity theft

We are hearing a lot about identity theft. More than 150,000 instances of ID theft are reported each year and the number is growing. Although there are ways to protect yourself from this kind of theft, there are also ways to get reimbursed for your time, energy and actual money stolen. A number of insurers are writing policies for identity theft or even incorporating this coverage into their homeowners or renters insurance policies.

You are looking at a yearly cost of twenty five to fifty dollars for this rider. What you get is reimbursement for your expenses connected to the theft. Think of all the time you are on the phone discerning what happened, who is involved, etc. Add to that lost wages due to being out of work for court time, and even legal fees as you try and get your lost assets. Any legitimate cost associated with recouping or reestablishing your financial situation due to identity theft is covered.

Look at AIG, Chubb, Farmers Group, Liberty Mutual, MetLife and Travelers for this kind of coverage.

For further information on identity theft check out the FTC's site.