August 2018

Does Your Insurance Cover Identity Theft?

They’re not you, but they’re using your credit card. They’ve also dipped into your bank account.

Identity theft can be a devastating experience. Victims may spend months or even years sorting through the disaster left in the wake of an identity thief. Educating yourself about this crime and how to protect yourself will help you avoid its damaging effects.

First, understand how identity thieves typically get their hands on someone else’s secure information. The most common methods include stealing physical documents (wallet, checkbook, credit card, bills or statements), stealing hardware (thumb drives, laptops, tablets), obtaining information via phone calls (scammers posing as legitimate professionals), and obtaining information online (email scams, hacking).

Take steps to protect your personal information from each of these methods. Keep all documents secure and never give out personal information to unverified sources. Appropriate security software can also help prevent online breaches.

Even with the proper precautions in place, you may suffer from a determined identity thief. In this case, it is important to have proper coverage. Many credit cards provide some liability relief, and homeowner’s or renter’s policies often include some limited protection for loss of cash or credit cards. However, this is not sufficient coverage if your identity is stolen.

To protect yourself from the financial loss, reputational consequences, and credit issues that can result from identity theft, look to insurance products that cover these costs. Policies vary, and can cover everything from minor assistance to major restoration services. Your coverage can provide a consumer fraud specialist or case manager, replacement of government-issued identifications, reimbursement of attorney’s fees, assistance with credit restoration, and assistance with hearings and charges related to fraud.

Extending beyond basic coverage, these restoration services can be life-changing. Consult with your insurance provider to learn what options are available for you.

Is Good Health Part of Your Genetic Makeup?

The growing cultural interest in unearthing family histories could be good for your health. Your family’s medical history can help reveal what diseases you may be at risk for developing and help you plan a good lifestyle to prevent them.

Ailments including asthma, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and cancer can run in families. To determine whether these might be in your genes, research your family’s medical history. Read death certificates and medical records, if available. Pay attention to the ages of death and the causes of death. Notice whether more than one close family member has the same disease and whether family members develop diseases at a younger-than-usual age. Some combinations of diseases in the same family can also be dangerous: heart disease and diabetes, or breast and ovarian cancer.

Genes can also impact your mental health. Bipolar disease can run in families. Researchers are investigating whether depression can also be hereditary. If a close family member has or had Alzheimer’s, your risk increases. Research into the genetic links of dementia and Alzheimer’s is fairly new, but it’s important information to know.

Genetics can be a factor in non-life-threatening diseases as well. Glaucoma, for example, can run in families. If you have a family history of glaucoma, make sure you get your eyes tested regularly, including for glaucoma.

Your family history can help you determine what genetic tests you want to pursue and can help guide a strategic healthy lifestyle. You can’t change your genes, but you can control your diet and exercise.

Climbing the Branches of the Family Tree