A VPN's primary role is to protect hide your activity from third parties – but many premium services offer a lot more than that. A prime example of this is ExpressVPN’s Identity Theft Insurance, which promises to reimburse users if their data is stolen while subscribed to ExpressVPN.
Although you’ve probably heard of ExpressVPN, as it’s one of the best VPNs around, you may not be familiar with the ins and outs of its identity theft insurance.
We’ve taken an in-depth look at ExpressVPN’s insurance offering to explain exactly what it is, how it works, and if it could benefit you. So, keep reading to find out all you need to know.
What is cyber insurance?
Cyber insurance protects businesses, families, and individuals against the impact of cyber crime. This can include online fraud, data breaches, identity theft, and financial losses. Cyber insurance also helps you to avoid potential security threats and manage incidents if they do occur, as well as assist with any legal costs you might have to pay.
It can provide you with peace of mind that you’ll have help should you become a victim of a cyber crime. As well as reimbursing you for any financial losses, your cyber insurance company can also help you to recover your personal data in the event of identity theft or a data breach. If it can’t restore your data, it will cover the cost of replacing your files, such as music, videos, and games.
On top of this, you’ll have access to cyber security experts to help you, as well as threat intelligence services should you need them. You’ll also get assistance with restoring your smart devices if they’ve been compromised by a cyber attack. Plus, businesses can get help restoring damaged systems and notifying customers of any data breaches.
What is ExpressVPN's ID Theft Insurance?
ExpressVPN’s ID Theft Insurance is available to ExpressVPN customers in the US and works by reimbursing users who have suffered an eligible loss through identity theft. It will reimburse customers for expenses up to $1 million if they suffer a loss through any of the following cyber crimes:
- Theft of personal information and financial data
- Data breaches that result in misuse of personal information
- Fraud or embezzlement
- Stolen identity events, including those involving the internet
- Forgery of checks or promissory notes
On top of this, it also reimburses users for expenses that arise from attempts to restore their identity after an ID fraud incident.
You can get ID Theft Insurance as part of ExpressVPN’s Identity Defender Suite, which also includes a data removal service, ID alerts, and a credit scanner. However, it’s worth noting that this suite of features is only available to ExpressVPN’s customers who are based in the US.
ExpressVPN’s ID Theft Insurance is provided by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, an Assurant company, via a policy issued to Array US Inc. Plus, it’s included in ExpressVPN’s one-year and two-year plans for new customers.
If you’re considering signing up for ExpressVPN, take a look at our hands-on ExpressVPN review.
Should you use ExpressVPN's ID Theft Insurance?
If you’re an ExpressVPN customer in the US, it’s well worth opting in to ExpressVPN’s ID Theft Insurance, as it’s an incredibly useful tool to have access to when you’re online, as it offers you protection if you become a victim of identity fraud.
According to the FTC, there were over one million identity theft reports in 2023, with a total loss of more than $10.3 billion. So it’s a very sensible idea to get cyber insurance, especially as the financial losses from ID theft in the US have increased 16% since 2022.
However, if you’re outside the US or you don't want to subscribe to ExpressVPN, here are some other ways to protect yourself from identity theft:
- Regularly monitor your credit reports
- Shred any documents containing personal information
- Use strong, unique passwords for every account (a password manager can help with this)
- Be careful about sharing personal details online
- Enable two-factor authentication on your accounts
- Report any suspicious activity on your accounts immediately and consider placing a credit freeze to further restrict access to your credit information if you do notice any suspicious activity on your account
- Protect your data by using a privacy-focused VPN whenever you’re online
How to use ExpressVPN's ID Theft Insurance
At the time of writing, you need to be a new customer to get ExpressVPN’s ID Theft Insurance. Here’s what you need to do to activate it:
- Go to the Order page and choose an ExpressVPN plan. ID Theft Insurance is included in the two-year and one-year plans.
- Press the button on the plan to proceed.
- Complete your order by entering your email address and payment details.
Although ID Theft Insurance is currently only available to new customers in the US, ExpressVPN has plans to roll it out to users who signed up before 28 October 2024. However, it will still be limited to US customers, so you won’t be able to take advantage of this if you live outside the US.
If you’re concerned about protecting your data but aren’t eligible for ExpressVPN’s ID Theft Insurance, take a look at our roundup of the most secure VPNs on the market.
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