Travelers says the enhanced Identity Fraud product covers the following expenses for possible reimbursement:
- Expenses related to medical identity fraud, which includes costs for obtaining copies of health records, attorney's fees for the release of medical records, and phone and mail charges to healthcare providers
- Expanded attorney's fees for tax- and employment-related identity fraud
- Travel expenses up to $1,000 per week for up to five weeks when victims are required to travel to the jurisdiction in which the identity fraud took place to file in-person loss affidavits with local law enforcement and/or judicial authorities or testify against perpetrators of fraud
- Expenses and fees associated with acquiring new government-issued identification, including passports, commercial and non-commercial driver's licenses, and state and federal personal identification cards if they were compromised.
In addition, Travelers says the upgraded Identity Fraud product offers an extension to the amount of time an identity fraud incident can be reported and still qualify for expense reimbursement, as well as an enhancement of covered attorney's fees to include contesting the wrongful transfer of ownership of personal property and wrongfully incurred tax liabilities solely as a result of identity fraud. All of the coverage updates were created for both business and personal insurance customers.
"The recent study of Travelers claim data indicated that identity thieves typically resort to old-fashioned methods, like stealing someone's license, passport or Social Security card and then committing complex frauds with the easily acquired information," says Joe Reynolds, Identity Fraud product manager for Travelers. "Some of the ID fraud insurance product enhancements will directly help individuals victimized in this manner."
Travelers says the insurance protection for identity fraud provides customers with access to a consumer fraud specialist who can guide victims through the process of restoring their identity, and Identity Fraud Expense Reimbursement Coverage is available as an endorsement on a Travelers homeowners, renters or condo policy.
