The internet has become an essential resource we use in our everyday lives. We use it for everything, from our livelihoods and daily communication to watching our favorite entertainment. This connectivity has changed everything about modern society, and this has brought on many benefits.
Key Takeaways
- Identity Guard provides insurance, credit protection, and identity theft protection.
- Identity Guard is a trusted and reliable service that is one of the top names in this field.
- The company will monitor your activity and transactions for fraud and other attacks, and provide alerts and financial cover for legal fees and losses.
- Identity theft protection has become more and more vital in an age of increased online activity and business.
- Identity Guard compares very favorably to other similar services.
It has also had the negative effect of making us more vulnerable to identity theft and fraud that can ruin lives in seconds. With more ways we can be exploited, we need more advanced methods of protection, which brings us to Identity Guard®. It’s a common name in fraud and identity theft protection, but how reliable is it?
We aim to find that out in this overview where we will take a look at this service, what it offers, and how it compares to other similar services on the market.
Contents
- Key Takeaways
- What Is Identity Guard?
- Is Identity Guard Legit?
- How Does Identity Guard Work?
- Do You Really Need Identity Theft Protection?
- How Does Identity Guard Compare To Other Services?
- How Much Does Identity Guard Cost?
- Is Identity Guard Safe?
- Is Aura The Same As Identity Guard?
- Final Thoughts
- Where To Purchase Identity Guard Theft Protection
What Is Identity Guard?
The idea behind Identity Guard is fairly simple. They provide identity theft and credit protection services in a variety of ways. Services include monitoring of different information such as credit, bank, and online activity. They will look for any signs of fraud or other attacks and then act accordingly.
If any credit breaches occur, you will be alerted and will then work with Identity Guard agents to resolve the issue. Insurance for up to $1M** is then provided to cover eligible legal fees or lost assets due to an identity theft attack.
Is Identity Guard Legit?
The company has been around in one form or another since 1996. This gives them over two decades of experience, and in this time they have become one of the leaders in their field. On their About page, Identity Guard showcases that they have over 47M customers, and that they have dealt with over 140K identity theft cases in their time.
This is an impressive client base and track record that speaks for itself, and they are certainly a company that can be trusted.
How Does Identity Guard Work?
Ease of use is a priority for Identity Guard. Once you sign up to your chosen tier, you will then be directed to download and connect to the Identity Guard app. Once that is done, they will begin monitoring, and you can manage the services via the app.
Their customer service is active at all times, so you have support no matter what time of day it may be. If any breaches are detected, you will be notified and you can then take further action with the assistance of Identity Guard.
In the past, we have seen some ways that you can report and deal with identity theft, and Identity Guard along with similar services can be a great help.
Do You Really Need Identity Theft Protection?
The simple answer to this question would be “hopefully not.” It might seem like an unlikely occurrence, but identity theft is more common than you might think. Millions of Americans fall victim to identity theft and fraud every year, and it can be devastating financially. We have created a closer look at how common identity theft is in this article.
As with any kind of protection or insurance, the old cliche of “it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it” applies. Identity theft and fraud can happen to anyone at any time, so if a decent portion of your life is online then having that protection is more vital than ever. We have even seen before how identity theft can have consequences such as affecting your ability to buy a house.
We have also covered 5 reasons why you need identity theft protection in the past for more information that you can check out.
Identity theft protection services play a crucial role in safeguarding individuals from the pervasive risks of many cybercrimes. Consumers need a comprehensive approach to monitoring and protecting personal information. It’s wise to employ proactive measures to defend against the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by cybercriminals.
– Kurt Sanger Cybersecurity Expert
How Does Identity Guard Compare To Other Services?
We have identified that identity theft protection is important, but what about other similar services? To help you decide which is right for you, we will take a brief look at some of Identity Guard’s competitors.
Identity Guard Vs Lifelock
Lifelock is another big name in this field, so it’s only fair that you might be wondering if it is better or worse than Identity Guard. On the Identity Guard website, they actually feature a fair and comprehensive comparison between them and Lifelock.
In this comparison, they highlight the positives of Lifelock such as their data point coverage and inquiry alerts. However, Lifelock has also had some bad press in recent years because of an FTC case they lost, and the fact that their partnership with Norton has resulted in slowdowns due to unsolicited crypto mining.
They also have some downsides that Identity Guard doesn’t, such as insurance payouts that are contingent on your plan, no AI protection, and less comprehensive family plans. We are inclined to agree that although Lifelock does have its benefits, Identity Guard offers the better service overall, especially at their price points.
Identity Guard Vs Identity Force
Identity Force is another option to consider in this field, and it is quite comparable to Identity Guard. They offer many similar services such as up to 1M insurance payouts and various monitoring services to protect you from different threats.
Identity Guard is potentially a cheaper option depending on your plan, and they do offer more comprehensive monitoring. Identity Force is a pricier option, and their benefits align pretty closely with what Identity Guard offers. One benefit they do have is that there is unlimited monitoring for children under 18.
Both are excellent services, but Identity Guard can offer a cheaper entry point with not many downsides for that lower price.
Identity Guard Vs Credit Karma
Credit Karma is primarily a credit managing service that does provide some basic identity theft protection. Perhaps the biggest draw of Credit Karma is that it is free to use, but it is a lot more basic than services like Identity Guard.
They will monitor select activity to check for fraud, exposed information, or identity theft. You can then receive alerts and basic advice on what to do if you fall victim to this kind of attack.
They don’t feature the potential insurance payouts and other features that Identity Guard does, such as more detailed alerts, AI detection, and comprehensive assistance in the case of identity theft.
Credit Karma is a fine-free service to get you started, but if you want anything more than basic protection then it is worth paying for a more comprehensive service like Identity Guard.
How Much Does Identity Guard Cost?
We have touched on the cost of the Identity Guard services, but now we will go over the various tiers, services, and how much each one costs. There are 3 tiers you can choose from, and these include Value, Total, and Ultra. Once you have chosen your tier, you can then choose either individual or family coverage. The features remain the same for each tier no matter which plan you pick, with the only difference being the price.
Before we go into pricing, we will first outline which features are included in each plan. They are as follows:
The Value tier includes:
- US Based Customer Care
- $1M Identity Theft Insurance
- Data Breach Notifications
- Dark Web Monitoring
- High-Risk Transaction Monitoring
- Safe Browsing
- Password Manager
The Total plan includes all the features of Value as well as:
- Bank Account Monitoring
- 3 Bureau Credit Monitoring
- Monthly Credit Score*
Finally, the Ultra plan includes all benefits of the first two tiers as well as:
- White Glove Fraud Resolution
- Social Media Monitoring
- Credit And Debit Monitoring
- 401K And Investment Account Monitoring
- Home Title Monitoring
- Criminal And Sex Offense Monitoring
- USPS Address Change Monitoring
- Experian Credit Lock
- 3 Bureau Annual Credit Report
Identity Guard For Individuals: Cost And What Is Included
Now that we know what each tier includes, let’s look at the pricing for the individual coverage.
| VALUE | TOTAL | ULTRA |
|---|---|---|
| $7.50 Per Month | $16.67 Per Month | $25 Per Month |
Identity Guard Family Plan: Pricing And What’s Included
The family plan allows for up to 5 family members to benefit from all the features listed earlier. The pricing for the family plan is as follows.
| VALUE | TOTAL | ULTRA |
|---|---|---|
| $12.50 Per Month | $25 Per Month | $33.33 Per Month |
Is Identity Guard Safe?
Identity Guard is a safe and trusted service that handles your information with care and will help to protect you from various threats.
Is Aura The Same As Identity Guard?
Aura owns Identity Guard, but they go to market as independent services. There is some overlap with their offerings on the identity theft front but Aura offers a more comprehensive cyber security solution covering VPN, password manager, parental controls, and antivirus.
Both are solid options in the field of identity theft protection.
Final Thoughts
Identity Guard has more than earned its stellar reputation in its over two-decade lifespan. There are many different services to choose from when it comes to identity theft protection, but we certainly feel Identity Guard is one of the best services to consider.
Their prices are quite fair, and you get a lot of benefits from even the lowest tier of protection. Whichever service you choose, it’s definitely more important than ever to make sure you’re safe and protected from the increasing dangers that identity theft online poses.
Where To Purchase Identity Guard Theft Protection
You can find prices and sign-up links from this page on the Identity Guard website.
* The score you receive with Identity Guard is provided for educational purposes to help you understand your credit. It is calculated using the information contained in your Equifax credit file. Lenders use many different credit scoring systems, and the score you receive with Identity Guard is not the same score used by lenders to evaluate your credit.
** Identity Theft Insurance underwritten by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group‚ Inc. The description herein is a summary and intended for informational purposes only and does not include all terms, conditions and exclusions of the policies described. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions.
