Identity theft can have severe legal, financial, and social consequences for you as the victim.
One of the best ways to limit your risk is with a reputable theft protection service.
This review will take a comprehensive look at Zander Identity Theft Protection, the different plans they have available, and the service’s drawbacks and benefits.
How Does Zander Identity Protection Work?
Zander Identity Theft Protection is a web-based service that focuses extensively on identity recovery. Although this service offers monitoring solutions, they are not as comprehensive as those of similar products.
To enroll for this service, you have to visit Zander’s website and select ID Theft from the top menu. Then, scroll down to the “Start Your Membership” section. Here you can choose between an individual and family plan and indicate whether you want to pay monthly or annually.
After making your selection, you have to enter personal details like name, address, and contact details. You also have to select a payment method, agree to the terms and conditions, and consent to the privacy policy. The next step is to create an account with a username and a password.
After creating an account, you can bookmark the Zander ID Theft page, and then log in to the member’s area from there. From the member’s area, you will be able to access all the features that this product has to offer according to the plan you selected.
Plans Available
Zander offers two identity theft protection plans, namely individual- and family plans. The individual plan costs $6.75 per month or $75 per year, and the family plan is priced at $12.95 per month or $145 per year.
In terms of features and services, the individual and family plans are similar. The difference between these plans is that the individual plan only covers one user, and the family plan covers an entire family, including children under the age of eighteen.
The family plan also provides adult dependents under the age of 26 with identity recovery and lost wallet protection solutions.
Both plans have access to 24/7 customer support via phone or email. According to reviews, Zander’s customer support team is not readily available, however, and holding times are extended.
If you cancel your plan within fourteen days of signing up and haven’t used any of their recovery services, you will receive a full refund. If not, you can only cancel after the subscription term you chose, and you are not eligible to receive a refund.
ID Theft Protection Services
Zander primary offers two services, namely monitoring services and recovery benefits. Additional features include lost wallet protection and life insurance.
Monitoring Services
In comparison with similar products, Zander’s monitoring services are somewhat limited. When you sign up for one of Zander’s plans, they will monitor the use of your personal information online, address change requests with the US Postal Service, and use of your social security number.
The monitoring services that many other top identity theft protection services offer include monitoring of credit reports, social media, court records, and the dark web. While Zander’s monitoring solutions are not as comprehensive, they do limit your risk of identity theft to an extent.
Recovery Benefits
Zander’s solutions are heavily concentrated on the recovery of identity theft–more so than their competitors. Central to Zander’s recovery service is your access to a recovery advocate, who is an identity theft specialist to manage your case and formulate a custom recovery plan.
This consultant takes victims by the hand to walk them through the recovery process step-by-step.
The steps your recovery advocate will follow include:
- Notifying the three credit bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian—about the identity theft
- Notifying all relevant creditors, government agencies, and the IRS of the identity theft
- Identifying fraudulent activity or risks thereof in your credit report
- Placing fraud alerts
- Restoring your credit file to its status quo ante.
The recovery advocate will track your case for thirty-six months to ensure that there are no further ramifications. If there are, the recovery advocate will take any action they deem necessary to address the issue.
Additionally, you may be eligible to receive up to $1 million for losses as the result of identity theft, including stolen funds and legal expenses.
Lost Wallet Protection
If you lose your wallet, Zander will assist you in canceling debit or credit cards. They will also help you to order new bank cards, identification documents, or the health insurance cards you lost.
Company History/Info
Zander Insurance and was founded in 1925 by Herman Zander. The company has its headquarters in Nashville, TN, and is one of the largest independent insurance brokerage firms in the United States.
In 2012, Zander Insurance partnered with Answer Financial Insurance to provide home and auto insurance in the United States as well. Zander Insurance is currently 49% employee-owned.
Alternatives
- ProtectMyID – An innovative option that includes social media protection.
- Trusted ID – The service offered for free as a result of the Equifax data breech.
- MetLife Defender – Highest in the industry identity theft insurance.
Pros
- Relatively affordable identity theft protection
- Comprehensive identity theft recovery solutions
- $1 million identity theft insurance
- Lost wallet protection service
- Unlimited coverage for children under eighteen
Cons
- No credit monitoring
- Zander offers no app for this service
- You don’t receive alerts for bank or credit accounts
Conclusion
If you need high-end identity theft prevention solutions, Zander’s service may not be ideal for your needs. If you need unparalleled identity theft recovery solutions, however, these individual or family plans offer all the features you may need.
These plans are also budget-friendly, but with high-theft insurance.
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