Identity Guard Credit Monitoring Review

Why Monitor Your Credit?

Having an excellent credit profile will save you money. The cost at which you can borrow money depends on it, whether you're applying for a mortgage, student loan, or personal line of credit. Landlords look at your credit score before deciding whether to rent for you. When you apply for a new job, an employer may look at your credit profile before hiring you. But monitoring your credit is also important in an era when identity theft is so common. That's why identity theft protection products, such as Identity Guard, invariably offer credit monitoring as one product feature available to you. A sudden drop in your credit score or unusual credit activity—such as newly listed accounts on your credit report—can be the first sign that your identity has been stolen. 

The sooner you recognize that your identity has been stolen, the quicker you can stop the bleeding: new hard credit inquiries that depress your credit score, fraudulent purchases made in your name, unauthorized withdrawals from your bank accounts, and more. The best and most proactive identity theft protection products put an emphasis on credit monitoring, but not all plans include it. 

Identity Guard Features

Identity Guard offers three plans: Value, Total, and Ultra. All three plans include $1 million in identity theft insurance to protect you against any costs you may incur when your identity has been compromised.

Identity Guard's Value plan monitors data breaches and alerts you when your personal information is exposed in one. The plan includes a password manager and features to ensure safe web browsing. Identity Guard doesn't go into details on its safe browsing features but most identity theft protection plans include anti-virus software for your electronic devices and often a secure VPN. These are services some people purchase separately. Bundling these services with one service provider is convenient and may reduce your expenses. The Value plan also offers dark web monitoring and high-risk transaction monitoring: that is, someone trying to use your identity in non-credit-based transactions. The Value plan does not, however, monitor your credit report or alert you to changes in your credit score. If you want full credit monitoring, you'll need to step up to a more expensive plan. 

Identity Guard's Total plan includes everything in the Value plan. But it also adds three-credit-bureau monitoring and monthly credit score alerts. You can link a limited range of financial accounts to the Total plan for monitoring, such as your savings or checking account, too.

When you enroll in the Ultra plan, you have access to all of the features of the Value and Total plans, but monitoring services are more comprehensive. You have the option of linking your all of your credit card accounts to the service. You can add your 401Kt and other investment vehicles to the list of covered accounts. The Ultra plan also offers home title protection and social media monitoring. Identity Guard will also alert you if a change of address form has been filed in your name with the US Postal Service. Finally, the Ultra plan offers white glove recovery services from a US-based team. That means if your identity is stolen, an Identity Guard representative will walk you through the steps of reclaiming your identity ane repairing your credit. That's a process that takes a lot of planning, time, and effort. Many customers will appreciate the guidance they receive from Identity Guard as they struggle to dig out from the mess caused by identity theft. In addition to monthly credit score alerts, you will also receive one full credit report per year with the service.

Identity Guard Pricing

Identity Guard offers both individual plans and family plans. Prices start at $8.99 per month for the Value plan (or $7.50 per month if billed annually), $19.99 per month for the Total plan (or $16.67 per month if billed annually, and $29.99 per month for the Ultra plan ($25.00 per month if billed annually.) Identity Guard doesn't offer the cheapest identity theft protection on the market, but offers a relatively good value. The Ultra plan is your best choice if credit monitoring services are a priority.

Coverage begins immediately upon enrollment. You will need to provide your social security number when you enroll. Indentity Guard makes enrolling risk free with a 60-day money-back guarantee.