It takes the average victim an estimated $500 and 30 hours to resolve each identity theft crime.[i] For employers, this means an increase in absenteeism and a decrease in productivity. In addition to lowering employee productivity, the stress of dealing with ID theft can cause health issues, which could negatively impact claims and increase healthcare costs.

New Benefits, a Dallas-based benefits company, announced today ID Sanctuary Premium to help brokers and their clients protect employees. It doesn't take long to find a new incident related to identity theft as data breaches flood the news. At this time of year, tens of millions of tax payers are filing their 1040s. Millions will be alarmed to find out their tax returns have already been filed and refunded to an identity thief. In 2014, the IRS stopped 19 million suspicious tax returns and blocked $63 billion in fraudulent funds, but fraudsters still confiscated $5.8 billion in stolen tax refunds.[ii]

ID Sanctuary Premium, powered by IDT911™, monitors a full-range of credit and non-credit information often used to commit fraud. It scours public and private databases, social media channels, and the Internet black market for the presence and possible misuse of customer identities and credit data. If ID Sanctuary detects suspicious activity, members receive a fraud alert email. More than just monitoring, members have access to 24/7 proactive education, guidance, and fraud resolution support from experienced fraud specialists who will help every step of the way. ID Sanctuary provides personalized services to help members manage their identities throughout life including assistance with a lost wallet, stolen documents, social media privacy settings, and consumer education through daily blogs, newsletters, and tips.

"Employee benefits and services need to stay a step ahead in order for companies to remain competitive and retain and protect their best talent," said Matt Cullina, CEO, IDT911. "We're excited to partner with New Benefits, a leader and trailblazer in the benefits space, to help clients protect their employees by not only resolving fraud, but offering proactive services to manage their identities before fraud strikes. A comprehensive identity management solution is key to protecting your strongest asset – your employees."

ID Sanctuary Premium takes it a step further by adding global travel assistance and roadside assistance to offer the most comprehensive safety, security and protection package in the United States. Global travel assistance provides medical evacuation services, physician referrals, medical coordination, and assistance with replacement of lost or stolen documents when employees travel more than 100 miles from home. Roadside assistance keeps employees safe on the road, offering 24/7 towing, flat tire change, locksmith services, battery service, and more.

According to Joel Ray, CEO of New Benefits, "No matter your political view point, the world has become a very dangerous place. Protecting your identity and wellbeing at home and abroad should be more than an afterthought. Most people know someone who has had their identity stolen, been sick or injured while traveling, and/or had a flat tire or dead battery. ID Sanctuary Premium is the right product at the right time."

ID Sanctuary Premium is now available to broker partners of New Benefits. To learn more about this package, visit IDSanctuary.com. To learn more about becoming a partner of New Benefits, visit NewBenefits.com.

About New Benefits
New Benefits is the leader in non-insured health, personal security, financial, travel and leisure benefits. We serve associations, insurance companies, banks, credit unions, brokerage/consulting firms, insurance agencies, TPAs and employers. With over 25 years in business and representing over 25 million members, our clients trust New Benefits to deliver exceptional customer service and support, superior products, administration, print services, billing and compliance while promoting integrity and honesty in the marketing of non-insured products and services.

About IDT911™
IDT911™ is the leading provider of services that help businesses and their customers defend against data breaches and identity theft. IDT911's unique approach—delivering proactive protection, preventive education, and swift resolution—offers unrivaled support for more than 660 client partners and 17.5 million households. With its wholly owned subsidiary, IDT911 Consulting™, IDT911 delivers information security and data privacy expertise to help businesses avert and respond to data loss. Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., the company has several locations in the U.S. and Canada, as well as in Ireland to serve partners in Europe.

[i] Federal Trade Commission
[ii] ABC News, 2015