- Surfshark now offers up to $1 million in identity theft coverage to new US users
- It covers legal fees, replacement of documents, lost wages, etc.
- The rollout follows similar moves by rival providers ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
Popular VPN provider Surfshark has just unveiled a brand new identity theft coverage feature for its leading online security offering, offering victims up to $1 million in financial reimbursement.
While Surfshark has long been a major contender for the title of best VPN, the new insurance offering shifts the provider from purely proactive protection to reactive recovery.
The release couldn’t come at a more crucial time. With billions of personal records floating on the dark web and an average of 33.8 accounts compromised every second worldwide, according to Surfshark data, digital hygiene is no longer just about hiding your IP address.
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“As fraud, scams and data leaks will never stop, the risk of compromised personal accounts remains high. This danger continues to grow as threats become more advanced and harder to identify,” explained Gabriele Sinkeviciute, product manager at Surfshark, in a blog post.
However, identity theft protection is currently limited to new Surfshark One+ customers residing in the United States, with residents of New York State excluded entirely.
What does the coverage include?
According to Surfshark, standard antivirus or basic encryption is great for prevention, but it doesn’t address the devastating financial and emotional consequences of identity theft.
“Cybersecurity incidents related to identity theft can result in serious financial consequences, causing victims to experience difficult and sometimes persistent difficulty regaining their identities,” Sinkeviciute said.
This is exactly why the company decided to improve its leading security offering. Identity theft coverage, Sinkeviciute says, allows the team to help users prevent, protect, and recover from the damage caused by identity theft at no additional cost.
The $1 million coverage limit provides victims with a certified identity theft investigator who will do the heavy lifting to correct credit history and restore compromised records. Since Surfshark itself is not an insurance producer, policy benefits are issued and covered by HSB Specialty Insurance Company.
Under this policy, users can request reimbursement for credit agency reports, legal fees, document replacement fees, and up to $5,000 in lost wages (including elder and child care). Coverage even extends to mental health counseling, offering up to $1,000 to help victims cope with the stress of the ordeal.
The all-in-one security race
Surfshark’s move to add identity assurance completes what the company calls its “online protection cycle,” joining existing data protection tools like Alternative ID and data broker removal service Incogni.
“Relying on a single online security measure is no longer enough,” says Sinkeviciute.
Surfshark isn’t the only provider going beyond standard VPNs. Over the past year, the industry has aggressively moved toward comprehensive cybersecurity suites.
Rival provider NordVPN previously launched its own identity theft protection tool for US users, before expanding a similar identity theft recovery service to its UK customer base. Likewise, ExpressVPN launched a suite of identity theft protections, offering up to $1 million in identity theft insurance for free on select plans.
As cybercriminals leverage AI to automate phishing and fraud, it is becoming increasingly clear that consumer protection must evolve. Even though a VPN secures your connection, having a million-dollar safety net ensures that if the worst happens, you won’t pay the price alone.
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