Another libel suit in Illinois involves a tenant and her former landlord. The renter is accused of using Twitter to tell another user of “moldy” conditions in the landlord's apartments–a claim that the landlord refutes.

Insurance helps mitigate the costs associated with online risks, and insurance agents and brokers should speak with clients or prospects about their online exposures. Personal lines insurance customers often rely on the advice of their insurance consultants, who can provide risk mitigation advice to help them avoid identity theft, home invasions, and stalking crimes.

Risk enhancers and mitigators

Children and young adults also commonly create personal risk for their families through their social networking activities. The sharing of personal information can lead to kids becoming a target of those with criminal intent. Some teenagers maintain blogs and post disparaging remarks about others, exposing themselves and their parents to libel lawsuits.

Adults also can be guilty of saying too much online. Commenting on rumors about someone in the office can lead to a personal injury lawsuit. People often fail to connect their online behavior with real-life consequences.

A person's occupation is another risk factor for online crimes. Those in the public eye, such as executives, politicians and athletes, are particularly vulnerable. Risk naturally increases for these individuals as others want access to their private lives, making this group a favorite target of criminals with expertise in technology.

There are many ways to reduce online risk. To start, children should be online with limited, “in the open only” access and proper filtering and monitoring software. Adults and children alike need to employ self-limiting behavior when it comes to the breadth of online contacts and information shared, because what is said online becomes everyone's business.

Another risk mitigator is the installation of proper firewall and antivirus software on the home computer as the first line of defense to help protect individuals from hackers and predators.

Agents and brokers also may consider offering clients a professional, holistic security consultation including an on/off-line assessment of the family's security vulnerabilities. Some insurance carriers provide these consultations through external vendors as a value-added service to their customers.

How insurance can help

Insurance is another weapon in the agent's arsenal to help protect individuals and their family's well-being from online dangers. There are several coverage options and related services available to meet the various needs of your clients. Here are some to keep in mind:

1. Homeowners' policy: As an agent or broker, look for carriers that provide personal liability coverage as part of the client's homeowner, renter or condominium policy without the need of an endorsement. Personal liability coverage may include protection against personal injury suits as the result of an unintentional libelous comment on a blog or Web posting. Even the casual user of a social networking tool needs to have personal injury protection, as should any client with children.

2. Identity fraud coverage: Some insurers provide identity fraud coverage to help customers mitigate expenses to reestablish credit and pay for attorney services. Also, higher-end carriers may provide access to a complimentary identity management services offering identity theft education, prevention and resolution services.

3. Excess liability policy: For most, a homeowner's policy basic liability limits are simply not enough. High-net-worth clients and those in the public spotlight should be made aware of this coverage, because lawsuits naming high-level executives or other affluent individuals as defendants are often in the multi-million-dollar range.

Online risks give agents and brokers an opportunity to begin a new dialogue with clients. The new year is the perfect time to incorporate these exposures into the annual insurance review discussion with your clients and acknowledge how insurance coverages and services and basic common sense can help mitigate the dangers of living with Internet exposures.