Companies and Agencies with Which You Do Business
Identity theft can occur through records maintained by your bank, credit card companies, the Department of Motor Vehicles, utilities, insurance companies, and phone companies. Try to have as little information as possible printed on any cards these groups may issue. If you want, ask these companies about their policies with regard to sharing your information. You can stop many components of information sharing. 

When choosing a PIN, use one that is hard to guess. Avoid the last 4 digits of your social security number, your mother's maiden name, birth dates, names of pets, or even the name of your hometown baseball team. Try to mix numbers, letters and symbols.

Make it harder for thieves to use your accounts. Put passwords on credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Get credit cards with your picture on them. Call the companies that issue the accounts and find out what security options they offer.

Don't print your social security number or phone number on your checks. Don't have your checks delivered to your home - go and pick them up yourself at your bank.

Try not to use your social security number for an identifier:

• Check your drivers license to make sure you aren't using your social security number as identification - few states require this any more.
• If a school, employer, health insurer, or other institution needs to give you an identification number, often they simply use your social security number. Find out if they can use another number instead.
• The only places you must use your social security number are on government and financial forms, such as tax forms and most credit applications.

Your Mail
Reduce the circulation of your information through the mail. Stop receiving prescreened credit offers by calling 1-888-5OPTOUT. You can also reduce direct mail marketing and telemarketing by contacting the Direct Marketing Association. Notify each of the three major credit bureaus that you do not want personal information about you shared for promotional purposes. (This will also reduce unsolicited mail.) Consider putting a lock on your mailbox.

Identity Theft Insurance
Home insurance policies can include "identity theft insurance" as an option. But know that if you are a victim, insured or not, you should be able to get out of paying all fraudulent bills.