Here are three important tasks that I try to complete once a year, and now it’s your turn to do the same: Sure, you’ll add a few more items to your to-do list, but you’ll feel better knowing you’ve accomplished something.
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1. Get your credit report
With all the data breaches, hacks, and new fraud methods, this is essential, as it can often uncover issues with your credit report that you might otherwise miss.
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The three credit reporting bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax) are required by law to provide you with your credit report free of charge once a year. Great, right? There are a few ways you can request a copy of your report from each bureau.
Just to let you know, online is the fastest method. If you submit your request by phone or email, please allow up to two weeks for your request. rear I received the documents.
A close-up of the top corner of a consumer credit report from credit reporting company Equifax, with the words “Credit File and Personal Identification” written on a light wooden surface on Sept. 11, 2017. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
2. Let’s look at medical data too
There’s another type of credit report to be aware of: a confidential “health credit report” that’s used primarily by life insurance companies to determine how much of a risk you are.
These reports, just like financial credit reports, can contain errors, so we recommend that you review them periodically to ensure everything is accurate. Fortunately, you have the right to view your health credit report at any time.
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If you authorized your medical records to be released to your insurance company and the company requested a report, they will have your prescription information. To request a copy of the report, call 877-211-4816. The information shared includes:
- full name
- Mailing address (and email address if you would like the report emailed to you)
- Your phone number (if the company needs to call you with questions)
- date of birth
- Last 4 digits of your Social Security number
- Insurance companies
Tim, 38, looks at his medical records in his apartment in Chicago, Illinois, on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (Getty Images)
Next is ExamOne
ExamOne is a subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics. Based on years of experience conducting lab tests, we can help you determine the extent of your health risk. To contact ExamOne and get your report, call 844-225-8047.
Finally, the MIB group
Formerly known as the Medical Information Bureau, the company tracks everyone who applied for privately underwritten life, health and disability income insurance in the past seven years. To see what’s in your MIB report, call 866-692-6901.
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FYI, some of these reports may take some time to receive, so plan ahead. The reports are free, so there is no cost to review them. Even if you’re not applying for life insurance, we recommend reviewing them to make sure there are no errors.
3. Check in to your car
Tens of millions of cars on the road are subject to recalls. At best, they’re minor issues. At worst, you shouldn’t be driving the car.
If there is a major recall, your car manufacturer should contact you, but for various reasons they may not.
- Step 1: Find your 17-digit vehicle identification number. Stand outside your windshield and look down the lower corner of the driver’s side dashboard. On some cars, it may be printed on the driver’s side door jamb.
- Step 2: Use the NHTSA Recall Checkup Tool. Visit National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall search pageEnter the VIN in the search field and the results will show the number and type of safety recalls that apply to that particular vehicle.
- Step 3: Renew your registration. Keep your registration up to date and make sure you have a current address on file so the car manufacturer can contact you.
A 2017 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle (EV) parked outside a home on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in Gilbert, Arizona, USA. (Caitlin O’Hara/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
What to do if your car is subject to a recall
Recall service work is usually done at an auto dealership. Call your dealer to make an appointment. It’s helpful to have the recall number, but the dealer can also look up the recall information in their records.
Because recalls can be due to potentially dangerous issues, schedule service as soon as possible. Dealers usually have shuttle services so you can drop off your car and have it picked up when it’s ready. If the recall is severe enough that you can’t drive, the dealer can also arrange for your car to be towed.
And don’t forget that dealers will complete all repair work on your car due to a recall free of charge. This includes parts and software. Amazing!
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