What To Do When A Thief Steals Your Car?
by Vilma Maki
Stepping outside and not finding your car where you left it is a miserable feeling. Your first response is usually one of confusion. You wonder if you parked where you thought you did. Your confusion then usually turns to outrage, anger, and even worry. Your worries generally center around taking the proper steps to recover your car and file a claim with your car insurance agent. Here is some information to file away, just in case you ever need it.
1. Make Sure You Do Not Store All Your Car Insurance Information In Your Vehicle
Most auto insurance agents send you insurance cards and advise you to store these in your vehicle. While that is sound advice for accessing them in the case of an accident, these cards do not do you any good when a thief steals your car. Always ensure you can access your insurance information on your phone or online. Many companies provide e-cards along with online policy access.
2. Contact The Police
Contact the local police for the area your car disappeared from. They will require a variety of information from you, such as the following:
- Make
- Model
- Color
- License plate number
- VIN
- Identifying marks
They will even ask if you have any tracking systems on your vehicle, such as OnStar. You can find some of the required information on your insurance cards or through your car insurance agent.
3. Think About What You May Have Left In Your Car
While most people do not admit to leaving valuables in their vehicles, they do it. Did you leave your purse or laptop in the trunk? Were your expensive sunglasses left over the visor? The police will list all of these items in your police report. Even if the police recover your car, you must check to ensure your valuables are still inside. If not, you may file with your auto insurance broker for reimbursement.
4. Contact Your Auto Insurance Company
If you have purchased comprehensive auto coverage from your car insurance agent, your policy should cover the theft. Contact your auto insurance broker to see what you need to do. Policies vary.
For example, while some policies may provide rental coverage while your car is missing, others may not. Your car insurance agent will review your policy and walk you through what is and is not covered and how to file a claim against your policy.
For more information, contact a local auto insurance agent.
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About Me
After we purchased our first home, we realized that it might be a good idea to evaluate our insurance coverage. Although we had purchased homeowners insurance before, we had never owned a policy as large as the one we would need for our new place. Also, our new home had a trampoline and a swimming pool, which made us worried about liability. To iron out the details, I decided to meet with our insurance agent. We talked about things like monthly premiums, coverage limits, and deductibles, and it was incredible to learn more about the terminology. This blog is designed to help you with the same types of questions.