Someone Broke Into My Car – Now What?

Just like every other morning on your way to work, you walk outside to find your car parked in the driveway. Except this time, you also notice a huge pile of glass sitting on the pavement and your driver’s side window mysteriously missing. It’s not hard to put the pieces together – you’ve been robbed.

First things first, call the police to file a report. Even if there wasn’t that much damage and nothing of value was stolen, it’s always a good idea to give authorities a heads up when any kind of vandalism occurs in your area. Plus, you may need to share a copy of the report with your insurance company in order to receive the coverage you deserve.

Next, contact your insurance company. If you’ve purchased comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance policy, you’re probably covered for the damage to your car. Comprehensive coverage offers protection for theft, vandalism, glass breakage and much more. That means once you meet your policy’s deductible, you could get a settlement for up to the total replacement cost of the vehicle in order to help finance the repairs.

However, if any gadgets, clothing, jewelry, instruments or other personal items were stolen, they likely won’t be covered by your auto insurance policy. Instead, you may need to file a claim with your homeowners insurance company. If you live in a rented home or apartment, you should file a claim on your renters insurance policy.

It’s also important to note that if you’ve invested in an additional sound system, video devices or other expensive equipment and it’s stolen from your vehicle, you’ll likely require an endorsement on your auto insurance policy in order to receive any coverage.  Most providers also include exclusions for radar detection systems, so if your cop-dodging equipment is poached, you might just be out of luck.

Work with a licensed agent to find out what kind of coverage you can count on if your car is ever vandalized or stolen, and make sure you don’t wait until it’s too late to get the protection you need.

Source: AutoInsurance