A person’s privacy has been invaded and their personal belongings are gone and all that’s left is a huge mess that needs to be cleaned up. The first step is to make a claim on the auto insurance policy and fix the damage as quickly and possible. But the tricky, and at times, frustrating part is figuring out what items will be covered on the auto insurance in this already tough time.
Common Items Stolen From Vehicles
Most break-ins occur because a burglar will spot valuable items inside a vehicle. Some common items stolen include: Car stereos, cell phones, CDs, laptops, small electronics, MP3 players and wallets or purses. Many times people are unsure about which items are covered on their auto insurance policy.
What Most Auto Insurance Policies Will Cover
With most auto insurance policies, damages due to theft will be covered under a comprehensive coverage policy. After the break-in, check the insurance policy to see if there is a comprehensive coverage. This will state what items are covered in the event of a theft.
In most cases, only car stereos will be covered by almost any auto insurance coverage- but don’t always count on that being covered. This happens because most stereos are made so the unit can be detached from any vehicle. Meaning, it’s not part of the car. This also explains why the other items are not considered part of the car, since they are not physically attached to it. All other items will most likely be covered by the homeowners (or renters) insurance policy.
If the thief breaks a window, scratches the car door, breaks the lock or does any other damage to the car itself, the damage will be covered under the comprehensive coverage if it’s been added onto the policy. With comprehensive coverage, all a person would have to do is pay the deductible and the insurance company will take care of the remaining about in damages.
Avoid Being the Victim of a Burglary
There are a few steps that can be done to in hopes of preventing someone from breaking into the car. The biggest thing would be to install an alarm system. They can be quite expensive, but in the long run, it’s an investment worth making. Next, always keep the doors locked and windows closed, no matter what. Even if it’s just a quick run back into the house, keep everything closed and locked.
Don’t leave any valuable items (purse, cell phone, wallet, keys, etc.) out in the open. Leave it in the glove box.
Just these few simple steps can help from having to deal with the aftermath of someone breaking into your car.
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