You check the parking lot, see that your car is there, lock it up, and go about your business. You come back a couple of hours later to find that your car has been stolen.
And now that?
It’s every car owner’s nightmare, especially if you’ve only paid a few thousand dollars for it. Luckily, all is not lost and a question arises: What to do when your car is stolen?
If you have comprehensive car insurance, you should be covered for your loss, but it can take time to finalize things and get back on the road.
Read on to find out what to do if your car is stolen and some tips to get it back as quickly as possible.
3 tips on what to do if your car is stolen:
Check your insurance policy
If you have comprehensive car insurance, you should be covered for the loss of your car.
The first thing you should do is check your policy to see if the theft of your car is covered.
If you have a policy with a reputable insurer, you should file a claim regardless of the cause of the car theft.
No matter who broke into your car or used it to commit a crime, you will probably be covered for the loss of your car.
If you have a standard policy, you may be out of luck. Standard policies only cover specific situations, such as robbery or theft.
You should check your policy to find out exactly what is covered and what is not.
What to do when your car is stolen
What to do when your car is stolen
Report the theft to the police
The next thing to do if your car is stolen is to report it to the police. You should report it as soon as you find out it’s been stolen, but there’s no reason to delay if it just happened.
In general, you should report the car stolen to the nearest police department. You will be given a copy of the complaint that you should keep for your records.
Some police departments have online reporting systems that allow you to file a report online.
This can save you a lot of time if you don’t live near the police station. If you have an iPhone, you can also install an app that allows you to file a report from your phone.
What to do when your car is stolen
What to do when your car is stolen
Get a copy of the police report
Once you have filed the report with the police, you should ask for a copy of the report. This is important because your car insurance company will want to see the report when you file your claim. If you don’t have a copy of the police report, you can call the department and ask for a copy. If you have trouble getting the report, contact your insurance company. They can help you get it.
What to do when your car is stolen
What to do when your car is stolen
Contact your insurance company
After your car has been stolen, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
Reporting the theft to your insurance company will trigger your car insurance coverage, so it’s important to let them know as soon as possible.
Although the claim process may take a few months, it is likely that you will be offered a rental car at no cost until the claim is processed.
As far as possible, do not accept the rental car. In the end you will get your car back and you don’t want to be driving someone else’s vehicle when yours is stolen.
Let your insurance company know that you want to report the theft as soon as possible. They will probably send an expert to examine the car and take photos.
What to do when your car is stolen
What to do when your car is stolen
Calculate the cost to repair or replace your car
You will need to be realistic when calculating the cost of repairing or replacing your stolen car. You may be able to get your car back, but it may not be in perfect condition.
If your car has been stolen and not recovered, your insurance company will most likely write it off as lost. That means you’ll be paid the actual cash value of the car, not what you paid for it.
It is unlikely that the insurance company will give you a replacement car, one option is rent a car a for a while and see if you can get your car back.
In case you recover it and it is in very bad conditions, the best thing before facing endless mechanical repairs is that you have to lower your car and try to at least be with a high appraisal.
This is because your car won’t be in good condition to sell, and it will likely be too old and have too many miles on it for someone to buy.
If your car has been stolen, but you have recovered it, it can be either way. Your insurance company may write off the car or pay for repairs depending on its condition.
Conclusion
If your car is stolen, it is important to report the theft to the police and file a claim with your insurance company as soon as possible.
You should report the theft to your insurance company even if you don’t have comprehensive car insurance, but you’ll likely end up paying the full cost of the loss.
If your car is stolen, you must also calculate the cost of its repair or replacement. This will help you calculate how much your insurance company should pay you.
If your car is stolen, there are many things you can do to try and get it back.
You should file a claim, contact your insurance company and ask them to send an adjuster to examine your car.
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