Telling Your Finance Company
Now its time to let your finance company know. With the details youve already gathered for your insurance company, you now have all you need to inform your finance company too.
This is pretty straight forward really. Just call and give them the crime reference number youve been given by the police. You will have to continue paying your finance instalments while your claim is settled by the insurance company. If your car is later found and returned to you, youll need to get a letter from your insurance company confirming this.If your car is not recovered and returned to you, you should pay off the amount still remaining on your finance with the insurance payout amount. Once thats done, your agreement is finished and youre free to start a whole new agreement for a new car.
What If Full Coverage Insurance Doesnt Cover The Value
There are cases where your full coverage doesnt cover the total amount you owe to the leasing company. In these cases, GAP insurance can help. GAP insurance pays for the difference between the value of the vehicle and what you owe on its lease.
For example, if the leased car is valued at $15,000 and you owe $16,000, the comprehensive insurance pays for the value of the vehicle, and GAP insurance pays out the $1,000 difference. With GAP coverage, you dont have to pay anything out of pocket if the car is stolen or totaled and your full coverage doesnt cover your lease/loan balance. Without GAP insurance, that balance would fall on you.
GAP insurance is typically inexpensive, typically around $20 to $40 annually. Many lease contracts come with GAP insurance included, so leaf through your lease paperwork to see what coverage you may already have. Most auto insurance companies offer this coverage on top of full coverage as well. Dealerships offer this optional coverage at the time of signing, too, and the cost is usually added to your monthly payment. The bottom line is that GAP insurance is helpful for borrowers who buy or lease vehicles that lose value quickly, and its relatively inexpensive.
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Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insuranc… |
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- A comprehensive insurance policy will protect your car from losses and damage not caused by a collision.
- If the items are valuable, file a police report for the stolen items, and then call your insurance company
- There are exceptions to every policy, but generally, comprehensive coverage includes losses from fire, earthquake, explosions, falling or flying objects, like the neighbors sons baseball, vandalism, theft, floods, riots, and breakage of glass, as well as damage to your car caused by hitting an animal
Whether auto insurance will pay you for your car vehicle depends upon your policy and the type of auto insurance you have.
Who Pays When A Rental Car Gets Stolen
Its summertime. The sun is blazing, the sky is blue, and you come back to your hotel to find that your rental car was stolen. Its not your fault, but that doesnt matter because you signed a contract with a rental car agency. What if the unthinkable happened and your rental car was stolen while you were on vacation?
NewsWorks has noticed from time to time that even in the 14th District, which covers Germantown, Mt. Airy, and Chestnut Hill, occasionally someone gets their rental car ripped off.
*July 18, 2011 5100 block Sheldon St. 2011 Nissan Sentra stolen. Complainant said the car was a rental.
*March 23, 2011 1200 block E. Stafford St. 2011 Chevy Impala stolen. Complainant said he left the keys in the ignition of his rental car. He said he had been receiving prank phone calls about the car and so initially thought the theft was a prank.
*March 14, 2011 1900 block 73rd Ave. 2010 Chevy Impala was stolen, but later recovered. Complainant said he left the keys to the rental car on a step near the parked car while he was at the location. The vehicle was heavily damaged when it was recovered.
Who pays?
We wondered if this was to happen, whos going to get in the most trouble? Would it be the rental company, the renter, or the criminal once theyve been caught? Would the rental car insurance offered to them even be needed in the first place?
If that alternative doesnt work, there are other avenues as well.
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How Does Auto Theft Affect Your Insurance Costs
Auto theft can affect how much you pay for insurance. It costs drivers, companies and the government millions of dollars annually. Your insurance is impacted by many factors such as :
Does Car Insurance Cover Theft
What is a stolen car insurance payout? It depends. It could be a lot or nothing at all.
Comprehensive coverage will pay to replace your vehicle. You will have to pay the deductible amount you chose, and then your insurance company will pay you the actual cash value of your car.
“Comprehensive is much, much cheaper to buy than liability or collision, says Michelle Megna, editorial director at Insurance.com. “And its pretty much a catch-all for everything that happens to a car thats not a collision: theft, vandalism, fire, even hitting a deer.
Insurance.com’s rate data show that the average drivers yearly expenditure on comprehensive coverage is $192, though that amount varies by state and the value and theft record of the car insured.
Most insurance companies will sell you comprehensive coverage even if you dont buy collision. If I drove a theft-prone car like an older Honda, Id call it money well-spent, Megna says.
If you carry only liability, we have bad news: Recovery of the car is your only hope. There is no stolen car insurance payout.
Additionally, dont expect a rental to be covered unless youve bought rental reimbursement coverage or your policy happens to include it. Even then, youre typically limited to no more than 30 days with daily limits of $25 to $30. So youll probably be replacing your stolen vehicle before too long unless you want to drive around a rental indefinitely.
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Way 6 Call Every Cab Company When Your Car Is Stolen
Cab drivers can help trace your stolen cars, trucks and vehicles. Whatever the situation is, calling all the cab companies in the area where your stolen car is left running or parking is definitely a good option to find your stolen car.
Taxi drivers seriously outnumber police, thus increasing the chances of finding your missing car. Besides, you should give enough reward, such as $100, to the taxi driver who finds your stolen car.
The reward is an incentive to encourage more people to join your stolen vehicle search team, which increases the possibility of recovering your stolen car.
What If Your Stolen Car Is Recovered
Great! The police have called and your car has been found! But what now?
You must tell your insurer straight away. Youll also need to find out if the car has been damaged, used to commit another crime or is possibly unsafe to drive. This is all information the police will be able to help you with.
The police will arrange for your car to recovered which you will be charged for .
If you have theft coverage, your insurer will assess the damage to your car and decide what needs to be done next. This could either be a repair job or the worst-case scenario, a write-off.
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Shopping For A Replacement Vehicle
If your car was not recovered and your claim is settled, you probably need to buy a car. Dealing with replacing your car can be a stressful experience, so the GEICO Car Buying Service has been designed to make this process as hassle-free as possible. Learn more and see how much you could save on a new or used car. Still not sure what car to buy? Check out our car buying resources to help you choose the best vehicle for you.
This material is intended for general information only. It does not expand coverage beyond the policy contract. Please refer to your policy contract for any specific information or questions on applicability of coverage.
How Long Does It Take For Police To Find A Stolen Car
A 4: It depends on the region where your car was stolen and whether you could offer additional useful clues like security camera footage for the police to find missing cars.
For example, a shirtless guy was caught on Reolink security camera RLC-410 punching the car window at the middle of the night, and thanks to the surveillance footage, the police managed to catch the guy soon.
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What Happens If A Stolen Car Gets In An Accident
Being involved in a car accident can be expensive and terrifying, whether you are liable for it or not. But what happens if your car wasnt even in your possession at the time of the accident? Will you be held liable for damages? What if you didnt know your car was stolen at the time?
In addition, will your insurance cover the cost of a stolen vehicle? What happens if your car is stolen and you never see it again? Will you be covered for the items that were inside?
If a stolen car gets into an accident, you may be wondering if you will be held liable for the damages. Fortunately, you usually wont be if you have properly reported the car as stolen. Well cover some of the basics you need to know in case your car ever gets into an accident after being stolen.
Report Your Stolen Car To Your Leasing Or Financing Company
If your stolen vehicle is financed or leased, youll need to contact the financing or leasing company. In this scenario, the insurance company pays a claim out to the financing or leasing company and you’re no longer be liable for payments.
Have your financing or leasing company contact your insurer directly, so that the claims process moves quickly.
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Will Auto Insurance Pay Me If Items Are Stolen From My Car But My Car Is Not Stolen
Unfortunately, your comprehensive auto insurance policy only covers items stolen from a car that are meant to be a permanent part of the car or that cant function without the car.
This would likely include items like a built-in, factory-installed navigation system or stereo, but not a dashboard-mounted GPS unit or iPod.
If you have homeowners or renters insurance, these policies should cover any personal items stolen out of your car, regardless of whether your car was parked in your driveway or in a parking lot.
If the items are valuable, file a police report for the stolen items, and then call your insurance company. If the items cost less to replace than to the deductible on your insurance policy, then you should probably forget the claim and just replace them yourself.
When you call your insurance company, ask about your personal property coverage and the items that are not covered. Items excluded, or with limited coverage, include money, jewelry, furs, watches, and business property.
Your home insurance will not help you with any damage to your vehicle, so you will have to call both your homeowners and your auto insurance companies if your car was damaged during the theft of the items inside.
Check For Possible Cctv Recordings
In this age of rapidly expanding technology, it is common for businesses of all kinds to have security cameras installed outside of their business. Let’s put it this way, in most cities, someone somewhere is watching. This could be a parking lot or garage, street parking, or even parking near an ATM that has a camera. It is worth checking with any businesses near where you were parked to see if they might have captured the car thief on camera.
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Tips To Prevent Automobile Theft
Auto theft is preventable. In fact, nearly half of thefts are due to driver error leaving the doors unlocked, keys in the ignition, etc. Follow these prevention tips to lower the chances of your automobile being involved with theft :
- Always lock your vehicle : Make sure all doors are locked before you leave your vehicle.
- No spare key : Never leave a spare key in your vehicle or any easy place to find.
- Never leave the it running : Never leave your keys in the ignition or the car running without someone inside.
- Park in the garage : If you have a garage at home, use it.
- Keep windows rolled up when parked : Always close your windows and sun roof before exiting.
- Park in well-lit areas : Always park in well-lit and high traffic areas, especially at night.
- Invest in anti-theft devices : Installing a theft prevention device will make it more difficult to steal, less of a target for thieves, and you could qualify for auto insurance discounts.
- Keep valuables out of plain sight : Never leave valuables, such as your phone, wallet, or shopping bags where people can see them.
- Make sure you have the correct insurance : If you are not sure if you have auto theft protection, talk with an advisor today.
How Long Does It Take For The Insurance Company To Pay Out On Your Stolen Car
A 2: If you’ve had the comprehensive insurance for your car, you should file a “car stolen” insurance claim at once. The insurance company will investigate the case before paying out for your loss.
Car insurance companies typically have a waiting period of 30 days, before they will pay a stolen car claim, as it gives time to see if the car would be recovered.
If your car is recovered but comes back damaged, the car insurance company will determine whether the car can be repaired or is a total loss. If your vehicle is considered as a total loss, you’ll get the actual cash value of your car from the company.
If your stolen car reappears after your insurance settlement, your insurance company will retain the ownership of the vehicle. The vehicle would be sold for salvage or at an auction.
You can buy your stolen car back if the laws and the insurance company’s guidelines allow.
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How To Find A Stolen Car
You can use your vehicles identification number to look up your car on the National Insurance Crime Bureaus VINCheck, which functions as a stolen car database. The database can help you locate your stolen vehicle.
If any partner of the NICBincluding insurance companies and law enforcement agenciesfinds your missing vehicle, it will be reported on VINCheck.
What Happens When A Stolen Car Is Recovered After Settlement
If my car is recovered after claims settlement
Even if you were already paid out for the total loss of your stolen car, you need to contact your insurance company if its found. Because your insurer already paid you, they will consider the recovered car to be their property, designating the car as a salvage title.
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How Do I Know If My Insurance Will Cover A Stolen Car
There have been a few car thefts in my neighborhood. I want to make sure my car is covered. How do I know if its covered?
To understand the answer to this question, you need to know that there are three main car insurance coverage types. Each one covers different situations.
- Liability: Covers damage you do to other people, vehicles or property.
- Collision: Covers damage that other vehicles do to you in a collision. Also covers damage from collisions with inanimate objects, like mailboxes.
- Comprehensive: Also called “all-but-collision,” it covers just about everything else, including theft.
If you check your car insurance policy online or in your paper packet, it should spell out pretty clearly what kind of insurance you have. If you have comprehensive coverage, breathe easy! Your car is covered if its stolen, even if you left the keys inside.
If you dont have comprehensive coverage and would like to add it, its easy to work with an independent insurance agent to add the coverage.
