Should I Hire An Attorney To Help With An Auto Insurance Claim
Hiring a car insurance dispute attorney demonstrates to your insurance company that you are serious about the valuation of your claim. An experienced car insurance dispute lawyer asks you a series of questions to determine whether filing a claim for a stolen car is worth the effort. If your attorney decides that you have a persuasive claim, you receive the legal support you need to file a claim based on the facts of the case.
Car insurance companies sometimes use unethical tactics on policyholders that do not hire an experienced car insurance dispute lawyer. If you have a valid claim, you might receive a low-ball offer that you determine is a fair value for your stolen vehicle. Some insurers bank on policyholders deciding not to pursue a claim because of the incredible amount of work required to gather and organize evidence.
At Morgan & Morgan, our team of car insurance dispute attorneys helps you file a convincing claim long before the deadline established by your auto insurance company. We will discuss the theft of your car with a law enforcement investigator, as well as review the formal police report to learn more about the evidence that boosts the strength of your claim. Working with a car insurance dispute lawyer from Morgan & Morgan also ensures you retain the services of a highly-skilled claims negotiator.
Schedule a free case evaluation today to recover the financial losses caused by the theft of your vehicle.
Report The Stolen Car To The Police
Once you have confirmed that your car has been stolen, call the police immediately to report the theft. Not only will you need the police report later, but it will give law enforcement officers an opportunity to keep an eye out for the stolen vehicle. You will need to be prepared to provide them detailed information on the vehicle and the location it was last seen.
How To Tell Your Insurance Company Your Car Has Been Stolen
Its important to let your insurer know as soon as possible that your car has been stolen the quicker you get the ball rolling with any claim, the quicker it will be resolved and a payout made. Once your payout has been settled, you can get on with the more interesting task of finding your new car.
So long as you give your insurance company all the details they need and the crime reference number to prove your case, they have three months from the date you contacted them to settle your claim.
If they need any further information, the claim may take longer. But this usually only happens if youre claiming for an accident and theres some debate about who is to blame.
Your insurer should pay out the market rate for the car. This is the amount you can expect to get had you sold it, taking into account its age, mileage, and condition. If you have a classic car, they should pay you the valuation agreed in your policy.
If youre not happy with the amount they want to give you, you can challenge it. This would be the same process as challenging the amount being offered for a write-off, which weve covered in our blog What happens if my car is written off while Im still paying finance?
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If Your Car Is Recovered Before The Claim Has Been Settled:
Your insurance company will want the vehicle inspected. If it is not damaged in any way, they wont pay anything for your claim. Additionally, any towing fees or impound fines due for the vehicle are your responsibility. You will likely need to pick up your car yourself from an impound lot once the police recover it.
Do You Still Have Insurance If Your Car Has Been Written Off
What happens to my auto insurance after it has been written off? This may come as a surprise to some motorists, but even if you no longer have your car, when your car is written off and you claim your insurance, you will still be required to pay your monthly insurance payments until the end of the policy.
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What If My Stolen Car Is Recovered During The Claims Process
Although the FBI reports just a small percentage of stolen cars are returned to their owners, there is a slight chance you might get your vehicle back during the claims process or after your insurer has closed your car insurance claim. If you have already received compensation for an auto insurance claim, your insurance company assumes ownership of the returned stolen car.
If you recovered your stolen vehicle while a claim remains open, your insurance company stops the claims process until your vehicle receives a thorough inspection. Your auto insurance company pays for any damages as defined by your policy. If your car is a total loss, your insurance company pays the actual cash value just like it does to cover the value of a stolen vehicle.
Whether you get your car back during a claim or after a claim is closed, you must report the news to your insurance company right away. Most insurance companies send a team to retrieve a stolen vehicle. An insurance adjuster appraises the value of the recovered vehicle to determine how much damage it sustained.
After you meet the standards established by your car insurance company, you should receive a settlement check minus the value of your annual deductible.
How Long Does The Insurance Claims Process Take For A Stolen Car
On average, it takes 11 days for a automobile to be found and 30% of recovered vehicles come back with damages.
Most companies have a minimum waiting period before closing the claim. Typically it is 30 days. This happens to see if your vehicle can be recovered. Since companies are different in how they handle claims, ask them about the expected time frame.
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Make Sure Your Car Has Really Been Stolen
Its sounds funny, but weve all been there when weve been inside the store or at a meeting for too long and realize were standing in the parking lot forgetting where we parked. Take a few minutes after initially panicking to think and recall where you parked. If you parked in a tow-away zone, check the impound/tow service before making a stolen vehicle report. You might save some embarrassment and paperwork.
What To Do When Your Car Is Stolen
The first thing you should do when your car is stolen is to make sure that it is actually stolen. Ask your friends or family members if they moved your car or borrowed it. Make sure you didnt park it somewhere else by accident. Sometimes, were quick to panic and jump to the worst-case scenario of our car being stolen when it has just been misplaced or borrowed.
If youre sure your vehicle has been stolen, you should then call the police, whether or not you have insurance. If you see the theft taking place and youre calling the police as it happens, you should call 911. But if you discover your vehicle is missing after a night of sleep or while its been parked for a long time, call your police stations non-emergency number to report the crime.
Youll need to give the police all the information you know about the vehicle, including its vehicle identification number , where you last parked, and your vehicles make and model. Once the police are notified and fully informed of the situation, you should then call your insurance company. Though you may not have the type of insurance that covers the theft of your vehicle, your insurance company might still offer some benefits that could help you, such as rental cars.
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Resold With A Fake Vin
A car thief may cover up the crime by installing a fake VIN plate on the stolen vehicle, which is known as VIN Cloning. The car thief takes the VIN from a legally registered car, installs counterfeit VIN plates, and forges title documents for the stolen car. Unsuspecting dealerships and buyers are led to believe that the vehicle is legitimate.
How Do I Prevent The Theft Of My Vehicle
Although it is too late to protect your car from theft, you can take steps to prevent future theft of your car.
Installing a car alarm often acts as a deterrent, as thieves prefer the easiest way into a vehicle. Tinkering with a car alarm system to disable it can backfire with the sounding of the high-pitched alarm. A GPS tracking system also acts as a deterrent, as the last thing a thief wants is for a law enforcement agency to know where to look for the stolen car. Another effective strategy for preventing the theft of your vehicle involves keeping valuables locked away out of sight. Thieves typically steal cars that entice them with valuables, such as jewelry and electronic devices.
Using a physically tough anti-theft device represents another type of deterrent, as does parking your car in a well-lit area at night and in a safe neighborhood no matter what time of day. Finally, close your windows and lock your vehicle electronically.
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What Happens If Someone Steals My Car
If your car is stolen, you need to contact law enforcement and file a stolen vehicle report first. Insurers wont honor an auto theft claim unless a police report has been filed. You should be prepared to tell the police everything you know about your stolen vehicle.
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How To Handle Stolen Vehicles And Insurance
Remember to keep your car secure.
The number of daily auto thefts often increases from June through August. In 2019, there were 721,885 cars stolen in the U.S. This statistic creates an average of around 1,978 stolen vehicles every day.
What happens to all those stolen cars? Are they recovered? When should you put in a claim? Is buying a salvaged, previously stolen car worth it?
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Not All Salvage Titles Are The Same
This is where things start to get really complicated. Every state has its own laws regarding salvage titles, so a vehicle that earns itself a salvage title in one state might still qualify for a clean title in another state. That doesnt make it easy for you as a used car buyer, and its another reason why you should always get a vehicle history check before buying a used vehicle.
You see, theres a practice you need to be aware of called title washing, which is where unscrupulous vehicle traders move vehicles to states that have relatively lax regulations around salvage title cars such as New York or New Jersey. They buy a damaged car cheap in one state as salvage and then move it to another where it will qualify for a clean title after being repaired because the regulations are less stringent.
Obviously, as a car with a clean title in the new state, it will command a much higher price than it would have done in the original state where it would have to have been sold with a salvage title.
Who Owns The Items Inside A Recovered Vehicle
In most cases, your auto insurance policy doesn’t cover personal items inside your vehicle. Renters or homeowners insurance most often protects items stolen from inside a car. If your car is recovered, the items inside it are still yours, even if the car itself is now the property of the insurance company.
Your policy also may pay for the cost of custom parts or modifications if you have custom parts and equipment coverage. Comprehensive and collision coverage may pay up to a certain amount for custom parts, depending on your insurer, but any damage beyond this amount requires CPE coverage. This coverage protects upgrades and modifications to your vehicle, like rims or a custom stereo system. If your vehicle is stolen, this coverage will pay the additional replacement cost of those items, up to a specified limit.
Looking for more information about auto insurance? Our car insurance resource center has you covered.
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Before You Take Any Action You Need To:
Before you go looking for your stolen car, make sure your car is actually stolen. The first thing is to check if your lost car is indeed stolen before you have ants in your pants.
Follow the below tips to do a stolen car check
- Check the parking lot carefully. Public parking lots would be one of best places to start looking for a stolen vehicle. Maybe you just forget the exact place of your car. You can download a Find Stolen Car app to your iPhone or Android smartphone to find your car, if you dont remember where youve parked your car. You can check more apps.
- Check with towing companies before reporting your car is stolen.
- Track your car by VIN number. The VIN check contains all history report, including accidents and service records. You can check if a car is stolen by license plate and VIN.
If your car is indeed stolen, dont waste any time! According to the 10 suggestions we mentioned above, take immediate action.
What Do I Do If My Car Is Stolen
If your car is stolen, the best thing is to file a claim to your insurance company for a settlement of compensation. But before you file the claim, you can do the following:
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Can I Buy A Previously Stolen Car With A Salvage Title
You can buy a car with a salvage title. It may even be an opportunity for you to buy a nicer vehicle at a discounted price. However, it would be best to do a couple of things before purchasing a car with a salvage title.
- Do a vehicle history check. Salvage title requirements vary from state to state, and cars qualifying as salvageable in one state may not be considered salvageable in your state.
- Have the car inspected by a reputable repair shop. There may be damage thats difficult to see right away. Before you buy a salvaged car, make sure it is in a condition you are willing to pay for.
- Check with your insurance company. Not all insurance companies insure vehicles with salvage titles. Make sure yours does before making any final purchases.
It is a common misconception that you cant finance or insure a salvaged vehicle. You can find options for both!
What Happens If My Car Is Recovered After The Claim Has Been Paid
If the claim has already been paid, then your insurance company owns the vehicle. First, you must report the recovery of your vehicle right away and let your insurance company know. In most cases, they will send a team to retrieve the vehicle. If you haven’t bought a new vehicle, your insurance company may offer you the option to buy back the car. The exact procedure varies from company to company, so it’s best to check with your insurer about what your options are.
According to the FBI, approximately 721,885 vehicles were stolen in 2019. Only a small number of cars are ever returned after they disappear.
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If The Car Is Recovered During Claim Process
You need to contact your insurer immediately if your car is recovered during the claim process. The insurance company will halt the claim process immediately and assess the car for damage.
If the car sustains any damage, the insurer will cater to repair costs. If the insurer declares the car a total loss, you will get a payment for your cars actual cash value as youd have gotten if the car stayed stolen.
Whether for repair or total loss, your deductible will apply during payment, and the insurer will deduct it from your claim payout.
Now, can you get an anti-theft discount?
Yes, its possible to get an anti-theft discount. Most insurers encourage policyholders to have anti-theft devices like alarms and tracking systems and offer discounts to those who have.
2. If The Car Is Recovered After Claim Settlement
If your stolen car is later recovered after the claim has been settled and youre paid, it becomes the insurance companys property. The insurer will designate the car as a salvage title.
Like youd do before the claim process was settled, first, report to the insurer that the car has been recovered. The insurer will send a team to retrieve the car.
If youre still interested in the same car, your insurer may give you an option to buy it back. The procedure to re-own the car varies from one insurance company to another or case-by-case, so its best to ask your insurer about your options.
