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Stolen Items and Car Insurance

A big risk you face when owning a car is the chance that it may get stolen. When you consider that most of us often keep valuable things in our cars, you are faced with the whole other risk of having your personal items stolen from your vehicle.

Since these things are in your car, does that mean that your car insurance will help pay to replace them when they are stolen? Learn more here.

Comprehensive Coverage

When it comes to your car, any costs associated with repair or replacement of your vehicle due to theft is covered by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage is an optional coverage type that will also help pay for repair or replacement of your car for non-collision incidents including:

  • Inclement weather, such as hail or severe storms.
  • Theft.
  • Vandalism.
  • Hitting an animal.

Can Comprehensive Coverage Pay for My Stolen Items?

While comprehensive coverage does protect your car against theft, it only protects your car.

Any items you have in your car that are stolen, such as laptops, will generally not be covered by comprehensive coverage.

Homeowners or Renters Insurance

When it comes to having your personal property insured, you can usually rely on your homeowners insurance or renters insurance policy.

Homeowners insurance generally covers your personal property if it is damaged or lost due to theft. This coverage is not necessarily limited to items in your home. If things are stolen from your car, your homeowners insurance or renters insurance may cover it.

Homeowners/renters insurance also covers your personal property from the following:

  • Fire.
  • Lightning.
  • Hail.
  • Windstorm.

Will homeowners insurance or renters insurance cover items stolen from my car?

While homeowners or renters insurance is essentially a necessity for anyone owning or renting a home, there is a big consideration you must make before making a claim on your homeowners insurance policy for things stolen out of your car.

Because homeowners insurance and renters insurance are mainly meant to cover high-value items, such as your home, the deductibles—your out-of-pocket expenses towards a claim—on homeowners policies tend to be pretty high.

This means that your deductible may actually cost more than replacing the item.

Check with your insurance provider for details on what your homeowners or renters insurance policy covers in the event of items stolen from your vehicle, and whether it's worth it to make a claim on your policy.

Custom Parts Coverage

There are certain things that can be covered by your car insurance policy if they are stolen from your car, if you have the right coverage.

For example, if you have installed custom parts to your car and you want them to be protected from theft, you’ll need to purchase customized parts and equipment coverage.

Many car owners like to add after-market features like stereos, sound systems, and televisions to their cars. These items are often targeted for theft. Having custom parts coverage will help you replace or replace these items if they are lost or damaged due to theft.

Custom parts coverage is an optional addition to your car insurance that can be valuable to you if you make modifications to your car. Keep in mind that when you make customizations to your vehicle, collision and comprehensive coverages typically only protect original parts on your car.

Tips for Protecting Your Car and Its Contents

To avoid becoming the victim of theft, take some simple precautions:

  • Lock your doors.
  • Be aware of other people "checking doors" (walking next to parked cars pulling on car door handles).
  • Get an alarm system for your vehicle, if you don't have one.
  • Avoid leaving any valuables in your car. Lock them in the glove box or put them in the trunk if you need to leave them in the vehicle.
  • Whenever possible, park under a light in parking garages or lots.
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