What should I do if someone steals or vandalizes my car? Am I covered?

If you have comprehensive coverage, you’re probably covered for repairs or the cost to replace your car. If you have any questions or need to make a claim call us at 1-800-731-2228

What should I do if my car has been stolen?

  1. Call the police to report the theft.
  2. Call us or the insurance company we placed you with to start a claim (if you have comprehensive coverage).

What should I do if valuables are stolen from my car?

If valuables like golf clubs or a laptop is stolen from your car, it’s usually covered by your home insurance policy, not your car insurance. If it’s part of your car, it’s probably covered by your auto policy. Damage done to windows or doors to get into your car is also covered. If this sounds a bit confusing, not to worry, we’ll be there to help you through it. Here are some important steps:

  1. Call the police to report the theft.
  2. Take notes and itemize what was taken. Calculate the overall worth of the things that were stolen or damaged, compare it to your deductible and decide if you want to make a claim or absorb the cost. (Remember, if there’s personal stuff you usually keep in you home, it’s a home claim. If it’s something that’s a part of your car, it’s an auto claim – so there will be two deductibles).
  3. Take pictures that show how you found your car – Show where the car was, if glass was broken, if your locks were forced open, etc. If you have them, gather receipts and photos of the stuff you lost. You may need them to make a claim.
  4. Call us or the home and auto insurance company we placed you with to start a claim.

What if my car has minor damage from vandalism but is drivable?

  1. Call the police to report the vandalism.
  2. Take pictures that show how you found the car, (Show where the car was, and get closeups of the specific damage) as it will help you with your claim.
  3. Take your car to a body shop and get an estimate.
  4. Decide if you want to make a claim or absorb the cost yourself, based on the estimate compared to the amount of your deductible.
  5. Call us or the insurance company we placed you with to start a claim (if you have comprehensive coverage).

Did You Know?

Most policies won’t replace your stolen car with a brand new car. They will pay you the current market value of the car at the time it was stolen. You can usually pay a little extra for replacement cost coverage, which means if your car is stolen or completely destroyed, insurance will pay you whatever you paid for the car when you bought it.

What if my car has major vandalism damage and isn’t drivable?

  1. Be safe, don’t try to drive your car if you’re not sure if it’s drivable. 
  2. Call the police to report the vandalism.
  3. Take pictures that show how you found the car, (Show where the car was, and get closeups of specific damage) as it will help you with your claim.
  4. Call us or the insurance company we placed you with to start your claim.
  5. Call a tow truck to take your car to a body shop.

Quick tip: Should I make a claim?

If your car suffers damage that wasn’t your fault, whether in a collision or due to weather, fire or vandalism, you may think that making a claim won’t affect your future premiums, but it can.

By law, insurance companies can only increase your auto insurance premiums if you make a claim related to an accident that was your fault, but if you make other kinds of claims, your insurer can take away your claims-free discount, increase your deductible, limit your future coverage, or if you make multiple claims in a short period, they can even refuse to renew you.

Whenever your car is damaged, try to determine, based on the repair estimate and your deductible, if it’s worth making a claim, or if you’re better off paying a few hundred dollars out of pocket to keep your claims record clean.

Ask Adam Special: To Claim or Not to Claim

Who’s going to fix my car?

If your car is damaged, the insurance company we placed you with will probably have a list of certified repair shops. You can also take your car to your own preferred or trusted repair shop. 

Preferred Vendors

If you don’t have a trusted body shop, there are some advantages to bringing your car to a shop that’s on your insurance company’s list of certified repair shops. Here’s a few benefits to you:

  1. A quicker claim. You car will be fixed and back to you sooner when your insurance company and repair shop have established processes.
  2. The price is the price. There’s no double checking of estimates when you use your insurance company’s certified shops.
  3. The repairs are guaranteed. If something fails later, the insurance company will pay to have it fixed.

If you have a claim, call us at 1-800-731-2228 or email us at claims@nullmitchinsurance.com. We’re here to help you with the claims process if you need help.