Does Car Insurance Cover Theft?

Does car insurance cover theft? Or more specifically, does liability cover theft? The answer is no, liability insurance covers bodily injury and property damages when you are at fault. Car theft is usually not included in your coverage. However, comprehensive insurance often covers both car theft and associated damages. 

Let’s go through a few scenarios from our finance team to see when car theft insurance can be utilized in Minneapolis.

Car Theft Insurance: When Am I Entitled to Coverage?

Say you were in St. Paul when your car was stolen. Does your car insurance cover theft? If you have comprehensive coverage, you can typically get up to the Actual Cash Value (ACV) of your vehicle. If a break-in included damages like broken windshields and broken door locks, those would also be covered.

Unfortunately, this won’t cover items stolen from your car. If you are missing personal belongings like your wallet or smartphone, you’ll need to submit a claim to your homeowner or renters insurance company as well as your auto insurance company.

What Should You Do If Your Car Is Stolen?

1. Call the Police: Report your information to the police with as much detail as possible. Include information about your car including make, model, color, license plate number, and VIN. Let them know the last place you had your car and whether or not any anti-theft or GPS systems were active.
2. Contact Insurance: Contact your car insurance provider within 24 hours of the theft. Let them know if you had valuables in the car and have a copy of the police report ready in case they need it.
3. Consider Anti-Theft Services: The truth is that many vehicles are not found in St. Paul. But, if you are reunited with your vehicle, be sure to inspect it thoroughly and consider investing in an anti-theft product or service to add protection for the future.

How Do I File a Police Report & Insurance Claim? 

Time is of the essence when it comes to car theft insurance. You’ll need to file a police report within 24 hours of the theft and get in touch with your insurance as soon as possible. Here are the details you’ll need:

Police Report

• VIN and license plate number 
• Car’s year, make, and model 
• Location and the estimated time of the theft 
• Identifying vehicle traits, such as bumper stickers or accessories

Insurance Claim:

• Certificate of Title 
• Location of the car keys before and after the car was stolen 
• Names and info of all parties who had access to your car 
• Vehicle description, mileage, service records, upgrade, and options 
• List of personal items that may have been stolen with the car 
• Financing or leasing company contact info and your account number

So in short, does liability cover theft? It doesn’t. Does car insurance cover theft? Yes, if you have car theft insurance through your comprehensive plan.

Learn More With Jaguar Richfield Certified Pre-Owned & Service

If you want more car tips about insurance coverage or anti-theft protective measures, be sure to contact us at Jaguar Richfield Certified Pre-Owned & Service. We’re located in Richfield, just a short drive from Edina, so get in touch with us at any time.