Preventing Car Theft & Insurance Problems
As if having your car stolen isn’t bad enough, you might also have to deal with your insurer not fully covering your loss. Here are some tips on how to prevent auto theft and how to deal with the aftermath if your car is stolen.
Beef up Standard Equipment
The factory-installed anti-theft equipment on your car is not always enough. Beefing up the anti-theft devices that came standard on your vehicle can help prevent auto theft and lower your auto insurance rates. You might consider installing an aftermarket theft prevention system. These systems are usually much more effective than the factory equipment.
Don’t Make Assumptions
It’s not always true that newer cars are bigger magnets for theft than older cars. Sometimes, older vehicles are stolen for their parts because the parts are no longer manufactured and thus might be valuable. Similarly, you can’t assume that your moderately-priced vehicle will be less attractive to thieves than a luxury model. Thieves also target cars for their popularity. So, if your car is very popular, it will likely be stolen more often and will come with higher auto insurance rates.
Contact Authorities Immediately
Acting quickly is essential to recovering stolen vehicles, so call the police immediately, preferably while you’re still at the scene of the crime. If you wait too long, your car could already be out of town or in the process of being disassembled. Make sure you have the make, model, year, VIN number, and license plate number ready for the police. Keep a copy of your auto insurance policy at home so you can still access your information if your vehicle is stolen.
Make Sure You’re Covered
Not all policies include rental coverage, so make sure yours does. You will also need to review your policy to find out if there is a waiting period before your insurer will pay for a rental. Remember these things when you shop for auto insurance rates, as it could affect your ability to get around if your car is ever stolen. Rental reimbursement coverage is almost always worth the few extra dollars in premiums per month.
- 2008 © www.autoinsurancerates.com
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service