Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Dude where is my car? How to file an auto insurance claim

Tuesday
Apr022013

Dude, Where's My Car? How To File An Insurance Claim For Auto Theft



Auto Insurance Coverage For A Stolen Vehicle

Insurance coverage for stolen vehicles falls under the comprehensive coverage of your policy. This pays for the loss you incurred due to vehicle theft. This basically means that the insurance provider will pay for the value of your car minus any deductible.
Most insurance providers allot a certain period of time for the possibility that the car will be recovered before they pay for the stolen vehicle. During this wait period, you still have to pay the premium even if you have lost your car since it is still possible for the police to recover your vehicle after a few days. Additionally, you must not take out the insurance from the said vehicle until you have settled the auto theft claim with your insurance provider. Do not worry about overpayment of insurance premiums since the insurance provider will reimburse any overpayments plus interest.

Filing An Auto Theft Insurance Claim

  1. Call The Police: Once you discover that your car is missing, immediately contact the right authorities. You must provide the police officer all the important vehicle identification information, namely the license plate number, vehicle model, color, and make. It is critical to file a police report as soon as possible to enhance your chances of recovery.
  2. Get In Touch With Your Insurance Company: After filing a police report, you must then contact your auto insurance provider. You will need the following information and documents:
    • The vehicle's title.
    • Location of all the keys of your vehicle- before and after the incident.
    • Names and contact numbers of anyone who had access to the car.
    • If you have an existing car loan, provide the name and number of the bank or leasing company.
    • Car identification information, such as service records.
    • List of personal properties in the car during the time of theft, such as gadgets, wallet, or bag.
    If your insurance provider starts asking questions that might imply suspicion, do not take it personally. You have to understand that insurance frauds are not uncommon these days; thus, insurance companies are becoming more vigilant in gathering information.
  3. File For Additional Claims: Depending on the kind of auto insurance policy you have, you will also be able to file for other claims, such as rental reimbursement. In addition, you can also file claims for the personal property inside the stolen car but you have to provide proof of ownership and the value of the items.
  4. Wait For Your Car To Be Recovered: Your insurance company may have a wait period of 20 to 30 days before they can issue a settlement check. If your vehicle is not recovered by the police, you will be compensated by the insurance company.
    In the event that your car is recovered, the insurance company will inspect the car and determine if there are any damages incurred before deciding on a reimbursement amount. All these will depend on the kind of car insurance policy you have purchased.
These four easy steps will help you in filing an auto theft claim, and be back on the road in no time. But before anything unfortunate happens, make sure that you purchase the right car insurance policy to enjoy different coverage that might save you thousands of dollars in the future.
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Featured images:
  • License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Emotions_g96-Anger_p32665.html
Kris Hopkins is a writer for finance and law websites where she offers tips for filing an auto insurance Lincoln claim for a stolen vehicle.


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