You just had a very unfortunate experience: your car was stolen and you had valuable personal items in the car at the time. The question is: will my auto insurance company cover my personal items?
The simple answer that would apply to just about all insurance companies and policies is no, your auto insurance would likely not cover your personal items. The main reason is that auto insurance is meant to cover damage or loss to the vehicle, not personal property inside the vehicle.
When determining the premium to charge you for insuring your car, your company looks at many things but primarily at the type of vehicle you are insuring, to include any added equipment or packages attached to the car. This information gives the carrier a hard number to base your premium on as they can estimate what the cost to replace your vehicle would be. If you think about personal items, you could have substantial, valuable items in your car like a phone, a laptop, etc.... Since an insurance company would have now way of knowing what you had in your car at what time, they would not be able to determine a rate to charge you. And, thinking further, imagine if they did cover personal items with no disclosure of what those items were, how much your premium would be. Ouch!
There are a few things to consider when thinking about personal items in your vehicle and whether or not coverage would likely be afforded for them in an event of a covered loss:
Was the item permanently attached to your car?If it was attached to your car, did you purchase an endorsement or added coverage for the aftermarket or non-manufacturer equipment?
When I say permanently attached, we are usually talking about things like an aftermarket stereo or a radar detector that can be installed into your vehicle. Basically, if the item is not portable or can be easily removed and put back in the car, it would not be considered "permanently attached. The obvious things that are usually a point of contention in these claims are things like schoolbooks, phones, laptops or tablets. These items are clearly not attached to your car and would more than likely not be covered by your insurance policy.
The second thing to consider if you have added items to your car, like a new stereo, is to strongly consider a CPE or Custom Parts & Equipment endorsement. The reason is that if, at the time you insured your car, it had the factory stereo in it but 3 months later you put a custom, $2,000 system in but didn't endorse it, your insurance company would likely not owe you for the new system. Why? Because at the time of your policy inception or start date this equipment was not in the car so your carrier did not take that into consideration when your premium was determined.
So, you ask, "What would cover my personal items?" In many cases your homeowner's insurance policy may cover personal items stolen from your car. The reason for this is that your homeowners' policy is meant to cover your personal belongings and if the items that were in your car are usually in your home, then it is very possible your homeowners insurance would cover them. I do, however, strongly suggest you review your policy and call your company to confirm how they would handle this type of loss.
So, to summarize personal items in your vehicle and how your insurance company will likely handle that:
I strongly suggest that you do your best to never leave valuable personal items in your vehicle and avoid this altogetherIf you are adding additional items to your vehicle that are permanently attached, call your insurance company or agent and have a discussion about a CPE endorsement. And remember, even in this case, if you do file a claim for them your company is likely going to ask for receipts to confirm the equipment or items. So keep all of them!Some companies may extend coverage on a basic policy, to a certain limit, for personal items. Review your policy & call your agent to confirmSuggest contacting the company you insure your home through and discussing how they view and handle claims for personal items stolen out of your vehicle
As is with most things in life, being prepared and having good information can help you avoid unfortunate things like stolen personal items from your car. "Chance favors the prepared mind." Can't recall who owns that one, but it's a good one!
Marc Berry brings over 8 years of direct experience in the auto insurance field, having worked for 2 of the largest and most respected insurance companies in the nation.
Marc' site also allows you to get free auto insurance quotes from the nations leading provider.
Visit SecureMyAutoInsurance and find your savings!
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Car Auto Article FeedFind More ArticlesSearchSimilar ArticlesDoes Auto Insurance Cover My Stolen iPod?Auto Insurance BasicsPrevent Auto Theft and Qualify For Best Auto Insurance RatesAuto Insurance - Some Basic DefinitionsPrevalent Misconceptions About Auto Insurance: Setting The Record Straight5 Important Details About Your Auto Insurance Policy That May Surprise You4 Important Auto Insurance Issues That Are Often IgnoredTen Auto Insurance Myths DebunkedHow Well Do You Know Your Auto Insurance Policy?What is Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage?Recent ArticlesHow Save Money On Your Auto InsuranceTips on How to Pay for Car InsuranceWhy You Should Own a ConvertibleChoosing a Good Auto Insurance CompanyTips on Getting Auto Insurance Quotes OnlineThe Steps For Filing A Car Insurance ClaimLearning From A Vehicle Insurance OverviewHow to Choose the Right Car Insurance PlanWhat Information Do I Need to Compare Car Insurance Online?Telematics Car Insurance - Benefits to Young DriversSubmitted On January 20, 2012. Viewed 5 times. Word count: 766.MLA Style Citation:Berry, Marc R.".".20 Jan. 2012EzineArticles.com.26 Jan. 2012
Berry, M. R. (2012, January 20). . Retrieved January 26, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Theft-of-Personal-Property-From-Car---Does-Your-Insurance-Cover-It?&id=6831254Chicago Style Citation:
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