Does Car Insurance in Arizona Cover Stolen Property?

It’s a sickening feeling to discover your car has been broken into or stolen. Beyond the damage to the vehicle, it’s reasonable to wonder if your car insurance will cover the loss of valuable personal items left in the vehicle. As Scottsdale insurance brokers, we are here to help Arizonans navigate their car insurance policies, whether it’s because they’re involved in an accident or due to theft. 

Are you curious about whether your auto insurance policies covers the cost of personal property stolen from a vehicle? In most cases, the answer is no. Car insurance does not include the coverage of theft of personal items. However, a comprehensive car insurance policy will pay for the theft of a vehicle itself, and will even cover the cost of specific parts of your vehicle should they be stolen. Some insurance companies may offer personal property coverage for an extra cost in addition to your policy. 

What To Do After Your Car Is Broken Into

You walk out to your vehicle, business as usual, to discover your window smashed in or the door pried open. Oh no! If there’s physical damage to the vehicle, if you have a comprehensive car insurance policy, then your policy will pay to repair the damage to your vehicle. 

If you are the victim of a break-in, here’s what to do. First, check your surroundings for your safety. If you don’t feel safe, leave the scene immediately to call someone for help. Document the damage by taking photos, before you touch anything. You’ll want to take pictures of all sides of your vehicle, as well as close-up photos of the damage. Next, you will need to contact your police department’s non-emergency number to file a police report. An officer may come out to the scene to take down your information, or you may need to go to the police station or just give your info over the phone. It is imperative to file a police report if you want insurance to cover the damage to your vehicle (and if you want your homeowner’s insurance to cover the loss of personal items – more on that in a bit). When reporting the incident to police, be sure to include detailed descriptions of the items that were stolen from the vehicle.  Keep a copy of the report or record the case number to provide to your insurance agent. 

If your wallet or purse was stolen from the vehicle (anything with credit or debit cards), you should contact your bank and credit card companies to report the theft immediately. You can also place a fraud alert with one of the three nationwide credit bureaus, which will make it more difficult for the thieves to open new accounts in your name. 

Filing An Insurance Claim After Vehicle Theft

If your vehicle was stolen, you must have comprehensive coverage to cover the cost of your stolen vehicle. A comprehensive coverage policy covers all non-collision loss to your vehicle, including theft, water damage, falling objects, extreme weather, or vandalism (plus possibly more). For objects stolen inside a vehicle, you can likely file a claim under your homeowner’s or renter’s policy, but you’ll have to pay your deductible which may not make it worth it depending on the value of the items taken. The best thing you can do is to not ever leave valuables in your car, and if you’re traveling out of town, make sure they’re secure in the trunk of your vehicle. 

Pinnacle Peak Insurance Group – Scottsdale Insurance Experts

Located in Scottsdale, we help Arizonans build custom insurance packages to serve their needs. Whether you’re in need of automobile insurance, homeowners insurance, business insurance, or something else – we’ve got you covered. Get in touch with our team today.