If Your Car Was Stolen With Keys Inside, Follow the Police Process
As we approach "Puffing season" with the cold weather, leaving cars running while keys are inside is a typical method of theft. If your car is taken with keys inside, you must always submit a police report immediately.
Insurance policies differ but generally, comprehensive coverage protects cars even if keys are locked inside. However, personal possessions are usually covered by homeowners or renters insurance and not car insurance.
Theft
Many car thieves will simply target a vehicle with the keys inside. It's a simple strategy that works: a driver is distracted and the next thing they realize is that their car is gone. It's important to break this cycle, so make sure you always have your keys on you when you leave your vehicle regardless of where you park.
A car is stolen every 32 seconds and Americans lose $8 billion a year to vehicle thefts. This is why it's vital to never leave your car unattended with the keys inside, especially in high-crime areas.
Thieves are now extremely skilled when it comes to stealing vehicles with key fobs inside their vehicles, which makes it even more important to be extra careful. The thieves may use relay attacks signal jamming, relay attacks, or any other technology to hack the system of a vehicle and then reprogram the key fob. They may also employ a tool known as a "slim jim" to get into the door's opening at the base of the window and alter the locking mechanism inside or linkage.
Hotwiring is another technique, which involves removing the vehicle's ignition cord and then using an electrical current to ignite the motor. This is a method that is popular for teens who do not have a full-time job and are looking to make an easy buck. It's also a method criminals can use stolen vehicles to engage in joyriding or other crimes.
Dealerships can safeguard themselves by using vehicle tracking systems and performing regular audits of their key inventory and vehicle records to spot gaps and possible breaches in security. They should also advise drivers to use a signal blocking pouch or Faraday box when they store their keys as they can protect against relay attacks and other forms of hacks.
If you happen to leave your car running while you have the keys inside, your insurance provider likely will cover the loss in the event that you have Comprehensive coverage. However, your insurer might conduct credit checks and other checks to confirm that the claim is legitimate before granting you reimbursement.
Damage
It's like asking for your vehicle to be stolen if you leave it running or unlocked even though the keys are in the car. It takes a savvy criminal a few seconds to hop in and drive away. Fortunately, your insurance company may be able to cover the theft, if you have comprehensive coverage. However, some policies exclude vehicles that have keys inside from being covered. If you're worried that your policy won't be able to cover this, it could be worth switching auto insurance providers.
Certain states have specific laws that dictate how a car owner is accountable for a car theft that involves keys inside. The rules vary from state to state, so it's important to understand them. In most cases, the car owner is not accountable for any accident that occurs when the thief drives. This is because the thief not considered to be an insured driver. The owner of the car is not liable for any items taken from a vehicle as they are covered by renters insurance or homeowners insurance insurance.
Reporting the car theft immediately to your insurance company and to the police is essential. This will accelerate the process and increase your chances of recovering property. It is crucial to be aware that multiple claims can affect your insurance rate. Discuss this with your agent to see how it affects your policy in future.
The best way to avoid a car being stolen with keys inside is to secure it and shut the windows every time you leave your vehicle. A spare key should be stored in a secure location and not kept in the car. If you are required to leave the vehicle running, be sure to put it get more info in park, and then turn off the ignition prior to your leave.
It is best not to leave valuables such as laptops or MP3 players in your vehicle. You could be able to file a separate claim if you have added nonpermanent items to your vehicle like the USB device plugged into the auxiliary port.
Insurance
A car is stolen every 32 seconds, and car theft costs Americans more than $8 billion every year. Fortunately, most cars are insured by insurance policies in the event that they are stolen. In some instances the insurance policy may not cover the cost of fixing or replacing your car. If you have keys locked in your car and they are stolen, that's one such situation. This is not a typical situation, but does occur.
The answer to whether your vehicle is covered in this situation depends on the type of policy you have. Most policies that provide comprehensive insurance will cover a stolen car, even if the keys are in the. The amount of money that your insurance company will pay will depend on your policy limits and deductible.
If you have an insurance policy that is only liability-based, your vehicle is most likely to be taken if the keys are inside but you'll be compensated for a maximum of $10,000 or less. If you have comprehensive insurance on your vehicle, however, you will be able to submit a claim for total value of your car and all the items in it (minus your deductible).
There is one major issue with this situation: Insurance companies might consider leaving your keys in your car as a case of negligence. Many insurers expect their customers to take reasonable measures to protect their vehicles. This includes locking them when they are not in use and making sure they are not running. Furthermore, if you live in a location where there are frequent reports of car thefts your insurance company may increase your cost.
Other ways to secure your vehicle from theft is installing an anti-theft system or other security features. You can also determine whether you have insurance on your property in place. Both homeowners and renters insurance typically provide personal property insurance that will cover your belongings in case they are stolen or lost on or off the premises. If you have a bundled property insurance policy and auto insurance policy generally, you can file both claims together to save time and money.
Recovery
Follow the police procedure for recovering your car after it has been stolen with keys inside. Report the theft to your local police department. Be sure to provide them all the information they need about the car including the VIN license plate, year the year, model, make, where it was taken, and any distinctive characteristics.
After filing a report with the police, they'll begin to search for your vehicle. They will employ various methods to locate it, including speaking with witnesses, analyzing evidence physical and examining surveillance footage. During this process, it's important to be patient and to check in with the police frequently for updates.
In the event that your vehicle is rescued and is subsequently inspected, it will be inspected by an insurance claims adjuster to determine its condition. If the car is in a safe driving condition and the damage occurred even though it was not your control, your comprehensive coverage will compensate you for the damage. The amount you will receive will depend on the value of your vehicle, its current market value, your auto insurance deductible, as well as any additional coverages you may have such as renters or homeowners.
Another option that could differ depending on the advice of the police or your insurance company is to notify your state's Department of Motor Vehicles about the stolen vehicle. This will add the information of your vehicle into a national database of stolen vehicles. This will make it difficult for criminals to register or sell an illegally stolen vehicle.
If there were any credit or debit cards that were in your vehicle when you lost it, contact the banks to freeze the cards. This will prevent identity theft and fraudulent charges. It's a good idea in the event that you have homeowners insurance or renters coverage, to also notify the police of the theft. Car items are typically covered under these policies. In certain cases you might be able combine the claims of both policies to receive a higher amount of money for the items you lost.