What to do after your Vehicle is Stolen

Every year there are about 705,000 vehicle thefts, just in the United States alone. That is a considerable number, which should give you pause for concern the next time you park your car for an extended period somewhere. There are about 255 million total automobiles in the US, which means you have about a 1/3 of 1% chance of getting yours stolen. Those numbers rise if you are on the top 10 most stolen car list. Automobiles like a used Honda Accord get robbed much more often than another vehicle because they can be sold for parts that are in high demand. Remember, though, no matter what kind of automobile you have, it can be stolen at any time.

However, you can take steps to make sure you are not a victim and reduce your chances of getting robbed. You also might wonder what to do after your vehicle is stolen? This is a good question and something you should educate yourself on. Let’s go over a few of the basics. Get quoted today at good to go insurance and save more online.

If your Automobile is Stolen Contact the Police Immediately

Have you ever gone shopping in an enormous place, like a Wal-Mart parking lot, and forgotten where you parked? Often you probably just walked down the wrong area, but sometimes there is a real problem. After walking the entire parking lot two times, you cannot find your car anywhere and start to panic. You remember leaving the windows down, and now you fear it might have been stolen. You look around for a few more minutes and then remember the exact spot you parked at and realize your car has been taken. Your heart started beating frantically, and you feel violated. Fear turns into anger and then helplessness. You wonder whether to call the police first or report it stolen to your insurance agent and start a claim.

When you are sure someone robbed your car, you need to call the police immediately. The police will be able to put out an APB (all points bulletin) on your automobile and alert patrol to be on the lookout for it. The sooner you call, the higher your chances will be of recovering it. The authorities will come and take a statement from you and analyze the situation. They will note when and where the robbery took place, in addition to getting video from nearby security cameras.

Next, the police will create a formal report that you will need to file your insurance claim. If you have comprehensive auto insurance and your vehicle is later found, your insurer will cover the cost of any damages that have been caused. If the damage is severe, you may need to rent a car for a couple of weeks while yours is being fixed up, and your insurer should cover this cost also. It is one of the significant advantages of having a comprehensive policy, total protection from vandalism and car theft.

Notify Your Insurance Agent Next

There is a high probability if yours has been stolen, you will never recover it. So, it is essential to carry a comprehensive plan that will protect the significant investment you have in your vehicle. The next step is calling your insurance agent. They will ask you several critical questions, much like the police, and start a claim. Most insurers will give you the current value of your vehicle at the time it was stolen. So let’s say you bought a new sedan for $38,000 a year ago. It might only be worth $31,500 after just one year of depreciation. While this might seem frustrating, you can shop at sites like Autotrader.com and find a comparable year and model. For about the same price. Some carriers have offered policies that will replace your car with a new model, but the premiums are slightly higher.

Compare Direct Auto Insurance Rates Online

Now that you know what to do after your car is stolen, it is time to finish the process with a new auto insurance quote. This makes sense because you can easily save $600 by comparing new rates at sites like Goodtogo Insurance. The entire application only takes about five minutes, and you can stop your quote and come back anytime and finish it. Buying your new policy direct is smart because the savings are huge. See for yourself with a quick quote at good to go auto insurance online right away.