What do I do when my car is stolen?
1.Your first step is a toss-up between contacting the police or your insurance company with the police a marginal front runner as the insurance company will need a reference number from the police report anyway. This applies even if you do not have comprehensive insurance.
2.Once you have notified your insurer, they will drive the proceedings (not in your car unfortunately). But you will need to supply them with the correct documentation.
3.You will need to give your insurer and the police the following information in order to process the claim.
Proof of ownership of the vehicle, i.e., your vehicle's registration and license details.
Your personal details, including copies of your license, ID, etc.
Description of the car, including identifying characteristics, e.g., two cases of whiskey lying on the back seat, a stuffed Garfield hanging from the rear view mirror and a missing back bumper. You should also mention any special accessories in the car and you will need to prove recent upgrades, i.e., anything that potentially added value to your car but hadn't been communicated yet to your insurer, e.g., "I was on my way home from installing a new system to inform you of the fact."
Contents of the vehicle. This is not the time to get anxious about the safety of the cannabis under the spare tire.
Description of the circumstances under which the car was stolen, including details of where it was parked and whether security features were enabled.
Location of any keys to the vehicle before and after the theft. Location of spare keys.
The names and details of everyone who had access to the vehicle; your daughter's long-haired boyfriend?
Insurance policy number.
Finance or leasing details and account numbers.
Your banking details.
Details of whether you are entitled to a courtesy car.
It cannot be stressed enough that you should make detailed notes of all correspondence, verbal and written, between you and your insurer as well as outside parties. Get the name of every person you speak to and make a note of their contact details and the time you spoke to them. If things get ugly, you will have a record for the Insurance Ombudsman.
You must make your claim as soon as possible.
If you're claiming for a stolen car right now, you're probably also kicking yourself for not having installed a gear lock or immobiliser, having left the garage door open last night, poo-poo'd vehicle tracking devices at last weekend's dinner party when that pompous twit from next door started on his hobby horse, his 4X4 mechanical stallion.
Now that you've taken a shocked and disbelieving re-look at your insurance policy, you realise that there are quite a few terms and conditions (also known as fine print) that you didn't take much notice of when you signed the documents.
Yes, it is too late for now, but not for next time.
When claiming for a stolen vehicle, your insurance policy is a blueprint of the terms and conditions with regard to payment for/ replacement of your vehicle. Let's look at two common scenarios where you may think you are insured but have conveniently forgotten the more detailed terms and conditions of your policy and the commitment(s) you made to secure your vehicle when you took out the policy. If you're having difficulty claiming for a stolen vehicle, it may be because you didn't realise how watertight is the legalese of an insurance document. Don't waste your time arguing with the claims consultant if you haven't kept to your side of the policy bargain.
Anti-theft devices
It is probable that your insurer specified exactly what security devices, e.g., gear lock, immobilizer, tracking device had to be fitted to your car. If they find when you make a claim that you did no such thing, your policy becomes null and void. It is a good idea, in fact, to keep proof of such purchase and fitting in the event the worst case scenario arises and your car is stolen. Remember, the more anti-theft devices you associate with your car, the lower your premium will be. Even a simple gorilla lock will lessen the chances of thieves targeting your vehicle. And always make sure that you fit parts and accessories that are approved by your insurance company.
Overnight parking
When you took out your policy, you will have specified where you park your car at night, e.g., in a locked garage. If your car is stolen because you left open the garage door, your policy becomes null and void.
Yes. They will catch you out. It's called non-disclosure and is a serious offence.
Do I continue car insurance payments after my vehicle is stolen?
Before cancelling your insurance, which is the obvious thing to do, chat to both the police and insurance company to find out what the likelihood is of your car being found. If there is a strong possibility it will be found (statistically, if your car is going to be found, it will probably be located within 3 days), it is worthwhile to continue payments simply to avoid having to go through the whole process of taking out a new policy in a few days.
Last, but not least, if it was a skadonk and you were insured, thank your lucky stars and happy car shopping.
Chris is the owner of http://getinsurance.co.za/ where South African residents can request free car insurance quotes. |
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