GREENSBORO, N.C. — Broken glass was everywhere at a Greensboro apartment complex this week. Thieves broke into at least 10 cars. They smashed the windows of four cars, the other six cars had been left unlocked.
This kind of thing happens in every city. So, the question is, if this happens to you, does insurance cover it?
“When it comes to car theft, the reminder is liability only is what is required by our state so if you don't buy comprehensive coverage you wouldn't have insurance coverage against vandalism or theft of the vehicle,” said Christopher Cook of Alliance Insurance Services.
Comprehensive auto coverage covers damage done to the vehicle that is not crash-related and it covers theft if your car is stolen. But car insurance does not cover items stolen from inside the auto.
To be insured for the items in your car, our homeowners or renter's insurance policy covers that. But what do you have to do to prove you owned whatever it was that was stolen?
“In regards to what you have to do to prove it, most likely you'll have to have some kind of receipt of some sort especially if it’s out of the norm. For example, if Tanya says I had three Coach purses in my car, I'm going to have to see a little bit of a record of that. Photographs would be just as good as receipts,” said Cook.
Home inventories can help with that. Simply take your phone and video throughout your house, open up closets, and focus on appliances and electronics. If you have a pricey collection of purses, sneakers, or art, make sure to get those on video. Send the video to yourself by email and your insurance agent for safekeeping if you ever need it.
And as with any insurance, you'll have to pay the deductible. Sometimes, the deductible is more than the repairs or the item itself.