Know the gaps

My Car was Covered, But Not From Theft

According to a 2012 FBI report, every 43 seconds a car is stolen in the United States.*

Joe Thompson never thought his car would make that list, until it disappeared one night.

His Story

“I took my family to dinner and parked across the street. I figured that I had nothing to worry about as it’s a popular neighborhood spot,” he said. “But we were in for a shock after we came out of the restaurant. The car had vanished. My first thought was that it had been towed!”

Actually, thieves had made off with Thompson’s car right from the heart of the busy area.

After filing a police report, Thompson also filed a claim with his insurance company. To his disbelief, his claim was denied.

“Unless you carry comprehensive coverage as part of your auto policy, you’re not covered for car theft,” he said. “I learned that the hard way.”

For Thompson, the gap in his auto coverage dealt a huge financial blow. Without comprehensive coverage, he had to dip into his savings to replace the car.

 

Car Theft Gap

When he first bought his car, Joe only purchased the legally required liability insurance, opting not to include comprehensive coverage.

“I honestly didn’t think I’d need it, and figured I’d save the money,” he said.

Unfortunately, what many people don’t realize is that liability coverage only covers damage you cause to others if you get into an accident.

Car theft, on the other hand, is a loss to your vehicle, which isn’t covered by liability insurance. If your car is stolen, without comprehensive coverage you have to pay out of pocket 100% to replace it. That’s a potentially huge coverage gap!

That’s why it’s smart to not only protect your car from theft, but also look into purchasing comprehensive and collision coverage, which can help fill gaps in your auto coverage and help cover you against theft and other scenarios like:

• Your car is carjacked or broken into
• You’re caught in a hailstorm and your car is damaged
• You accidentally hit a deer and your windshield shatters
• You damage your car backing into the garage door

Don’t wait until it’s too late and you’re stuck with an unexpected expense like Mr. Thompson was. Talk to a Farmers agent to help you develop a plan so you can make sure you’re covered the way you want. Together, you can spot gaps in your auto coverage and help prevent any regrets down the line.

return note* http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/national-data