What Happens If Someone Steals Your Car Title And Tries To Register It

Amy Beardsley

Quick Facts

According to the FBI, approximately 721,900 motor vehicles are stolen each year in the The states.
Over half of drivers have forgotten where they parked at to the lowest degree one time.
Comprehensive auto insurance typically covers the theft of vehicles.

Car thefts happen in big cities, small towns, and everywhere in between. We've all heard well-nigh them on the news, just what do you do later realizing your vehicle has been stolen? If y'all're in the unfortunate state of affairs of being the victim of auto theft, you might feel hopeless and lost. But don't panic. Follow these steps to aid you through the process.

When you recover your car, ready aside time to review your automobile insurance coverage. Shopping around is the easiest style to compare your options. Use Insurify to speed upwards your car insurance comparison-shopping and find a great auto insurance policy.

1. Make Certain Y'all're Really Reporting a Stolen Car

Does auto insurance comprehend car theft?

Comprehensive insurance generally covers losses after automobile theft.

Many people report stolen cars when the car is even so in their possession, but they tin can't find it. That's a waste of time and resources on the function of the police. Plus, filing a faux police study is a crime in many jurisdictions with astringent consequences, including fines and jail time.

Here are some means to make sure your car is actually missing before calling the constabulary department:

Ask yourself if the car was moved past mistake (possibly past a partner or family member)?
Think nigh where you parked. Was the vehicle in a parking lot, and you forgot where?
Consider if the car could have been towed.
Check with family members who might have borrowed information technology without permission.

If you don't know where your machine is, you can treat information technology as if it were truly stolen. In that case, don't look to contact the local police force or your insurance company.

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two. Get Ready to File a Police Report

According to the FBI's Compatible Crime Reporting Program, nearly 721,900 motor vehicles were reported stolen in 2019. The near stolen cars were sedans and SUVs, while a pocket-sized percentage involved stolen trucks and buses.

Before y'all written report your vehicle as stolen, gather the necessary documentation to file a police study:

Your contact information
Machine make and model
License plate number and VIN
Colour and year of motorcar
Date and fourth dimension you last saw the car

Depending on where you lot live, you lot may be directed to file a written report with either local law enforcement or land law enforcement.

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3. Talk to Your Insurance Visitor

Once you lot have a police written report number, contact your insurance visitor. Don't be surprised if your policy doesn't cover theft—not all machine insurance providers exercise. But if you lot have comprehensive coverage, there'south a good chance your auto policy will cover theft.

When you file the insurance merits, you lot'll need the police written report number and a re-create of the police force report, if it'southward available. The insurance adjuster may as well inquire you lot to share what happened, including the last time y'all saw the auto, every bit part of the claims process.

How much will your stolen car payout be?

How much will your policy pay if your auto isn't recovered? It depends:

If your vehicle isn't found, you'll unremarkably get a reimbursement that covers the bodily cash value (current marketplace value of your motorcar) minus any deductible.
If the car is found but has harm, the insurance company will cover the repair costs or declare it a full loss co-ordinate to your policy.

What happens if your items are stolen from your car?

Car insurance only covers "permanent" parts of the car. It doesn't include personal belongings that may have been taken. For example, policies typically cover a factory-installed navigation organisation but non a dashboard-mounted GPS unit. Your homeowners or renters insurance should cover the theft of valuables from your car.

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four. File a Stolen Vehicle Report with the DMV

Filing a report with the department of motor vehicles (DMV) is a separate step from filing a police force report. The DMV will want to know almost your stolen vehicle so they can update their records accordingly. Y'all'll need to provide them with information about yourself and the stolen vehicle.

When y'all let the DMV know, you won't exist responsible for future issues related to the car. If someone tries to register the automobile under their proper name or apply for a new title, the DMV can notify the police.

5. Do a Stolen Automobile Check Yourself

If you're sure your car was stolen, you don't desire to effort to find information technology on your own. You could end up in a dangerous state of affairs. Only you may be able to safely assist the police practise a stolen car bank check.

Many apps and services exist that tin can rails vehicles. If you lot accept OnStar or LoJack, you may be able to track your car. You could as well bank check Craigslist and social media to come across if someone listed your motorcar for auction.

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Become the Right Coverage for a Stolen Car

Existence the victim of vehicle theft is something nobody e'er wants to experience. It's not merely the loss of a machine and the expense of replacing information technology. Information technology'southward also the inconvenience and disruption that comes with losing your principal fashion of transportation. Hopefully, this footstep-by-step guide can help you if automobile thieves target your ride.

Car insurance tin can protect your asset, no matter the circumstances. Compare coverage options today with the all-time-rated online insurance quote comparison platform.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Many people report stolen cars when the auto is still in their possession—they simply forgot where they parked it. So before notifying the constabulary, make sure the vehicle is actually missing. Check all the places where you usually park. If you can't locate the motorcar, and then it's time to notify constabulary enforcement officials.
Certain apps and services can rails and send notifications if a vehicle is stolen. For example, OnStar and LoJack have tracking devices to locate your machine. OnStar tin remotely slow down the car and prevent thieves from restarting information technology. LoJack has a stolen vehicle recovery system that reimburses you lot upwards to $10,000 if the vehicle isn't recovered inside thirty days.
Don't try to discover your car yourself. You could get hurt. Instead, let the police do their chore. If you happen to locate your car, don't jump in and bulldoze it abroad. Call the police and let them handle the recovered vehicle. You lot should also contact your insurance company to let them know.
You can take precautions to prevent car theft, including locking your doors, removing your keys from the vehicle, closing the windows, installing an alarm system and anti-theft device, and parking in a well-lit expanse.

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Methodology

The motorcar insurance quotes displayed are based on an analysis of Insurify's database of over xl million quotes from 500 ZIP codes nationwide. To obtain representative rates, Insurify's data science squad performs frequent comprehensive analyses of the factors auto insurance providers weigh to calculate rates including driver demographics, driving tape, credit score, desired coverage level, and more.

Insurify'south analysis also incorporates the Insurify Composite Score (ICS) assigned to each insurance provider. The ICS is a proprietary rating that weighs multiple factors reflecting the quality, reliability, and health of an insurance company. Ratings used to calculate the ICS include Financial Strength Ratings from A.M. Best, Standard & Poor's, Moody'south, and Fitch; J.D. Ability ratings; Consumer Reports customer satisfaction surveys and client complaints; mobile app reviews; and user-generated company reviews.

With the higher up insights and ranking methods, Insurify is able to offering car insurance shoppers insight into how various insurance providers compare to ane another in terms of both cost and quality. Note, actual quotes volition vary based on unique attributes including the policyholder's driver history and their garaging address.

Amy Beardsley

Content Writer at Insurify

Amy is a personal finance and engineering science writer. With a background in the legal field and a available's degree from Ferris State University, she has a talent for transforming complex topics into content that's like shooting fish in a barrel to understand. Connect with Amy on LinkedIn.

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