July has been marked in American calendars as the National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month by the country's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The reason they did this is to raise awareness about stolen vehicles (more than 800,000 were stolen in 2020 alone) so that you can stay safe, safeguard your vehicles, and save money.
Protect Your Vehicle (or Fleet)
Most vehicles these days have some type of anti-theft system to make vehicles more difficult to steal and easier to locate. From car alarms and locks to immobilizers and vehicle recovery systems, there are plenty of options out there to keep thieves away. But all of these can be useless if drivers leave keys or belongings inside, leave windows open, forget to lock the vehicle, or park in poorly-lit areas.
It’s true that some situations are inescapable and you may find your personal or your company vehicle stolen despite every precaution taken. In these cases, you’ll first need to file a stolen vehicle report with your local police and provide the case number to your insurance company. Then, contact the insurance company within 24 hours and file a claim for the stolen vehicle.
Buying personal and commercial auto Insurance is the law. All states require some degree of insurance for your vehicle to protect you and other motorists. What they don’t tell you is that your basic auto insurance only offers coverage options for property damage or bodily injuries sustained by drivers involved in an accident - stolen vehicles call for another type of insurance coverage known as comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive auto insurance typically covers the cost of the vehicle theft, stolen vehicle parts, or damages caused by break-ins (like broken windows or damaged locks). There are also other kinds of auto insurance that can help pay for damages caused by collisions, fires and floods, or other covered unexpected events.
Knowing what kind of financial protection you require to protect your own cars or your organization’s fleet of vehicles requires extensive research into auto insurance prices, quotes, and companies. Carriage Trade can help narrow down your options to help you select just the right kind of auto insurance that best suits the needs of you and/or your company.
Contact Carriage Trade today for a free auto insurance quote and consultation.