Car theft: what does my insurance cover?
Partial casco insurance usually pays when your car is stolen. Are there any exceptions? And how do I report my car as stolen to my insurer? Comparis explains.
27.10.2022
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1. What to do if your car is stolen
Contact the police immediately. It's possible that your car has actually been towed. If the car has been stolen, you should notify the police of the theft. You will then receive a police report.
Inform your insurance company that your car has been stolen and enclose the police report.
Deregister the vehicle at the Road Traffic Office. The police report can also be useful here.
2. Which type of car insurance covers theft?
Partial casco insurance covers cases of theft. Car theft refers to damages leading to loss or destruction of, or damage to, the vehicle:
Theft
Attempted theft
Misuse of the vehicle
Robbery as defined under criminal law
However, damages due to the following are not covered:
Misappropriation of the vehicle
Certain insurers only provide cover within Switzerland. Some companies impose an additional deductible for theft abroad(up to 10%).
3. How do I report theft to my car insurance company?
If your car is stolen, report it to your insurer immediately. You usually have to fill out a claim form. Many insurance companies allow you to register a claim by telephone or online.
4. How can I protect my car against theft?
The risk of car theft depends on where you usually park your vehicle. If you park it in a garage and it has an anti-theft system, your risk is low. The situation is different for owners of convertibles or motorcycles who do not have access to a garage. For them, the risk is relatively high. Vehicles may also be less well protected when on holiday.
In keyless entry systems, the car uses radio waves to detect when you are approaching with your key. You don’t need to press anything on the key to open the car. It’s a handy system, but easy for thieves to crack. For example, if your key is in the house, thieves can open the vehicle and drive it until the tank is empty or the engine is switched off.
The stolen vehicle shows no signs of break-in or theft. If the car shows up again, the situation is not necessarily clear to the police. From their perspective, it could also be a case of fraud. You can do the following to protect yourself from keyless car theft:
You can deactivate the keyless entry system. But what if you don’t want to miss out on the convenience of the system? When not in use, wrap the key in several layers of tin foil and store it at home in a key safe. This blocks the radio waves, meaning the key no longer sends signals and therefore cannot be used. The police also recommend keeping the key at home more than three meters from the front door or windows. It’s also advisable to park your car in a closed garage.
This article was first published on 02.03.2017