Car theft: what does my insurance cover?

1. What should I do if my car has been stolen?

Act as soon as possible after you notice your car has been stolen.

1. Contact the police. It’s possible that your car has actually just been towed. If the car has indeed been stolen, you should notify the police of the theft. You will then receive a police report.

2. Inform your insurance company that your car has been stolen. Insurers usually ask for a police report.

3. Deregister the vehicle at the road traffic office. The police report may also be useful here.

Good to know: if your car is stolen abroad, inform the local police. You should also contact the police at your usual place of residence.

3. Car theft: how much does insurance cover?

Insurance companies usually pay you the fair value of your car. This means that you’ll receive as much money as your car was worth at the time of the theft.

However, many insurers allow you to take out what is known as a replacement value supplement. With this supplemental insurance, you’ll receive a higher amount than the fair value – often even the full purchase price during the first few years.

Important: insurers generally don’t cover the theft of items in the car. In some cases, those items may be covered by your home contents insurance. If not, you can take out corresponding supplemental insurance with your car insurer.

4. How do I report the theft to my car insurer?

The steps for reporting a theft to your car insurer depend on the insurance company. You can often find information on how to report a claim on your insurance company’s website. You can usually make the claim over the phone, in writing or online.

5. How can I protect my car against theft?

It’s best to park your car in a garage. Your vehicle is usually safer in a busy or surveilled car park than elsewhere.

Ideally, you can combine different theft protection practices. After all, no system offers complete protection. Here’s how you can protect your car:

• Remove the key: the immobilizer is activated when the ignition key is removed. So, don’t leave it in the ignition when refuelling, for example.

• Don’t leave valuables lying around: valuables lying around in plain sight encourage thieves to break into cars.

• Check the doors: make sure the car is really locked. Thieves can sometimes block the radio signal of a remote control, for example. If the car is still unlocked after pressing the lock button, it’s best to find another parking space.

• Close everything: make sure that all doors and windows are closed. This includes roof windows.

• Put away the key safely: carry the key in a way that thieves cannot simply steal it.

• Built-in alarm system: alarm systems installed in cars trigger when doors are opened by force or when the windows are broken. If your car doesn’t have an alarm system, you can retrofit one. However, passers-by often ignore an alarm. False alarms can also occur.

• Onboard diagnostic system port lock: thieves can deactivate the car’s immobilizer via the onboard diagnostic system (OBD). You can prevent this with an OBD port lock.

• GPS tracker: with a GPS tracker, you can track your car in the event it is stolen. However, thieves usually check the typical hiding places for trackers. Some also use a jammer to interfere with the tracker’s signal.

• Mechanical products: these include a steering wheel lock or a wheel lock.

I have a keyless system: how can I protect myself against car theft?

With keyless 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 convenient system, but easy for thieves to crack.

Thieves can intercept the signal from your key, for example. Through a technique called skimming, they can save the radio data on special devices for later use.

Many manufacturers allow you to deactivate the keyless system. RFID key sleeves, which block the key signal, also offer protection. Don’t keep the key right next to the front door or near a window. This way, it will be harder for thieves to access the signal.