Cool Mommy Product Reviews

My car was broken into this weekend. I’m feeling violated, mad as hell and disgusted. I was parked in my local Wal-Mart’s lot, under surveillance cameras. There was a fair amount of traffic at 10:30 p.m. on a weekend night.  Nothing was taken, thankfully. The police officer I filed the report with surmised the perpetrator must have been startled off by something. However, I am looking at a deductible of $500.00. (Repairs due to replacing my lock, key, and replacing key chip in engine along with new window mechanism are almost 2k) I am thankful for insurance, although this stings the purse strings a bit.

In light of this, I’m offering today’s post.

Nine things to know before you’re a victim of car theft or break ins.

1. Review insurance policies in advance of a situation. Homeowners or renters insurance covers content of vehicles. Items like iPods, cell phones, laptops, etc. are not covered under car insurance. If these items are stolen you will have to pay two deductibles. One with auto insurance (for damages) and one with homeowners/renters.
2. Know your deductibles and any stipulations, (such as vehicle must have been locked to be covered, etc).  Price and shop deductibles and policies for competitive theft related issues.
3. Only comprehensive insurance covers break in damage of vehicles.
4. Remember you’ll need to file a police report immediately. (In most cases, you must also pick up a copy of the report and get it to your agent, as police don’t usually perform that task).
5. Keep a copy of all your information somewhere other than the vehicle. If your personal items are stolen, you’re at risk of identity theft. Everything, including a copy of the registration should be kept in a separate safe place.
6. Don’t linger by the vehicle (especially in a dark parking lot) if you see evidence of theft or tampering. Leave the area and get help. Your thief could be lurking and injure you.
7. Monitor local news regarding areas that have frequent break ins. I was the 8^th person in a month in the same area to have a similar break in. Had I known that, I might have parked closer or gone at a different time of day. Most chronic theft is caused by perpetrators who live nearby. If you know of an area and a time that have a rash of victimization, avoid behavior at risky places or times.
8. Don’t depend on security cameras to “get your thief” or to prevent theft. Unlike CSI, these frequently are blurred images, with heavy distortion.  A seasoned criminal knows this too.
9. All a thief needs is one minute to gain access to your vehicle. Never leave anything in your car that you can’t afford to lose (especially not in full view).

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