Plenty of people appreciate life in Wilkes-Barre, PA, but it is not immune to the problems that afflict every town and city in the world. Sometimes, bad things happen. Sometimes, that bad thing is car theft. If your car is stolen, it will feel like the world fell out from under your feet, but there is help available. Knowing more about the process can be great for peace of mind, so The Shay Agency wants to walk you through a stolen vehicle claim.

Is It Covered?

The process starts by knowing the answer to this question. If you have liability-only coverage, you aren’t protected from theft. Only policies that specify theft coverage will offer financial assistance in this case. The good news is that most comprehensive plans do cover theft, and your insurance agent took the time to explain this to you. So, assuming you’re covered, you go to the next step.

Making a Claim

The very first thing you should do is contact the police. A police investigation is pivotal to everything else. When the police are on their way, you can go ahead and call the insurance company. They’re going to walk you through important steps to help you with your claim process.

What happens next is different in every scenario, but there are basically two possibilities. Either the vehicle will be recovered, or it won’t. If the vehicle is recovered and undamaged, then you may be eligible for rental reimbursement or another small claim (it all depends on the specific policy), but things are usually pretty simple. 

If the vehicle isn’t recovered, or if it is significantly damaged, you might be looking at a total loss claim. It’s a bit of a process, but the general idea is that the insurance company will write you a check to help you get a replacement vehicle. Every policy has a deductible, so don’t forget that. Also, the size of your payout depends on the value of the vehicle you lost and the details of your policy. It’s best not to have any expectations, good or bad, unless you remember the details of your coverage.

At any point before, during or after the process, you can speak with The Shay Agency. An agent will make sure you understand the important details of your policy so you know what to expect, and you won’t be stuck as a pedestrian in Wilkes-Barre, PA.