In what way is this covered?

Question

My car was broken into at my parents house. The stereo was stolen out of the car along with personal items (Clothes & such). I filed a claim with my car insurance and they are paying for the damage to car. However, the stereo and personal effects they stated are normally covered by home owners insurance. Is this normally the case? Has anyone ever claimed anything like that on home owners insurance?
Thanks

Well the car has "Full Coverage". But in talking with the insurance if the whole car was stolen they reimberse $200.00 for personal items. But, in the instance that it is broken into comrehensive only covers what was factory installed or what was sold as part of the car. In speaking with the claims adjuster he said that for add-ons (wheels, stereo and such) to be covered you have to call you insurance company and get a "Condition" on your policy. But, personal items that are stolen out of your car are not covered under Comprehensive. I have Geico insurance by the way...

Answer 1

I've encurred the same situation about 5 years ago. The question is..what does your insurance cover? If it's collision only, then you're pretty much out your items. Comprehensive insurance is for the loss due to theft or burglary from a person's vehicle. It also depends on your deductible you have for said insurance. My deductible was $1000. My stereo and tools were stolen, and my dashboard was completely destroyed. I fixed everything myself, instead of worring about my premium to increase.

Answer 2

The car stereo should be covered under the vehicle Comprehensive coverage if it was factory installed, if this is the case then you need to speak to your adjuster again and tell him it was part of the vehicle when you bought it.
if you installed it yourself, then it probably isn't covered under your car insurance as you should have informed your Ins Agent at the time of installation and added coverage for it under "additional equipment". Anything you add to your vehicle -rims, custom paint job, better stereo etc, should be reported to your Agent and added to your vehicle policy if you want the item repaired or replaced in the event of an accident or other claim like the theft and vandalism you suffered.
If the stereo was not the factory installed one and you did not add it to your policy then it will be covered under your Homeowners Policy in the "off-premises property" clause. This is where any personal effects that are damaged by a "covered peril" away from your home are covered. You do have a deductible though, usually 1% of the amount of coverage on your home ( Insured value of home $100,000 then deductible is $1,000) So before you file a theft claim on your Homeowners Insurance be sure the value of the property stolen was more than your deductible or the Ins Co won't pay anything, and be prepared to prove it with receipts of some kind as far as the stereo is concerned. If you do turn in a theft claim on your Homeowner policy be prepared for it to adversely affect you in the future. Some Ins Companies tend to overlook smaller claims ( under $1000) and not penalize you, but others may well increase your rate on your Home Insurance at the next renewal.
I deal with these claims all the time, most are not paid due to the deductible being higher than the value of the items stolen.

Answer 3

This is true. Generally, auto policies do NOT cover the theft of personal contents or electronic items such as stereos, speakers, etc. without a specific endorsement (rider). Not all companies have the endorsements, either. These types of losses are generally covered by homeowners insurance. If you are under 24 (21 if you're a non student) and live in your parents' house, they could file a claim on their homeowners' policy. Of course if you have your own house, then file under yours. However, the loss might not be worth it. Meaning, you'll have the fact that you reported a loss on your policy, which will typically be held against you for up to 5 years.

Answer 4

First of all, your car being broken into (vandalism) and items being stolen (theft) is a comprehensive claim and IS NOT held against you. Your insurance WILL NOT go up for this type of claim. Second, your personal property may or may not be covered and if it is, it will be for a very limited amount (typically $200). It is even very limited under your homeowners policy. Definately file a claim. If you have a decent insurance company (State Farm, Farmers, Allstate) the damage to your car (less your deductible) will be covered and you may get something for the lost contents (depending on your policy). The claims adjuster will be able to tell you if your homeowners covers the contents.

Answer 5

Was the stereo permanently installed? If it was, they should cover it, if for example, the dash was damaged in the removal of the stereo.

Your clothes or personal items would be covered by theft under your parents' homeowners policy ONLY if you're a resident of their household - and, btw, the check would be made payable to them. If you do not live with your parents, it would be covered under a tenant homeowners (renters) policy, or YOUR homeowners policy.

I suggest you pull out your Geico policy, and read over the exclusions and terms regarding personal items, to be sure that the adjuster is interpreting it correctly.

If you had an agent (which you don't, as Geico sells direct, so you "save the difference"), you could ask them to intervene on your behalf, or explain what exactly is covered.

Answer 6

Some auto insurance coverages have minimal personal effects coverage. Take a look at your policy under coverage extensions. Otherwise your personal property should be covered by your home owners insurance.

If you don't have any, try submitting it to your parent's carrier. They may pay it under some extended coverage or liability coverage.

Answer 7

Yes. My laptop was stolen out of my car and my homeowner's insurance covered it.

FYI, if you file a claim, even for something small, your rates go up. Best to keep the homeowner's insurance for the big things.

Answer 8

They have an insurance package you can purchase for extra when you purchase your car insurance.My nephews have it to cover their stereos. I know it cost a lot of money if your income is just average like mine is , But its well worth it.

Answer 9

I have Theft wiht my insurance sompany which covers the contence of the car.

Answer 10

yep it is standard coverage in most home owners policies