My Car Was Stolen In New York Will My Liabilty Insurance Cover It?
Reader’s Question:
My vehicle was stolen last week and I only have liability insurance so I am pretty sure it is not covered. Should I cancel my auto insurance in NY? Would I be held liable if the thief cause damages to other property with my vehicle?
Cory
Levittown, NY
Since you did not have comprehensive coverage on your car in NY unfortunately you are correct it is not covered for being stolen. You should still have notified your insurance companies of the car being taken without your permission and verify from your insurance broker when you should cancel your insurance policy on the car.
Typically if your stolen car has been recovered but is found to have caused damages to other cars when it was in the possession of the thief, you are not held liable for these damages. Normally to be held liable for damages caused by your vehicle, you would have to give the driver permission to operate the car.
To get consumer help about this situation, beyond what your car insurance agent can tell you, you may try contacting your state’s insurance regulator.
Does Auto Insurance Cover Stolen Car With Keys Left In Ignition?
Reader’s Question:
If your vehicle is stolen while the keys are still in the car does full coverage car insurance still cover the car in New York? What if the car is under someone else’s name?
Allan
New York, NY
Let’s say you are using a friend’s vehicle with their permission and it was stolen while the keys were in it, your friend’s comprehensive coverage should cover the car. But, there are certain exclusions that may apply. Ultimately, the claims adjuster would know if this loss would be covered.
The claims process differs by insurance company. You can expect it to take three to thirty days depending on the situation. It would be best to keep your car insurance payments current until the lien has been settled. You may also want to consider getting GAP insurance too.
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