Park in well-lit areas.
Close and lock all doors and windows.
Hide valuables out of sight.
Do not leave your keys in the vehicle.
Do not leave an unattended vehicle running.If your vehicle is stolen:
Report your vehicle as stolen immediately to police:
- According to NICB data, 34 percent of recovered stolen vehicles are recovered on the same day as the theft, and 45 percent are recovered within two days. Reporting the theft to law enforcement also provides a record to show to your insurer.
Report your stolen vehicle to your insurer:
- Often, insurers need a police report before honoring a claim.
Be prepared to provide important vehicle information:
- You will need to provide the make/model of the vehicle, color, license plate number, as well as the vehicle’s VIN number. (The VIN can be found on your insurance policy documentation or on the proof of insurance card, driver-side of the dashboard under the windshield, or driver-side door or doorjamb.)
- The process for filing a stolen vehicle report to your insurer could be over the phone, online, or even directly to your insurance agent.
Learn more about reporting stolen vehicles here.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, call the NICB at 1-800-TEL-NICB.
For more information on motor vehicle theft prevention visit NICB.org or NHTSA.gov/theft.
About the National Insurance Crime Bureau: Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to combatting and preventing insurance crime through Intelligence, Analytics, and Operations; Education and Crime Prevention; and Strategy, Policy, and Advocacy. NICB is supported by more than 1,200 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. To learn more, visit NICB.org.
SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau
