I had my car keys stolen last night after my roommate accidentally left our apartment door unlocked. Fortunately, my car was left untouched, but the police suspect it might be teenagers just causing trouble. They believe there’s a chance my car could be targeted next.
I’ve looked into rekeying my car, but it’s turning out to be more expensive than I anticipated, especially since my car is older and not very valuable. I initially thought my renter’s insurance would cover the rekeying costs, but it seems I would have needed comprehensive car insurance for that.
Now, I’m considering adding comprehensive coverage, but I’m wondering if the fact that my keys were reported stolen would affect my ability to file a claim for theft if something were to happen after I get the new coverage. I still have a spare key, and it might be more cost-effective to pay for comprehensive insurance for a while and make new copies of the keys, rather than rekeying the entire car.
I definitely don’t want to commit insurance fraud and want to be sure that adding comprehensive coverage would actually protect me in this situation. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
It’s understandable to be concerned about the implications of adding comprehensive coverage after your keys have already been reported stolen. Generally, insurance companies do expect policyholders to disclose known risks at the time of acquiring or modifying coverage. Since the theft of your keys is a known event, it could potentially affect your ability to file a successful claim if your car were to be stolen after adding comprehensive coverage.
Adding comprehensive insurance might provide coverage for future thefts, but since you’ve already experienced a theft incident (keys in this case), it’s important to be cautious. Insurance companies could view the situation as high risk, and they may deny a claim related to the theft of your vehicle if it was reported that your keys were stolen before you added the new coverage.
To avoid any issues, it’s a good idea to speak directly with your insurance provider about your situation. They can provide clarity on how the timing of events might influence your coverage and claims. Additionally, they might have specific advice on how best to protect your vehicle moving forward, whether that includes rekeying, adding coverage, or other options.
Ultimately, it’s good that you’re considering the ethical implications of your actions – honesty is key in insurance matters to avoid complications down the line!