Does Renters Insurance Cover Car Theft?
Renters insurance provides coverage on items stored in your car, but it will not cover the car. Read here to learn about renters insurance policies and theft.
Written by Jacoba Bood
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
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Renters insurance might help cover the cost of items stolen from your car, but it won’t cover the vehicle itself. The same rule applies even if your vehicle was broken into or damaged while on rental property.
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Jerry
has put together all the information you need about renters insurance and car theft, including the best type of car insurance
coverage for theft. If you want to upgrade your policy, Jerry contacts your insurance company to get the details of your current coverage, so you don’t have to scale a mountain of questions. You get all the best prices and coverage with none of the legwork.
Continue reading on to learn more about renters insurance and theft.
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Do all car owners need renters insurance?
No. Even if you take out renters insurance, you will still need to take out a separate car insurance policy. That said, renters insurance can offer some valuable liability protection that might supplement your regular car insurance coverage.
One of the great things about renters insurance is that the coverage follows your possessions—even if they are in your car. So, if something from your home is stolen while it is in your vehicle, it could be covered through your renters policy. Meanwhile, your car itself will be protected by your car insurance policy—especially if you have both
collision
and comprehensive insurance
. Unfortunately, car insurance won’t provide coverage on any property that happens to be in your car. However, specialized options like
sound system insurance
can help cover certain aftermarket additions to your vehicle. Key Takeaway Car owners don’t need renters insurance, but a good renters insurance policy can protect personal property stored in your car.
What kind of theft does renters insurance cover?
Renters insurance will only cover you for theft of household items stored in your car—not the vehicle itself.
Renters insurance won’t cover you for any damage to your car that occurs during a theft or break-in. You will need a comprehensive insurance policy for that. Likewise, renters insurance will never cover the cost of damage to your car, even if it was damaged or stolen on your rental property.
What if my rental car is broken into?
Rental car insurance
can also help cover your personal property if it is in a rental car. However, renters insurance doesn’t provide any liability coverage
on rental cars. Rental car insurance might also help cover the cost of items stolen from a rental car depending on the details of the policy. What about smash-and-grab incidents?
Renters insurance will cover personal property that is stolen or damaged in a smash-and-grab but not damage to the car itself. Comprehensive car insurance might provide coverage for broken windows depending on the details of the policy and your deductible limit.
What are special limits?
A renters insurance policy will have special limits that apply to certain groups of items as well as personal property that is taken outside of the home.
The special limits will vary according to your policy details—but will limit how much you can be reimbursed for certain stolen or damaged items if they are taken from your car.
You can look into increasing your renters insurance policy limits if you want better coverage for personal property in your car. You could also take out a separate or specialized policy for cherished items.
Does renters insurance cover car accidents?
Renters insurance might provide liability coverage for items in your car that were damaged during a car accident—but not for the vehicle itself. Using an intelligent insurance shopping tool like
Jerry
is the best way to get the affordable collision insurance policy you need to ensure your car is protected. Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
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What is liability coverage?
Liability insurance will help protect you from getting sued. Renters insurance provides liability coverage if somebody gets hurt in your home, but it will not protect you if you are driving.
Most states require drivers to carry a certain amount of liability coverage that will help cover damages for an at-fault accident. Liability insurance won’t help reimburse your costs if you cause an accident. You will need to consider additional insurance options for that.
You might also want to consider upgrading your minimum liability limits to provide more protection.
Key Takeaway Only car insurance can provide adequate liability protection when you are driving.
Where to find the best car insurance coverage for theft
Renters insurance can provide some protection against theft, but you need a comprehensive insurance policy to ensure that your car is protected.
If you want to upgrade your policy but are hesitant to
switch car insurance providers
because you’re worried about the work involved, don’t be. Jerry
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FAQs
Does renters insurance cover items stolen from cars?
Renters insurance will help cover personal items stolen from your car, but not the vehicle itself. You will have to take out a comprehensive insurance policy if you want to protect your vehicle from theft.
Does renters insurance cover theft in a garage?
No. Even if your car was stolen from or damaged in a garage, renters insurance will not cover it. However, a comprehensive insurance car insurance policy will cover theft, and
Jerry
can help you find the best prices fast. Will aftermarket additions be covered?
No, renters insurance only covers personal property stored in your car—not items that are a part of your vehicle. Your standard car insurance policy might not cover aftermarket additions, so you might want to consider specialized coverage like sound system insurance if this is the case.
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