Ever had a really bad day? A really bad week? I had a really bad month, and it started when my car was stolen the night of July 31st. My theory is that it was taken just at midnight, technically August 1st, which messed up my mojo for the whole month. It's an experience I don't ever want to repeat.
Thankfully I did things right when it came to taking care of the whole situation. Hopefully my experience will help if your car gets stolen or damaged. Here's what you should do if someone messes with your car.
First call the police. Unless you see someone driving away with your wheels, it's probably best to call the non-emergency number. (Dial 1-800-GOOG-411 for the listing. It's free, unlike the 411 services with some cell phone carriers.) On the phone, you'll be asked to give your contact info and a description of the car and/or the damage. When the officer responds to the scene of the crime, you'll probably have to repeat the information. Get used to it. You'll be doing that a lot.
The officer will file the police report, and you need to record the case number. The officer I met told me that my insurance company probably wouldn't need a copy of the police report, and they didn't. But they did want the case number. Also make sure to get the officer's contact info. You may want to check in to see if they've made any progress in tracking down your car.
Next, call your insurance company. Even if your policy doesn't cover the theft or damage, you should still notify your insurance company. For example, if the thief damages other property or injures someone with your car, you want your insurance to take care of that. When you call, have your insurance policy number and the case number ready.
My car was stolen on a Friday night; I reported the theft right after I discovered it on Saturday morning. An insurance adjuster called Monday morning to set up a meeting (or more accurately, a form-filling, signature-scrawling party). He explained my policy and collected copies of the bill of sale for my car, the last maintenance receipt, and account information for the loan.
The adjuster also took all my car keys in case the car was never found and the insurance company had to pay out for my entire car. At that point, they own the car; if the police find it afterwards, I would still have to buy a new one.
That was just the first couple of days. It was a hassle, but I suppose it could have been worse. The good news is that they did find my car. I'll tell you the rest of the story next Monday. It's a doozy.
-Jennie
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