Ok, my car broke down on me again. This seems to be a regular thing for it. Luckily I am very good at fixing it now and figured out the problem quickly. But my car is old and really complaining about it. So I want to get rid of it. But because of the custom work I've done, and none of that work being done I could never get much for it if I sold it or traded it in. I would have to put a great deal of money and laybor into it to sell it for decent money. However the outside is in great shape. Well you guys seem to be pretty good with legalities of things. I was thinking of just leaving my car unlocked with the key in the ignition (after taking all the stereo stuff out of course). That way eventually it will get stolen, and insurance will give me more than I could get now for it (they don't know that the inside is torn up). But is that legal? When my car got broken into last time, the insurance guy told me that I should just leave my car unlocked so they don't break the window. They will get the stuff no matter what anyway, and it will save me the deductible ($100), which is different from the stereo coverage deductible($50). So wouldn't his comments to me kind of justify me doing this? What do you guys think?
No. Very not legal. If your car is stolen, and the keys are in it, you will get $0 from the insurance company. More often than not, if it's even unlocked, they'll give you $0 for it, as they see it as personal liability - your fault it got stolen, since you left it unlocked. Best bet, is to park it in an area where, if somebody smashed a window, and took it, it wouldn't be noticed instantly, but, still has to be a place where you might normally leave it. you can't just leave it in an alley, they'll ask way too many questions. and, if you take out all the stereo stuff, make damn sure you hide it good, at SOMEBODY elses house, as they might be asking where some of your personal beongings are that may have been in the car. The insurance company will amost always try and blame you first for a car theft.
Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't mean that I would claim the stereo equipment that I pulled out as well. I'd only claim what was stolen. Also, I was going to do this at home as I've heard rumors of other vehicles getting stolen in this apartment complex, and my car's been broken into twice there. BTW, I have All State and they've been really good to me so far.
i believe its kinda seen as insurance fraud...since it is frowned upon. NOW, that being said, if you locked your car with the keys in it (oops), and the window was down almost enough to get an arm into...thats just an accident keep in mind, you better have the original keys if the car gets stolen...remember, ONLY LOCK YOUR BACKUP KEYS IN THE CAR! that way if they ask you about keys being in car, you can tell them yes as a backup set, or you can show that you still have your keys--meaning someone hotwired the car. hehehe eric
Actually there is a grey area to autopolicies... Home Owners, Door Unlocked== no insurance However that is not alwasy the case with cars. for instance Man Pulls up to Gas Station in the Middle of winter, get out to buy a pop, leaves car running, car gets stolen most cases, unless it is CLEARLY spelled out in your policly, the insurance company would still pay out.. In stephens case, while the ethics maybe in question, legally there is nothing wrong with it, UNLESS it clearly states otherwise in your policy if he parks the car say outside his house with the keys in it, and some one steals it, he can still claim it was theft.... it is still legally theft, and the cops would right it up as a Theft, even with the keys in it Take property that does not belong to you is theft, no matter if the keys are in it or not best thing to do it ask your Agent, dont tell him your "plan" but make up a hypothetical in some cases Locking the door while having the key in the ignition is enough forinstance Policy reads door much be locked So you start your car in the winter to warm it up, when you get out you LOCK the door (leaving the car running) (have a spare key to get back in) car gets stolen, Insurance still liable because the doors were infact locked.... I remember a guy I work with was telling me when his brother was building a Garage the Insurance Agent told him to put a Lock on the door so he would be insured, even though there WERE NO WALLS... he had to Lock the FREESTANDING door to be covered
