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ArticlesChristmas Caution +
Christmas Shopping – ‘Tis The Season to be Cautious!!
The holiday season is approaching rapidly, and you are probably planning the “final shop” that will wrap up the last of the gifts.
One thing to be very careful about is leaving purchases from one store in your vehicle while you finish up at another.
As depressing as it may be, this is a very popular time of year for thieves … and they don’t care about “The Spirit of Christmas”.
The inconvenience, emotional upset and financial hardship that result from having your vehicle broken into and burgled can be prevented, or the risk minimized, by taking the following steps.
The best solution is to never leave the vehicle unattended with valuables inside. If you must do so, ensure your doors are locked, the vehicle is parked in a heavy traffic area, the items inside are covered, and that you activate your vehicle alarm if you have one.
This will not guarantee your items are safe, but (as bad as this sounds) it may make the vehicle next to yours a more appealing target.
One thing you should be aware of, from an insurance perspective, is that if you have your vehicle broken into and items stolen, you may be looking at two separate claims and two deductibles. The damage to the vehicle will be covered under the vehicle policy, as long as you carry comprehensive or specified perils. The items that are stolen are considered part of your household contents, and the deductible for your home insurance would apply. Some companies will charge only one deductible if you have both your home and auto with them – but don’t assume. Another suggestion is that you keep your vehicle registration and pink slip in your wallet. If there is more than one driver of the vehicle, find a hidey hole in the vehicle that only you know about. The reason is that increasingly, when vehicles are burgled or stolen, the garage door opener is taken, along with the pink card or registration with the home address. If you don’t notice, all the thief has to do is wait for you to go to work the next day. Although this is perceived as a “big city” problem, don’t be complacent!
Plus, if the vehicle is stopped by police and the thief can not produce valid documentation, the vehicle can be impounded and returned to you instead of continuing on it’s joyride.
Christmas is a wonderful time of year. Take a few moments to make sure your holiday isn’t ruined by an unwanted claim (or claims).
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