JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In July, the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) joins the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in observing Vehicle Theft Prevention Month.
Vehicle theft is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the United States, costing vehicle owners more than $8 billion annually. According to NHTSA, more than 850,000 vehicles were stolen in 2024 with approximately one vehicle stolen every 37 seconds. Passenger cars make up the most of stolen vehicles, and the summer months have the highest reported occurrences of theft.
“Vehicle theft can happen in a matter of seconds, but a few simple precautions can go a long way in protecting your property,” DCI Director Angela Nelson said. “We encourage Missourians to stay alert, take preventative steps, and make sure they understand what their auto insurance policy covers in the event of a theft. Being informed and prepared is key to minimizing both risk and financial loss.”
While vehicle theft can happen anytime, anywhere, to anyone, NHTSA research finds that half of all auto thefts can be prevented. Remember these tips to keep your vehicle safe:
- Park in well-lit areas.
- Close and lock all windows and doors when you park.
- Hide your valuables.
- Do not leave your keys in your vehicle.
- Do not leave the area while your vehicle is running.
- If your vehicle's manufacturer does not provide an anti-theft system, consider purchasing extra layers of protection. These can easily be bought in-store or online.
- If your vehicle has electronic transmission technology, consider turning it on or keeping the subscription. This technology can assist law enforcement in revealing the location of a stolen vehicle.
If your vehicle has been stolen, contact local law enforcement to provide the license plate number, year, make, model, color and VIN number of your vehicle. Then contact your insurance carrier. If someone in the same household took the vehicle, review your policy before filing a claim. Many insurance policies do not consider a vehicle taken by someone with regular access to it to be theft, regardless of whether they have driven the vehicle before.
It's also important to remember that a vehicle is only covered for theft if your insurance policy includes comprehensive physical damage coverage, often referred to as comprehensive coverage. This type of coverage helps repair or replace your vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged by something other than a collision, such as fire, vandalism or weather.
If you own your vehicle outright and are not required by a lender to carry comprehensive coverage, it’s possible you may have dropped it from your policy without realizing the risk. This is why reviewing your policy is so critical.
“There is no such thing as full coverage, particularly when it comes to auto insurance,” Director Nelson added. “We urge consumers to check their insurance ID cards, review their policy declarations page, and contact their insurance agent to ensure they have the level of coverage they need and want. Don’t wait until a theft happens to find out you aren’t covered.”
Another common misconception is that an auto policy will cover all items in the vehicle in the event of theft. Most auto policies only cover items typically required for vehicle use, such as car seats, jumper cables or spare tires. Personal belongings such as cellphones, laptops, purses and wallets would need to be filed as a separate claim under your homeowners or renters policy, which may have limited coverage for personal property away from home.
Some policies have a waiting period before payout for a theft claim in case the vehicle is recovered. If mechanical issues occur after a vehicle is stolen and recovered, they will generally need to be diagnosed before an insurance carrier reviews them for consideration as part of a theft loss. If inoperable or awaiting repairs, the policyholder should ensure their vehicle is moved to a free storage location to avoid incurring extra out-of-pocket expenses.
For any insurance questions, consumers can call DCI’s Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390 or visit insurance.mo.gov/consumers. For more information on vehicle theft prevention, visit NHTSA.gov/theft.
DCI is charged with protecting Missouri consumers through oversight of the insurance industry, banks, credit unions, utilities and various professional licensees operating in the state. For more information about the department, please visit our website at dci.mo.gov.