Items stolen from the car: which policy pays
Short answer
Casco covers the vehicle itself and permanently installed equipment, while personal items in the cabin are covered only under an expressly agreed clause or by a home policy with away-from-home cover.
The line between car and belongings
Factory-fitted or permanently installed equipment is part of the car. A bag, a laptop, tools or a phone are not — they are personal items that happen to be inside. That line explains most refusals on such claims.
When cover exists at all
Usually a trace of forced entry to the vehicle is required and the items must not have been visible from outside. Some policies exclude whole categories — cash, documents, jewellery, electronics. Check before the trip, not after.
The practice that costs nothing
Nothing valuable stays visible in the cabin, and for a longer stop, nothing valuable stays in the car at all. It sounds banal, but it is the only measure that works both when cover is missing and when it exists.
Frequently asked questions
- What if a multimedia unit was stolen?
- If it is permanently installed and declared, it is usually part of the casco. If it was brought in and temporarily mounted, usually not.
- Does a home policy cover belongings away from home?
- Only with an express extension for items outside the home. That is a separately agreed cover.
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