Interesting Insurance Issue

I just wanted to bring this up with this group since alot of you people have two sets of wheels (and some have even more).

My apartment got broken into this last Saturday afternoon and a set of wheels and tires were stolen along with about $500 of other personal possessions. I have insurance to cover the property loss and comprehensive insurance on the car. I'm sure I'll be covered under one or the other policies.

When I called the insurance company Monday, the agent originally placed the claimed under my household policy. Sounded right to me. But the home policy adjuster decided that this should be claimed under the auto policy. The auto adjuster now disagrees and thinks it should be claimed under the home policy. The reasoning, to him, being that the wheel/tires were stored in the apartment. They've been going back and forth with each other trying to decide what policy covers the loss. I've been assured that they'll cover the loss one way or another. Although the car deductible is only $100 compared to the home deductible of $500.

You might just want to clairify with your insurance company/agent if your extra wheels/tires are properly covered under your existing policies. And if your home owner policy covers auto related items inside your residence/garage. The insurance adjusters are not even sure of this themselves. Right now they think anything that is auto related which is not on the car is only covered under the auto policy?

The wheels/tires that where stolen from my apartment cost close to $1400 to replace. I hope that I can get a reasonable replacement check from the agent (State Farm). I'm implementing some new safeguards ::lock:: to deter an easy removal of the new set of wheels if the little buggers decide to come back for a second helping.

It was stolen from your aptartment/house that goes against that policy. Auto insurance is for accidents or if you have full coverage if your vehicle is vandalized or burgularized. Since it wasn't on your car at the time it has to go against your Home/Renters insurance. If it was a painting that was stolen or a video camera stolen out of your apt. would they go for your auto?

I experienced something similar to this but in reverse several years ago. My car was broken in to, and much was taken. The Auto Insurance covered the repair to the car (trunk lock and a window) along with the in-dash CD player. I was referred to our home owners policy for the rest (Digital camera, CDs, speaker box). The auto adjuster said that if it isn't bolted down to the car and never has been, it is personal property and therefore covered by home-owners insurance. The Homerowners Insurance adjuster accepted the claim without question.

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Originally Posted by MiataMike

It was stolen from your aptartment/house that goes against that policy.

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You would think so. But State Farm isn't even sure of how they want to handle this scenario.

I wanted to bring this up to the group. Thinking that you have coverage for your extra wheels/tires and then finding out your not covered is something you might really want to check out before this happens to you. I figured it was a simple claim, but according to adjusters they not had to deal with this scenario in the past.

So it will be interesting to see what they finally decide on.

Well, since they technically bolt onto the car and have been used as such, I think I would see if they would'nt file it as an auto theft, even if they were in the apartment at the time.::2Cents::


BTW: I think they will still file it under homeowner insurance.

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Originally Posted by Titus

I experienced something similar to this but in reverse several years ago. My car was broken in to, and much was taken. The Auto Insurance covered the repair to the car (trunk lock and a window) along with the in-dash CD player. I was referred to our home owners policy for the rest (Digital camera, CDs, speaker box). The auto adjuster said that if it isn't bolted down to the car and never has been, it is personal property and therefore covered by home-owners insurance. The Homerowners Insurance adjuster accepted the claim without question.

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A bit of apples and oranges here. But this is the opposite of your situation.

Their problem is having auto related items stolen out of the home. They can't wrap their brains around this one and come up with a solution. I'm sure I'll get paid either under one or the other policies. Imagine if there were two different companies involved :confused:

I'm just wanted to make people here aware that if you believe that your race (or extra) wheels are covered under your homeowners when they are stored in your garage and if they are ever stolen, your insurance company might not accept the claim. Easier to find out in advance rather than after the fact.

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Originally Posted by 2K Miata

A bit of apples and oranges here. But this is the opposite of your situation.

Their problem is having auto related items stolen out of the home. They can't wrap their brains around this one and come up with a solution. I'm sure I'll get paid either under one or the other policies. Imagine if there were two different companies involved :confused:

I'm just wanted to make people here aware that if you believe that your race (or extra) wheels are covered under your homeowners when they are stored in your garage and if they are ever stolen, your insurance company might not accept the claim. Easier to find out in advance rather than after the fact.

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From my case, I saw the stance to be pretty clear... Home owners insurance covered home stuff regardless of weather or not it was in the home at the time of loss. Using this logic, auto insurance should cover auto stuff regardless of weather or not it was in the auto at the time of loss. If this is the ruling you want, you might be able to walk the adjuster into a corner where he has to agree. On the other hand, you might not want that, as it sounds like you will be filing some other stuff on the home owners policy anyway. Paying 1 deductible is better than paying 2.

Interesting...I'm sure the same issue would arise for us that store hardtops in our garages or homes.
I still think homeowners should cover the wheels...

Sorry to hear about the loss, Mike. Hope that everything gets covered. Personally, I'd argue that these are posessions and are kept primarily in your home, just like a digital camera or a laptop or some other item that can be transported but spends most of its time in your house.

Now if someone had left your car on blocks and stolen your primary wheels, I can see how that would have been an auto claim, but this isn't your primary set of wheels, and they weren't stolen from your car, they were stolen from your home. Ask the adjuster this: how would they handle it if your apartment had been broken into and several car stereos, speakers, etc. that you had laying around (not installed in a car) were stolen? Who would pay then?

Like Iain finally said, I'm sorry to hear that this happened. It sucks to have that feeling of someone rummaging around your home. Scares the crap out of me. It sucks that you're a victim of the worthless scum that walk this earth.

State farm should get their heads out of their asses and put this all under home/apt. coverage, as it was a home invasion not a car invasion.

Good luck Mike.

Guys, being in the insurance adjusting business I can assure you this is a very common problem, depending on the adjusters, managers, etc involved it could be decided one way one time and a different way the next time.............ya gotta love big business, logic does not apply!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bummer, hope it works out okay. My parents and I have State Farm and absolutely love the service!

Either way they're saying (at this time) that I'm covered either way, so I have no problems with Sate Farm as long as they are fair.

My deductibles are $100 on the car and $500 on renters insurance. So either way I'm out a minimum of $500 dollars whichever scenario they decide to cover it under.

I just thought it was an interesting case that car nuts might want to ponder.

I'm also curious how they would cover my sparco driver suit, helmet and driving shoes that cost close to a grand? Auto or home? I'm thinking its more like sporting goods - so home?

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Originally Posted by 2K Miata

Either way they're saying (at this time) that I'm covered either way, so I have no problems with Sate Farm as long as they are fair.

My deductibles are $100 on the car and $500 on renters insurance. So either way I'm out a minimum of $500 dollars whichever scenario they decide to cover it under.

I just thought it was an interesting case that car nuts might want to ponder.

I'm also curious how they would cover my sparco driver suit, helmet and driving shoes that cost close to a grand? Auto or home? I'm thinking its more like sporting goods - so home?

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Yeah, but I wouldn't ask them about a helmet and driver's suit...might make your auto insurance agent a bit twitchy...

Well the final verdict is in and they're making the claim under the auto policy. That way they have a reason to raise my auto rates in September :punchout:

Oh well I got enough to order some nice replacement wheels and tires.

There are some great rims for sale here

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Originally Posted by Magma

There are some great rims for sale here

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I sold my boat about 4 years ago, don't need any anchors ;)

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Originally Posted by 2K Miata

I sold my boat about 4 years ago, don't need any anchors ;)

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Just trying to slow you down in a vain attempt to catch you on the track:burnrubr:

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Originally Posted by miataspeedracer

Interesting...I'm sure the same issue would arise for us that store hardtops in our garages or homes.
I still think homeowners should cover the wheels...

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I would place the designation at which structure was breached the home or the vehicle...but I'm no insurance agent.




I don't see why this goes on the car policy. If I had an extra dash in my apartment, logic would dictate that a spare dash is not covered on the policy, especialy considering that its stored in my home.




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