Does my auto insurance cover break-ins?
Does auto insurance cover break-ins? In some cases, auto insurance will cover break-ins. However, you will need comprehensive coverage to have the damages covered. Comprehensive car insurance will cover damage to your vehicle, but it will not cover theft of personal items. If you live in a high-risk area, it's important to understand how auto insurance covers break-ins.
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Insurance Lawyer
Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...
Jeffrey Johnson
Insurance Lawyer
Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...
Jeffrey Johnson
Updated February 2025
- Your auto insurance will only cover break-ins if you have a comprehensive policy
- Auto insurance will not cover theft of any personal property, but you may be able to file a claim with your homeowners or renters insurance
- If your car is stolen, comprehensive insurance should provide the value of your vehicle
If you’ve had the misfortune of having your car broken into, or if you’re worried about it happening in the future, you may be wondering about how your insurance will handle the incident.
In general, you will need comprehensive auto insurance to be covered after a break-in. Read more below to get answers to your questions, such as, “Does auto insurance cover break-ins?”
Enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool above to compare auto insurance quotes from companies near you.
Does auto insurance cover break-ins?
Depending on the level of coverage that you have on your policy, your might have break-in coverage. You’ll need to carry comprehensive coverage to pay for break-ins.
Does car insurance cover broken windows? Comprehensive auto insurance covers the damage done to your vehicle from a break-in, such as a broken window or broken locks. If your car is stolen and can’t be found, your comprehensive coverage will pay to replace it.
Before your policy pays out, you will need to pay your deductible. You can always increase your deductible to reduce your premiums, but this means smaller claims won’t meet your deductible. As a result, you will have to pay for minor damage out of pocket.
Does car insurance cover theft of personal items? If someone breaks into your car and steals some personal property, such as your wallet or something else that is not a part of your vehicle, your auto insurance is unlikely to cover the loss of these items.
However, you may be able to file a claim with your homeowners or renters insurance for personal losses.
Does car insurance cover theft of car parts? Your comprehensive car insurance policy should cover the theft of car parts that are attached to your vehicle.
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What should I do when my car is broken into?
If you’re wondering what to do when your car is broken into, you should take a few steps to make sure that your insurance will provide the best coverage. The first thing you should do is take pictures if possible. Document the damage and make a list of missing items.
Next, you should file a police report. Your insurance company will want a copy of the police report. You may need to provide the police with your driver’s license, registration, insurance card, pictures of the damage, and the list of items that are missing.
If anything with your personal information on it was stolen, you might want to contact at least one credit reporting agency and any financial institutions that you work with to place fraud alerts.
If the damages to your vehicle exceed the amount of your deductible, it’s likely worth filing a claim with your auto insurance company. In addition, you may also file a claim with your homeowners or renters insurance.
What kind of car insurance should I buy?
At the very least, you should buy enough car insurance to meet your state’s legal minimum insurance requirements. Let’s take a look at the state laws for insurance:
Sufficient Insurance: State Laws| State | Statute |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Liability insurance required (AL Code section 32-7A-4) |
| Alaska | Motor vehicle liability insurance required; exemptions (AK Statutes section 28.22.011) |
| Arizona | Vehicle Insurance and Financial Responsibility (ARS Title 28; scroll to Chapter 9) |
| Arkansas | Proof to be furnished for each vehicle (AR Code section 27-19-711) |
| California | Financial Responsibility Laws (California Vehicle Code, Division 7) |
| Colorado | Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (CRS Title 42, Article 7) |
| Connecticut | Proof of financial responsibility (GSC section 14-112) |
| Delaware | Motor vehicle liability policy (DE Code Title 21, section 2902) |
| District of Columbia | Financial responsibility; proof required for each registered vehicle (DC Code section 50-1301.52) |
| Florida | Financial Responsibility (FS Chapter 324) |
| Georgia | Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act (Georgia Code Title 40, Ch. 9) |
| Hawaii | Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act (HRS Chapter 287) |
| Idaho | Required motor vehicle insurance (ID Statutes section 49-1229) |
| Illinois | Mandatory Insurance (625 ILCS 5/7-601 to 5/7-610) |
| Indiana | Financial Responsibility (Indiana Code Title 9, Article 25) |
| Iowa | Proof of security against liability (IA Code section 321.20B) |
| Kansas | Liability insurance requirements (KS Statutes section 66-1314) |
| Kentucky | Financial Responsibility Law (KRS Chapter 187) |
| Louisiana | Security required (LRS section 32:861) |
| Maine | Financial responsibility and insurance (MRS Title 29-A, Ch. 13) |
| Maryland | Required Security (MD Transportation Code Title 17) |
| Massachusetts | Operating motor vehicle without liability policy, bond or security deposit (90 MGL section 34J) |
| Michigan | Producing evidence of motor vehicle insurance (MI Vehicle Code section 257.328) |
| Minnesota | Criminal penalty for failure to produce proof of insurance (MN Statutes section 169.791) |
| Mississippi | Motor vehicle safety--Responsibility (MS Code Title 63, Ch. 15) |
| Missouri | Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (MRS Chapter 303) |
| Montana | Motor Vehicle Insurance Responsibility and Verification (MCA Title 61, Ch. 6, Part 1) |
| Nebraska | Proof of financial responsibility required (R.R.S. Nebr. section 60-387) |
| Nevada | Insurance required (NRS section 485.185) |
| New Hampshire | Amount of proof of financial responsibility (NH Statutes section 264:20) Methods of giving proof of financial responsibility (NH Statutes section 264:21) |
| New Jersey | Maintenance of motor vehicle liability insurance coverage (NJ Statutes section 39:6B-1) |
| New Mexico | Vehicle must be insured or owner must have evidence of financial responsibility; penalties (NMS section 66-5-205) |
| New York | Financial security; registration (NY Vehicle & Traffic Code section 312) |
| North Carolina | Motor Vehicle Safety and Financial Responsibility Act (NCGS Ch. 20, Article 9A) |
| North Dakota | Proof of Financial Responsibility for the Future [PDF] (ND Code Chapter 39-16.1) Driving without liability insurance prohibited [PDF] (ND Code Chapter 39-08; scroll to section 39-08-20) |
| Ohio | Financial Responsibility (ORC Chapter 4509) |
| Oklahoma | Proof of financial responsibility (OK Statutes section 47-7-201) |
| Oregon | Financial Responsibility Law (OR Vehicle Code Chapter 806) |
| Pennsylvania | Financial Responsibility: Proof of Financial Responsibility (PA Vehicle Code Chapter 17; scroll to Subchapter H) |
| Rhode Island | Proof of Financial Responsibility for the Future (RI Code Chapter 31-32) |
| South Carolina | Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Act (SC Code Title 56, Ch. 9) |
| South Dakota | Maintenance of financial responsibility--Violation as misdemeanor (SD Codified Laws section 32-35-113) |
| Tennessee | Financial Responsibility (TN Code Title 55, Ch. 12) |
| Texas | Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act (TX Transportation Code Chapter 601) |
| Utah | Operating motor vehicle without owner's or operator's security -- Penalty (UT Code section 41-12a-302) |
| Vermont | Maintenance of financial responsibility (23 VSA section 800) |
| Virginia | Proof of insurance required (VA Code section 46.2-706) |
| Washington | Liability insurance or other financial responsibility required (RCW section 46.30.020) |
| West Virginia | Required security; exceptions (WV Code section 17D-2A-3) |
| Wisconsin | Vehicles--Financial Responsibility (WI Code Chapter 344) |
| Wyoming | Proof of financial responsibility (WY Statutes Title 31, Ch. 9, Article 4) |
Most states require that you have a certain amount of liability insurance, and some also require that you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
If your vehicle is financed, you may also be required to have collision and comprehensive coverage on top of the state minimum requirements.
If you’re not required to have collision and comprehensive coverage, you may still want to consider purchasing them. If you have a newer or more expensive vehicle, it is even more highly recommended.
If you are looking to buy auto insurance, enter your ZIP code into our free quote comparison tool below to find an affordable auto insurance company.
Case Studies: Understanding Auto Insurance Coverage for Break-Ins
Case Study 1: Comprehensive Coverage for Vehicle Damage
Sarah’s car was broken into while parked outside her home. She had comprehensive coverage included in her auto insurance policy. As a result, her insurance company covered the damages caused by the break-in, such as the broken window and damaged locks.
However, her personal belongings stolen from the car were not covered by her auto insurance policy. Sarah had to file a separate claim with her renters insurance to receive compensation for the stolen items.
Case Study 2: Theft of Car Parts
John’s car was targeted by thieves who stole several valuable car parts, including the tires and stereo system. Fortunately, John had comprehensive coverage in his car insurance policy, which covered the theft of car parts. His insurance company reimbursed him for the cost of replacing the stolen parts after he paid his deductible.
Case Study 3: Insufficient Coverage for Personal Items
Lisa parked her car in a public parking lot, and unfortunately, someone broke into her vehicle and stole her purse containing valuable items. Lisa had only basic liability coverage and did not have comprehensive coverage in her auto insurance policy.
As a result, her insurance company did not cover the theft of her personal items. However, Lisa was able to file a claim with her homeowners insurance to receive compensation for the stolen purse and its contents.
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