My car was stolen. How do I file an insurance claim?

Car insuranceHow to fileNew JerseyTexasChecked Nov 7, 2026

From K.Actuary, founded by Sangmin Kwon, ASA · sources checked 2026-11-07 · Source: Texas Department of Insurance · Auto insurance guide · Types of auto coverages View original ↗

In short

Theft is paid only if you have comprehensive coverage.
Report the theft to the police and your insurer right away.
Without a police report, your claim could be denied.

What this means

Comprehensive coverage is the part of a car policy that pays if your car is stolen [1]. If you only have liability coverage, these sources do not say theft is paid. You will have to pay your deductible on a comprehensive claim [2].

Report the theft to the police right away. New Jersey says to report a stolen car to the police at once, and that without a police report your company could deny your claim [3]. Tell your insurer right away too [4]. The insurer may ask for papers such as the police report or the car's title or bill of sale [5].

You may get help with a rental car. In Texas, the company pays for a rental if you have comprehensive coverage and your car is stolen [6]. In New Jersey, most policies pay a set amount toward a rental for a limited time, starting 48 hours after the theft, if you report it to the police and the insurer [7]. These sources come from Texas and New Jersey, so rules in your state may differ.

Your next step

Call the police today and get the report number. Then call your insurer the same day and send the police report [3] [4]. In New Jersey, rental help may start 48 hours after the theft [7]. The sources give no other deadline — report it right away.

Check it yourself

Look at your policy's declarations page to see if you have comprehensive and rental coverage. These sources are from Texas and New Jersey only, so rules in your state may differ. The sources do not say how long a theft claim takes in your state — "Don't know yet".

Where this comes from (7)

[1] Texas Department of Insurance · Auto insurance guide · Types of auto coverages · checked 2026-11-07
Comprehensive (other than collision) coverage pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision.
[2] Texas Department of Insurance · Auto insurance guide · Deductibles and dollar limits · checked 2026-11-07
You must pay a deductible for collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims.
[3] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance · Filing an Auto Damage Claim with Your Own Insurer · FAQ 2 · checked 2026-11-07
Immediately report a loss to the police if your vehicle is stolen, vandalized, or damaged by a hit-and-run driver. Without a police report your company could deny your claim.
[4] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance · Filing an Auto Damage Claim with Your Own Insurer · FAQ 2 · checked 2026-11-07
Immediately report all losses to your insurance agent or company.
[5] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance · Filing an Auto Damage Claim with Your Own Insurer · FAQ 3 · checked 2026-11-07
Your company may also ask for other documents related to the claim such as repair bills or estimates, a copy of the police report, or a copy of the vehicle's title or bill of sale.
[6] Texas Department of Insurance · Auto insurance guide · Will the insurance company pay for a rental car? · checked 2026-11-07
you have comprehensive coverage and your car is stolen.
[7] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance · Filing an Auto Damage Claim with Your Own Insurer · FAQ 6 · checked 2026-11-07
If your car is stolen, most insurance policies will reimburse you for a stated amount towards the cost of a rental vehicle for a limited time starting 48 hours after the theft, as long as you report the theft to the police and to the insurance company.

How we found this

We matched your question to 7 official sources, quoted the exact lines, and re-checked each quote against its source on 2026-11-07.

What we don’t know yet

Your own plan or notice may say something different. If your letter cites another rule, send it and we will look again.

Every answer is checked against the official rule it quotes.

Information only — not legal advice. Your plan, insurer or agency decides.

This answer quotes the official sources listed above, with the date we checked them. Your own policy, notice and state rules control. We are not your lawyer or your insurer. We don’t file, argue or negotiate claims for you — you send any letter or form yourself.

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