Does Car Insurance Cover My Handbag Being Robbed?

Caeva O'Callaghan | July 20th, 2023

I Was Stopped At A Traffic Light And Somebody Reached In And Took My Handbag – Is That Covered By Car Insurance?

Losing your handbag can be more than a headache. It can be a traumatising experience to have it stolen, especially while you’re out and about – but will your car insurance cover it?

Yes. Not only will opportunistic handbag theft be covered under a standard car insurance policy, it is not subject to your policy excess.

As unlikely as it may seem, this kind of theft can happen anywhere at any time, and while you’re least expecting it. It makes sense to make sure you have cover in place before the worst happens.

Read on to discover answers to the following questions:

• Is handbag theft covered by car insurance?
• Do I need to claim on my car insurance or home insurance?
• How can I deter thieves from stealing items from my car?

As your handbag is your property, it will have cover under your home insurance policy. However, if it was stolen from your car, it may also have cover on that policy. Which policy you choose to claim on isn’t always obvious, so give us a call and we can advise you.

Handbags and home insurance

Your handbag may contain your purse, credit cards, jewelry and other valuables. It’s an essential for travelling outside the home, so make sure you keep it safe and know how your precious possessions are covered.

One of the first things you should know is that most standard home insurance policy providers will cover your valuables when inside the house as standard. This, of course, will include your handbag and whatever’s inside whenever it’s inside the home.

As with most insurance policies, there is an upper limit of what your provider will be willing to pay out when you make a claim. So if you have a particularly valuable or expensive handbag, or if you’re a collector, it might be a better idea to take out specialist insurance.

Many home insurance providers will ask you to provide them with a list of valuables when you sign up for a policy. You should make it a priority to let them know about each and every item included. A failure to declare your handbag may well mean that you will not be able to claim for it – or anything inside it you haven’t told your insurer about – should anything happen.

Handbags and car insurance

When it’s not inside your home, your handbag may already have cover on another policy. Some car insurance policies automatically cover your personal belongings that are stolen from your car, or which suffer damage when inside it. If not, you can usually add on this cover fairly easily. Car insurance providers will usually insist that valuables must be hidden and locked away in your car, or the policy could be void.

This means if you leave your handbag on the seat in plain view, it will be unlikely that your claim is successful, even if you were only stopping at a traffic light.

The amount your handbag will have insurance for will be low. The range of payouts can be between €200 and €500, depending on which insurance company you have your car insured with. This should generally cover the cost of replacing the handbag, as well as anything that was inside.

Again, if you suspect replacing your handbag will be more expensive than that, it’s worth taking out a separate policy.

Keeping your handbag safe

There are some common sense measures you can take to avoid your handbag being stolen in the first place. Making sure you do everything in your power to prevent bad things from happening will stand you in good stead with your insurer, should you ever need to make a claim.

Always take your handbag with you when leaving your car, or store it out of sight. Ideally put it in the boot, out of the way. If it’s small enough, stash it under the seat or in the glove compartment. Don’t throw a coat or a blanket over it: the lump will make it fairly obvious you’re trying to hide something.

Also, keep your car doors locked, even while you’re driving. This will stop opportunistic thieves trying your handle while you’re at a standstill.

If your handbag is stolen from your car, it may be a better option to claim on your home insurance policy. Give us a ring today and we’ll be happy to walk you through your options.

Give us a call today with any of your car insurance questions?

If you need advice on claiming on your car insurance or if you have any queries about an upcoming renewal, give us a call and we can help you out. We are available to talk anytime Mon-Fri between 8.30am and 5.30pm on 0818 224433 or 042 9359051.

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