Domestic insurance is a high-volume claim for insurers. Property is easily transferable and concealed. Contents are easy to inflate without identification. NICB gives the number: 936,315. That's how many vehicle thefts were reported in 2021, a 17% increase from 2019. Unfortunately, 2022 did not look much better. In the first quarter of the year, nearly a quarter million vehicle thefts were reported. Thefts like these disrupt owners and can lead to insurance premium hikes - making everyone a victim.
What to look out for
Lack of forced entry to vehicle or property (evidence of break in).
Claims history.
Financial pressures (missed vehicle | item payments).
Security of vehicle | residence.
Location of vehicle keys | was home locked | lighting | CCTV.
Consistency of information (police report vs claim).
Theft occurred while out-of-state or in an area on business or vacation.
Vehicle displayed "for sale" signs prior to theft.
Vehicle not parked under available protective cover or in secure location.
CARJACKING TRENDS
Unlike vehicle theft, a carjacking involves violent confrontation with an offender who threatens the victim with a weapon or through physical force. Major metropolitan areas such as Minneapolis, New York, and Philadelphia saw increases ranging from 230% to well over 500% just since 2019.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT
Thieves don't there. Catalytic converter theft has also been on the rise - a 1,215% increase since 2019. What makes them so appealing are the precious metals that they contain, the values of which have skyrocketed. Driven by opportunity and negligible penalties, thieves steal catalytic converters and then sell them to recycle or scrap metal yards.
Insurance industry estimates indicate that 10% or more of property | casualty insurance claims may be fraudulent. Insurance Fraud is the second-most white-collar crime in America after tax evasion. These crimes add up to billions of dollars in fraudulent insurance claims every year. Not only does fraud cause higher insurance premiums for all of us, but it also raises our taxes and inflates prices for consumer goods.
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