Cars are perhaps the most popular form of transport in the UK thanks to their comfort and efficiency when going from A to B. As of March 2022, there were over 40 million licensed vehicles on UK roads.
Occasionally, however, cars are stolen, especially classic cars as they can be easier to break into. This can leave owners distraught and without a means to get around. Around 28% of people will have their stolen vehicle recovered, but that leaves many with the arduous task of finding a replacement.
Would you know what to do if your car was stolen? To help, we’ve put together a handy step-by-step guide to make this difficult time a bit more straightforward for you. Read on to find out more.
Call the relevant parties
If your classic car has been stolen then the first thing you must do is ring the following:
1. The police
Ring 101 and inform the police of the theft of your car so they can give you a crime reference number. There’s a high chance that your car won’t be seen again, so you’ll need the crime reference number to make an insurance claim.
2. Insurance company
Now you’ve got your crime reference number, get the ball rolling with your insurance provider. This could help you receive the funds for a new car sooner.
If you can’t wait that long then you might consider a bad credit loan so you can buy an emergency replacement. However, you’ll need to make sure you can keep up with the repayment schedule to avoid damaging your credit score and getting yourself into further trouble.
3. The DVLA
The police will tell the DVLA about the theft. However, if your insurance claim is successful then you MUST inform the DVLA that you no longer own the car as it’s been taken off your hands by an insurance provider.
If there’s any outstanding vehicle tax that you’re owed, they will send it back to you.
Start searching for a replacement
Now that all relevant parties have been notified, you’ll need to start the search for a replacement vehicle. This could be in the form of a short-term lease or a cheap second-hand car that can tide you over for a while.
However if it was your classic that was stolen you may want to replace it with a similar make and model.
Take steps to prevent this from happening again
After you’ve dealt with all of the inconvenience of having your car stolen, you’ll want to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Use the following tips and reduce the chances of having your car stolen:
- Don’t leave items on show
- Park in sensible places
- Never leave your keys in an unattended car
- Use a steering wheel lock
This is a Take to the Road Collaborated Post
