Kanetix Forum

My brother had his car stolen from the GO station, and he had his snowboard and gear in the trunk. He told me it wasn't covered by his car insurance. Is that true?

That is true. While it may seem strange, the contents that you drive around in your car are not covered under your auto insurance. They are covered however, if your brother has a property insurance policy. A property insurance policy, whether it is for your brother¿s home, condo or apartment, will likely provide coverage for the items in your brother¿s car that are not technically part of the car.

If your brother doesn¿t have property insurance, then he¿ll have no other recourse to replace the items in his car except to pay for the items himself. However, if he does, then he¿ll end up making two claims: one through his auto policy for the car itself and then another through his property policy. If he has both his car and property insured through the same insurer, he may be in luck however. Some will only make him pay one deductible, even though he is submitting two claims. This is one of the benefits of insuring your home and auto with the same insurance company. The other is that you typically qualify for a discount on your insurance rate.

Sean Graham, Principal Broker at KTX Insurance Brokers.

Neither Kanetix® nor the KanetixForum.ca is an insurance broker or agent. Although this information has been passed along to you from KTX Insurance Brokers through the Forum, we are not responsible for the opinions expressed by them. Insurance can be complicated. When reading these answers, keep in mind each person¿s situation is unique. Individual responses may vary depending on your insurer, geographic location, and specific circumstances. If you have a similar situation, always speak with your insurance provider, or a licensed insurance representative, for terms and conditions that may apply to you.