Automotive theft charges usually are not excessive in Hong Kong in comparison with many different cities, however that doesn’t imply you gained’t nonetheless really feel very annoyed in case your personal automotive or motorbike is stolen. What number of automobiles are stolen in Hong Kong yearly? What do you have to do in case your automotive is stolen? If you happen to can’t discover your automotive in the long run, will the insurer compensate you to your loss? Are the private belongings in your automotive lined by the insurance coverage too? The automotive insurance coverage consultants at Kwiksure will reply the above questions for you right now.
Car theft rose by 40% in contrast with the identical interval final yr
In keeping with the Hong Kong Police, there have been 546 circumstances of automotive theft through the first 9 months of 2022 – a rise of 154 circumstances (39.3%) in comparison with 392 circumstances in the identical interval final yr. Over the previous ten years, there have been 400-600 circumstances per yr on common.
Supply: The Hong Kong Police
Which fashions are most frequently stolen?
By way of automotive fashions and types, hybrid automobiles and Japanese seven-passenger automobiles are often at increased danger. Criminals steal automobiles for the elements, that are later resold for revenue, or they put faux license plates on them for different legal functions. The catalytic converter linked to the exhaust pipe on hybrid automobiles comprises treasured metals, so it’s wanted within the second-hand market. Equally, Japanese 7-passenger automobiles can be utilized by criminals for actions like website inspections and transporting stolen property since they’re widespread and low-profile.
4 methods to stop personal automobile theft
1. Park your automotive in a car parking zone with safety
Automotive thieves usually go to quiet streets or low-security parking tons in the course of the night time to search for targets. It often solely takes a couple of minutes to pry open the door and the ignition swap to steal the automotive, after which the thief will drive the automotive to a ready location or warehouse to have it taken aside and the elements eliminated. Thus, to cut back the danger of theft, the very first thing is to keep away from parking your automobile in a single day on a really quiet road. As an alternative, it’s best to park it in a car parking zone with safety and CCTV.
2. Set up an auto-upload automotive cam
You may as well set up a dependable anti-theft system to your automobile, particularly video cameras that save information to the cloud.
3. Lock the doorways earlier than leaving your automotive
With the intention to take advantage of the obtainable house, some car parking zone operators will ask the driving force for the automotive key in order that they will transfer the automotive. Some thieves will faux to be the automobile proprietor, cheat the car parking zone employees for the automotive key, after which drive the automotive away. Likewise, they could strategy a automotive with its key within the door or a automotive with doorways unlocked. So, it’s best to park in a high-security car parking zone or storage and make sure that the automotive is locked while you go away your automotive in order that criminals may have no probability at it.
4. Keep away from leaving valuables behind
It’s normal information that not putting your belongings in plain sight can scale back the danger of your automobile changing into a goal for thieves.
4 anti-theft measures for bikes
1. Lock the wheel
Locking the wheel can enhance the time required for the thief to steal your automobile as a result of even when the thief succeeds in breaking the ignition swap, he has to unlock the wheel to push the motorbike away. Thieves at all times search for simple targets, and a wheel lock will add an additional layer of safety to your motorbike.
2. Cowl your automobile
A bike cowl prevents thieves from figuring out the sort and mannequin of your motorbike at a look, in order that they can not inform whether or not your motorbike is pricey. Furthermore, a canopy protects your automobile from daylight and rain. However don’t cowl your automobile when there’s a storm, in any other case, the quilt can work like a parachute and make your motorbike fall over!
3. Use motorbike cowl locks
It is strongly recommended that you just use automobile cowl locks at each the entrance and rear of your motorbike, as a result of even motorbike covers may be the goal of thieves.
5. Use anti-theft gadgets
Really decided criminals might merely carry the motorbike by themselves to the connecting automobile and transport it away. In that state of affairs, all three anti-theft measures talked about above will fail. In view of this, we advocate that you just use disc brake locks to make it much more troublesome for thieves to push away your motorbike.
Some disc brake locks are additional geared up with an alarm gadget. If the lock senses vibrations, the alarm will maintain beeping. As for the GPS anti-theft programs, they may help you establish the whereabouts of your motorbike whether it is stolen.
Tip: When shopping for a used automotive, confirm the supply of the automotive earlier than taking supply, in order to keep away from shopping for a stolen automotive!
What kind of automotive insurance coverage ought to I purchase to guard in opposition to automotive theft?
Typically talking, complete automotive insurance coverage already covers losses brought on by automobile theft. You may additionally take into account buying fireplace insurance coverage and theft insurance coverage on prime of third-party motor insurance coverage. Remember to take note of the quantity of the deductible in case of automotive theft.
What are the insurance coverage claims and compensation procedures after a automotive is stolen?
As soon as a automobile is confirmed stolen and can’t be recovered, the insurer will appoint an assessor to find out the worth of the automobile, then deduct the relevant deductibles (together with however not restricted to the theft deductible) to reach on the last quantity of compensation. Your entire course of usually takes 4-6 weeks.
Will there be compensation for different gadgets misplaced within the automobile theft?
All private belongings and gear that aren’t unique within the stolen automobile won’t be lined, until they had been specified and accepted by the insurer on the time of software for protection (reminiscent of premium stereos).
Find out how to calculate NCD for a stolen automobile
In Hong Kong, the No Declare Low cost (NCD) is hooked up to folks and never automobiles, so even when a automotive is stolen and can’t be discovered, the proprietor can nonetheless switch the NCD of the previous automotive to a brand new automotive. If the proprietor secured complete motor insurance coverage and claims compensation for the stolen automobile, the NCD might be deducted by 30% (e.g. from 50% NCD to twenty% NCD). However, should you secured a third-party motor coverage and your automobile is stolen, the NCD may be totally transferred to every other automobile underneath your title as a result of there can be no claims.
Who owns the stolen automotive whether it is later recovered?
After an insurer has paid compensation for a stolen automobile, if the unique proprietor subsequently recovers the automobile (for instance, the police returns the automotive to the proprietor after the case is resolved), he should instantly notify the insurer since it’s already stipulated within the coverage doc that the property insured now belongs to the insurer.
