Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance urges consumers to protect their vehicles from theft, understand their auto insurance coverage

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) urges consumers to take simple steps to protect their vehicles from theft and understand their insurance coverage during Vehicle Theft Prevention Month. DCI joins the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in raising awareness about ways drivers can reduce their risk of an unexpected financial loss.

According to NHTSA, more than 650,000 vehicles were reported stolen in the United States in 2025, a 23% decrease from 2024. While numbers have declined nationwide, NHTSA research shows that Missouri ranked among the top 10 states for vehicle thefts in 2025. 

Vehicle theft is a multi-billion-dollar industry that costs owners more than $8 billion annually. Passenger cars account for the majority of stolen vehicles, and the summer months have the highest reported theft rates.

“It’s encouraging to see vehicle thefts declining nationwide, but hundreds of thousands of drivers still lose their vehicles to theft every year,” DCI Director Angela Nelson said. “It’s important that Missourians stay vigilant and ensure they understand what their auto policy covers. If you have questions about your policy or coverage, give us a call. Our team is always here to help.”

Vehicle theft can happen in a matter of seconds, but a few simple precautions can help them be prevented. Remember these tips to keep your vehicle safe:

• Park in well-lit areas.
• Close and lock all windows and doors when you park.
• Hide your valuables.
• Do not leave your keys in your vehicle.
• Do not leave the area while your vehicle is running.
• If your vehicle’s manufacturer does not provide an anti-theft system, consider purchasing extra layers of protection. These can easily be bought in-store or online.
• If your vehicle has electronic transmission technology, consider turning it on or keeping the subscription. This technology can assist law enforcement in locating a stolen vehicle.

If your vehicle has been stolen, contact local law enforcement first to provide the license plate number, year, make, model, color and VIN of your vehicle, then contact your insurance carrier. If someone in the same household took the vehicle, review your policy before filing a claim. Many insurance policies do not consider a vehicle taken by someone with regular access to it to be theft, regardless of whether they have driven the vehicle before.

It’s also important to remember that a vehicle is only covered for theft if your insurance policy includes comprehensive physical damage coverage, often referred to as comprehensive coverage. This type of coverage helps repair or replace your vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged by something other than a collision, such as fire, vandalism or weather.

If you own your vehicle outright and are not required by a lender to carry comprehensive coverage, it’s possible you may have dropped it from your policy without realizing the risk. This is why reviewing your policy is so critical.

“Many people don’t think about their insurance coverage until something has happened,” Director Nelson added. “You might think that you are ‘fully covered,’ but there’s no such thing as full coverage, particularly when it comes to auto insurance. Be sure to contact your insurance agent to ensure you have the level of coverage you need and want.”

Another common misconception is that an auto policy will cover all items in the vehicle in the event of a theft. Most auto policies cover items typically required for vehicle use, such as car seats, jumper cables or spare tires. Personal belongings such as cell phones, laptops, purses and wallets would need to be filed as a separate claim under your homeowners or renters policy, which may have limited coverage for personal property away from home.

Some policies have a waiting period before payment for a theft claim in case the vehicle is recovered. If mechanical issues occur after a vehicle is stolen and recovered, they generally need to be diagnosed before an insurance carrier considers them for a theft loss. If inoperable or awaiting repairs, policyholders should ensure their vehicle is moved to a free storage location to avoid unnecessary out-of-pocket expenses.

For insurance questions, consumers can call DCI’s Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390 or visit insurance.mo.gov/consumers. For more information on vehicle theft prevention, visit NHTSA.gov/theft.

DCI is charged with protecting Missouri consumers through oversight of the insurance industry, banks, credit unions, utilities and various professional licensees operating in the state. For more information about the department, please visit our website at dci.mo.gov.