Car Insurance

AS IF YOU don’t have enough to do during the mad rush of holiday shopping, take a few extra steps to safeguard your car. Will Estes, a claims manager with the Chubb Group of Insurance Cos., says claims for thefts from vehicles in particular increase dramatically in November and December. Even antitheft devices and car alarms aren’t enough to keep determined thieves from breaking into a car to snatch newly bought gifts.

Your homeowners insurance policy usually covers such losses, but only when the loss exceeds the deductible of $250, $500 or even $1,000. (If your loss doesn’t exceed the deductible by much, think twice about submitting a claim. Subsequent claims could put you in a high-risk category, leading the insurer to raise your rates–or even drop you.) A broken car window or lock would be covered under the comprehensive portion of your auto policy, which is usually subject to a deductible of $250 or $500. (Chubb applies only one deductible if an incident involves both damage and theft.)