How long does it take for a stolen car to be in the system

The cops haven't called, but there's still a chance that my car -- stolen by some punk on Tuesday night -- will turn up at the side of the road. I'm watching the clock because the best chance of recovery is within the first 72 hours after a vehicle is stolen.

This, and other rules of thumb for car theft victims (which -- if you're a Pollyanna-ish driver like me -- are all probably news to you) have been forthcoming from readers and the helpful counsel gathered on the Buying and Maintaining a Car discussion board.

I hope you never need to heed this advice. But with more than 1 million cars stolen every year, sadly, you might.

Are you sure it was stolen?: The first thing, an alert reader kindly pointed out, is to make sure that your car hasn't simply been towed. Fire hydrants and "No Parking" and "Reserved For..." signs are pretty good indicators that the only person up to no good was you. In my case, the big, gaping, maw of a space where I last saw my car was not, alas, an illegal spot.

Who took it?: Besides being good-for-nothin' punks (in my book, at least), most likely it was kids (possibly gang members) who stole my car. Professional car thieves would be more interested in a later-model or more exotic car than my 1994 teal blue Accord. Still, the car isn't completely worthless to hoodlums.

When will you get your car back?: More often than not, my sources say, the car tends to turn up within three days if it is going to surface. However, about 30% of stolen vehicles are never recovered. (If mine was taken to a chop shop, I swear I'll search for my muffler on every passing Accord.)

What condition will it be in?: The prognosis isn't good. One insurance agent wrote saying that typically a stolen car will be used by gang members to score some drugs and pawn off anything of value in the car (e.g. my cassette player [I'm laughing at that one]). Broken window, steering column, glove compartment, and trunk lock and other accident damage is typical. A fellow five-finger-discount survivor offered this vivid description of the likely crime scene: "The police will probably find the car in 72 hours with a busted steering column, a few dings in the fender, an empty bag of chips in the front seat, and smelling of reefer. It will have been parked for a couple of days on the street and no one knows anything."

Was there anything that could be used to identify you in the vehicle?: Besides, say, the thousands of dollars in metal, plastic, and rubber lovingly picked out by you and topped off with a custom pair of fuzzy dice? If you keep any personal items in your car -- a gas card, paycheck stubs -- remove them right now. If your car is stolen with these identifying documents, you could compound the crime and become a victim of identity theft. Unfortunately, The Club can't protect you from identity theft. (Here's what can.)

Whom should you call first?: Line up a ride home, particularly if you are stranded someplace with no 24-hour diner in sight. Next, call the cops. The police will plug in your car's major identifying features (make, model, license plate number, Hello Kitty bumper stickers) and put it into a database that all cops can check. Filing a police report should cover you in case the car causes damage in an accident. However, it's probably best to make one more phone call as soon as possible -- to your car insurance company.

Whom should you call next?: After you call your mother and let her know you're OK, call your insurance company to let them know the vehicle has been stolen. You do not want to be liable for the car's adventures when it is out of your hands.

Should you cancel your car insurance?: No. First, your car (fingers crossed) may be recovered. Canceling it may also put a red flag on your name when it comes to insuring your next vehicle. Without continuous auto liability insurance, your premium for the first six to 12 months of the policy could as much as double. Even if it is active and the perps fraudulently try to make a claim, your insurer will scrutinize it closely and quickly discover what the bad guys are up to. In addition, your policy may offer other protections such as secondary coverage when you drive someone else's car.

When is it appropriate to stop grieving?: As far as I can tell, I'm allowed to be ticked off about this for quite a long time. However, the length of time before your insurer decides that your car is unlikely to surface varies. If you decide to stick it out for a while (it all depends on how quickly you need a replacement ride), you can suspend your coverage so that you're not paying to insure a car that's no longer in your possession. However, it is recommended that if you are going to replace the car within 30 days or so, go ahead and keep the existing policy in play and simply extend it to the new vehicle.

What should you do if the cops find your car?: If your car is found after your insurer has compensated you for the loss, it's their mess to deal with (although I believe you can still retrieve personal belongings). For cars found before there has been an insurable event, there are two key steps. First, if it is discovered roadside and in good shape, do a touchdown dance in your cubicle. Next, the mother whose son's car was stolen -- stuffed with all of his worldly possessions -- offered this piece of advice. "If there are things of value in the car, as soon as you get it back, look at the report they gave you and go immediately to where the car was found. If the perps dumped stuff on the ground, the police can't tell whether the stuff is yours or not, so they don't pick any of it up. If you get there soon enough, you might get back the ski jacket you had in the trunk."

Also make sure the cops search the car so that you aren't arrested for drug possession you didn't know about the next time you're pulled over. And nearly everyone has suggested that I buy several cans of Lysol.

If you buy a new car, will it be insured on the same policy?: It should. Make sure your insurance agent makes a vehicle change on your existing policy so that any discounts for being a longtime, accident-free client will still be in play. An unscrupulous agent may try to write a new policy to up his or her policy count and commission.

What else can you do to be compensated for your loss?: Check your renter's/homeowner's insurance to see whether you can get money for the items in the car that were stolen. You may also be eligible for a casualty loss deduction on your tax return, something best discussed with your tax accountant.

I'll continue to seek advice on the Buying and Maintaining a Car discussion board, because after tomorrow I may be in the market for a new ride.

If your car is stolen, you need to contact law enforcement and file a stolen vehicle report first. Insurers won’t honor an auto theft claim unless a police report has been filed.

You should be prepared to tell the police everything you know about your stolen vehicle. Police departments have different procedures, meaning you may be required to file your police report online or on the phone.

If your car has a GPS device then you should notify the police as it can help track down the stolen car. Details about your car that will be helpful for the police include:

• Any distinct features of your car
• Color
• License plate number
• Make, model and year
• Vehicle identification number

How to Report Your Car Stolen to Your Insurance Company

The next step is to contact your car insurance company and report your car stolen. While there is no such thing as "stolen car insurance", if you have a comprehensive car insurance policy, you're covered for the stolen vehicle.

However—even if you don’t have comprehensive car insurance—you should notify your insurer about the theft. This will protect you if someone is hurt or property is damaged while the vehicle is out of your possession.

Having the following information ready will help expedite the claims process with your insurer:

• Contact information of your leasing or financing company, if any
• Description of your vehicle
• Information on the last known whereabouts of your vehicle
• List of personal items that were in the car at the time of the theft
• Location of all of the keys to the vehicle
• Title for the vehicle

It's important that everything in your claim is consistent and truthful. It's very costly for insurers to pay out the cost of a stolen vehicle. Before incurring such a large expense, the insurer will usually launch an investigation.

An inconsistency between your police report and auto insurance claim can be a red flag, even if it was unintentional. Filing a police report quickly will prevent insurance companies from being skeptical about a delayed report.

You’ll likely need another method of transportation if your vehicle is stolen. If you have rental reimbursement coverage then your insurer will cover some of the cost of a rental car.

Reimbursement coverage varies by insurer so you should check with your insurance company to see what the maximum coverage per day is, and how many days they’ll cover. This benefit lasts until you reach your coverage limit, which depends on your specific policy.

Report Your Stolen Car to Your Leasing or Financing Company

If your stolen vehicle is financed or leased, you’ll need to contact the financing or leasing company. In this scenario, the insurance company pays a claim out to the financing or leasing company and you're no longer be liable for payments.

Have your financing or leasing company contact your insurer directly, so that the claims process moves quickly.

How to Find a Stolen Car

You can use your vehicle’s identification number (VIN) to look up your car on the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) VINCheck, which functions as a stolen car database. The database can help you locate your stolen vehicle.

If any partner of the NICB—including insurance companies and law enforcement agencies—finds your missing vehicle, it will be reported on VINCheck.