Tips to help prevent car theft

Car thefts are continuing to increase nationally, particularly in cities like Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. Regardless of where you live, there are a few things you can do to lower the risk of your car getting stolen. Here are a few tips.

Parking location

If you have a garage, using it to park your car can provide a good defence against thieves. If you need to reclaim your garage space to fit your car, we’ve shared a few tips to help you declutter your garage. If you don’t have access to a garage, carport or off-street parking, leave your car on a street with good visibility, high traffic and streetlights; potential thieves might be deterred if they know that could easily be seen.

Lock it up

Wherever your car is parked, closing all the windows and locking your car will make it harder to steal and could be enough dissuade opportunistic thieves. Never leave your keys in the car or let the engine run when you’re not in the car, even if only for a few seconds.

Take your keys with you

Leaving your keys in your car makes life easy for thieves. Take all car keys with you after you park up, including any spare keys. If you have a car that uses a smart key, it might be worth purchasing a signal blocking protective pouch. These pouches are designed to block the signal being emitted by your key fob, preventing thieves from being able to capture it and use it to unlock and start your car. Think about where you store your car keys in your home; many cars are stolen after homes are burgled, so consider storing your car keys out of sight, away from the front or back doors.

Remove temptation

Thieves could be tempted if they see a handbag, laptop, cell phone, tools or other potentially high-value items in an unattended car. If you can, take all your valuables with you when you leave the vehicle or hide them away in the glove compartment or in the boot, preferably under the parcel shelf so they’re hidden from view.

Enhanced security measures

There are many options to choose from when it comes to adding security measures to your car. From a simple steering wheel lock to installing a full car alarm system and immobilisers, your choice could be enough to prevent a quick smash-and-grab.

Protect yourself against the unexpected

Some thieves are more committed than others and may still steal your car, no matter how hard you’ve tried to put them off. We offer three different options of car insurance to allow you to choose the policy that best suits your needs and budget:

• Comprehensive - our highest level of cover, our Comprehensive policy covers accidental damage done to your car as well as damage you have caused to other people’s car(s) or property. This policy also provides cover if your vehicle is stolen or damaged and, at AA Insurance, you can add optional paid benefits like excess-free glass cover or rental car cover.

• Third Party, Fire & Theft - we'll cover you accidentally damage other people’s car(s) or property, but this policy will only cover your car if it has been stolen or damaged by fire. At AA Insurance you have the option to purchase excess-free glass cover on this policy.

• Third Party - this covers the damage you cause to someone else’s car or property in an accident, although it won’t cover any damage to your car.

Find out more about our car insurance policies or get a quote. We’re here to help if you want to talk about our insurance options or if you have any questions - just get in touch.