Short answer: If your car is stolen while it sits running in the driveway, the coverage that pays for the car is comprehensive (sometimes called "other than collision"), minus your deductible. If you carry only liability insurance, nothing pays for your own car (Texas Department of Insurance; Oklahoma Insurance Department). Leaving a car unattended with the engine running can also break state or local law. Michigan, for example, bars leaving a vehicle unattended on a highway with the motor running and the key in it, but exempts a car standing with its remote start engaged (MCL 257.676). Ohio's rule doesn't apply on residential property or to a locked vehicle (Ohio R.C. 4511.661). The safest habit is simple: a remote starter with the doors locked, or stay with the car.
This guide is for drivers in any state with cold winters. It's general information. Your policy wording and your state and city laws control, and they vary.
Why winter warm-ups attract thieves
The Texas Department of Insurance calls it "puffing," because steam puffs from the exhaust while the car warms up, and warns that thieves see an unattended running vehicle as a drive-away opportunity (TDI). The Oklahoma Insurance Department passes along the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's advice: don't leave keys in the vehicle, and don't leave the area while the vehicle is running (OID).
Which part of your auto policy responds
| What was lost | Coverage that usually responds | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The car itself | Comprehensive (other than collision) | Your comprehensive deductible applies; liability-only policies don't pay for your car |
| Damage if the car is recovered (broken ignition, smashed window, crash damage) | Comprehensive, as part of the theft claim | Ask the adjuster how recovered-vehicle damage is handled |
| A rental car while you're without yours | Comprehensive or rental reimbursement coverage, within policy limits | TDI: the insurer pays a set daily amount for a reasonable time |
| Laptop, gifts, tools or other belongings inside | Usually homeowners or renters insurance, not auto | Subject to that policy's deductible and limits |
TDI's auto insurance guide says comprehensive "pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision." It also says your insurer will pay for a rental car if you have comprehensive coverage and your car is stolen, but only for the time it considers reasonable to repair or replace your car, at a set daily amount and up to your policy's rental limits (TDI). Oklahoma's regulator adds that not every coverage includes theft: collision covers crashes, comprehensive covers theft, vandalism and hail, and lenders usually require both on financed or leased cars (OID).
For belongings that were inside the car, see does homeowners insurance cover theft from a car.
Does leaving the keys in the car void coverage?
Read your policy and ask your insurer. The regulator guides cited here describe comprehensive as covering theft and don't mention a warm-up exception. But policies differ, a theft claim gets investigated, and leaving a car running where it's illegal can complicate things. If your car is stolen, tell the insurer exactly what happened. A misstatement on a claim causes more problems than the facts do.
What state unattended-vehicle laws say
Many states have a law that requires drivers to stop the engine, remove the key and set the brake before leaving a vehicle. The details matter, especially for remote starters and private driveways. Two examples:
Michigan (MCL 257.676). A person can't let a motor vehicle "stand on a highway unattended" without engaging the parking brake or putting it in park, stopping the motor, and removing and taking the ignition key. The law "does not apply to a vehicle that is standing in place and is equipped with a remote start feature, if the remote start feature is engaged." A violation is a civil infraction (Michigan Legislature).
Ohio (R.C. 4511.661). A driver can't leave a motor vehicle standing unattended without stopping the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key and setting the parking brake. The engine, ignition and key requirements don't apply to a vehicle parked on residential property or to a vehicle that's locked, wherever it's parked. A violation is a minor misdemeanor, with higher penalties for repeat traffic offenses within a year (Ohio Revised Code).
Other states and many cities have their own versions, some with remote-start exceptions and some without. Check your state's vehicle code and your city's ordinances, especially if you live in an apartment complex or park on the street.
The first 24 hours after a theft
The Oklahoma Insurance Department's checklist (OID):
- Call the police and file a report with the make, model, color, license plate number and vehicle identification number (VIN).
- Contact your insurer within 24 hours and give it the report information.
- Call your lender or leasing company if the car is financed.
- Cancel any credit or debit cards that were in the car.
- Consider a credit freeze or fraud alert if documents with personal information were inside. See identity theft insurance.
- If you find the car yourself, tell the police and your insurer right away.
Ask the insurer how long it waits for a stolen car to turn up before settling it as a total loss, and how it will value the car. See total-loss car valuation rules by state, and gap insurance if you owe more than the car is worth.
Warming up without the risk
- Use a remote starter that keeps the doors locked and the key with you. In Michigan, that's also what the law's exception covers.
- Stay with the car. Scrape the windows and clear snow while it runs.
- Lock the doors as soon as you get in, and park in well-lit areas (TDI).
- Use a visible anti-theft device or loud alarm, and ask about anti-theft discounts. TDI lists antitheft devices among common discounts.
- Take the key fob inside, and don't keep a spare key in the car. NHTSA's advice, via OID, is not to leave keys in the vehicle.
Before winter: a 5-minute policy check
- ☐ Does every car have comprehensive coverage, and is the deductible one you could pay tomorrow?
- ☐ Do you have rental reimbursement, and what's the daily limit?
- ☐ If the car is financed, do you have gap coverage?
- ☐ Do you have homeowners or renters insurance for belongings you keep in the car?
- ☐ Is your VIN saved somewhere outside the car, like a photo on your phone?
Frequently asked questions
Does insurance cover a car stolen while it was warming up?
Usually through comprehensive coverage, minus your deductible. If you carry only liability insurance, your policy won't pay for your own stolen car. Policies differ, so read yours and describe the theft to your insurer accurately.
Is it illegal to leave your car running unattended?
It can be, depending on where you are. Michigan bars leaving a vehicle unattended on a highway with the motor running and the key in it, but exempts cars with remote start engaged. Ohio's engine-and-key rule doesn't apply on residential property or to locked vehicles. Cities may add their own ordinances.
Will my insurance pay for a rental car if my car is stolen?
The Texas Department of Insurance says your insurer will pay for a rental if you have comprehensive coverage and your car is stolen, for a reasonable time and up to your policy's daily and total limits. Rental reimbursement coverage may add more.
Are my belongings covered if they were in the stolen car?
Usually not under auto insurance. Personal items inside a car are generally covered by homeowners or renters insurance, subject to that policy's deductible and limits.
What should I do first if my car is stolen?
Call the police and file a report with your car's make, model, color, plate and VIN, then contact your insurer within 24 hours and your lender if the car is financed. Cancel any cards that were in the car.
Is a remote starter safer for warming up a car?
Yes. A remote starter lets the engine run while the doors stay locked and the key stays with you. Michigan's unattended-vehicle law specifically exempts vehicles with remote start engaged.
Alishahi Insurance · 439 N Canon Dr, Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 · (877) 711-4545 · CA License #4348151. General information only. This isn't legal, tax or financial advice or a coverage determination. Coverage depends on policy language and underwriting, and rules vary by state.