If a rental car is stolen or vandalised, report it to the police and to the rental company straight away, and keep the keys and the police report.
- With theft protection or a damage waiver, ECC Belgium says you normally pay only the excess set out in your contract.
- That protection can lapse if the car was left unlocked or the keys were not kept safe.
- Belongings stolen from the car are usually not covered by the rental company, so check your travel or home insurance.
You walk back to the car park and the space is empty. Or the car is still there, but with a smashed side window and your bag gone. If a rental car is stolen or vandalised, what you pay depends mostly on your theft protection, the police report and whether you can hand back the keys. This article explains the first steps and how to keep the cost to your excess.
What you are covered for, and what not
Rental contracts usually separate three risks. Damage to the car is covered by the collision damage waiver (CDW). Theft of the car is covered by theft protection (TP), sometimes called theft waiver. Your own belongings are a separate matter again.
ECC Belgium explains that if the hire car is stolen or deliberately damaged, you pay only the fixed excess set out in your contract, provided you have that cover. Your Europe lists theft of the vehicle or its contents and vandalism among the risks that optional rental insurance can cover. The Swedish consumer agency Konsumentverket adds that a company may not use contract terms that automatically make you responsible if the car is damaged or stolen.
| What happened | Covered by | What you usually pay |
|---|---|---|
| Car stolen, you have the keys | Theft protection | The theft excess in your contract |
| Window smashed, car not taken | Damage waiver or theft protection, depending on the contract | The excess, if glass is not excluded |
| Car scratched or tyres slashed | Damage waiver, as vandalism | The excess, unless an exclusion applies |
| Car left unlocked or key in the car | Often no cover | Possibly the full loss |
| Your bag, phone or laptop stolen | Not the rental cover | Your own travel or home insurance |
Check the actual wording of your contract, because companies define theft and vandalism in different ways. Our explainer on CDW, excess and super cover shows how the layers fit together.
When cover can lapse
Theft protection comes with conditions. Enterprise Switzerland, for example, lists failure to secure the vehicle keys and failure to lock the vehicle among the actions that void its damage waiver and theft protection. Other companies use similar clauses. ECC Belgium also notes that rental insurance is only valid if you take good care of the car.
In practice, that means:
- lock the car every time, even for a quick stop;
- never leave the key in or on the car, including in the ignition at a petrol station;
- keep the key with you, or in a safe at your accommodation;
- use guarded or well-lit parking where you can.
Check it is really stolen
Before you call the police, check that the car was not towed. Look for parking signs nearby and call the local police or municipality to ask. A towed car is a parking issue, not a theft.
Report it to the police
ECC France advises lodging a complaint with the police after a theft. Ask for a copy or a reference number of the report, in writing. The rental company and any insurer will ask for it. If the police only give you a report in the local language, keep it anyway: our form translator helps you understand it.
For a break-in or vandalism, a police report is also useful, even if the car can still be driven. It shows the damage was done by someone else, at a time and place you can prove.
Tell the rental company straight away
Call the company's emergency or assistance number from your contract, and follow up by email. Give the time, place, police reference and what was taken or damaged. Ask what they want you to do with the car, if it is still there, and whether you get a replacement.
Return the keys and papers
ECC France advises returning the keys and the vehicle papers to the rental company after a theft. Hand them over in person if you can, and ask for a signed receipt that lists what you returned. If you post them, use tracked delivery.
Document everything
For a break-in or vandalism, photograph the car from all sides and close up, with the location visible. Photograph broken glass, damaged locks and anything that shows forced entry. Keep your own notes of the time you parked and the time you found the damage. The evidence mode helps you store photos with time and place.
What about your belongings?
The rental company's theft protection is about the car, not your luggage. ECC France mentions optional personal effects insurance among the products a rental company may offer. If you did not buy it, your travel insurance or home insurance may cover theft from a car. Many policies have conditions, for example that items were out of sight in a locked boot, and they usually ask for a police report. Check your own policy and report the theft to your insurer quickly.
After the trip: checking the bill
Some weeks later, the company may send a bill for the theft or vandalism excess, or for damage it says is not covered. Ask for:
- the contract clause and the excess amount it applies;
- the repair invoice or, after a theft, the final settlement;
- any extra fees, such as administration or loss of use.
Compare the amount with your contract. If you have separate excess insurance, you can usually claim the excess back from it with the police report and the company's invoice: see claiming your excess back. If the company charges more than the excess, ask it to explain why your cover did not apply, and follow our guide on how to dispute a damage claim.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay the full value of the car if it is stolen?
Not if you have theft protection or a damage waiver that covers theft and you kept to its conditions. ECC Belgium explains that you then pay only the excess set out in your contract. Without that protection, or if it lapses, the company can claim more.
Why does the rental company want the keys back after a theft?
The keys show that the car was not simply left open with the key inside. ECC France advises lodging a police complaint and returning the keys and the vehicle papers to the company after a theft.
Is my luggage covered if it is stolen from the rental car?
Usually not by the rental company's standard cover. Some companies sell a separate personal effects product, and your travel or home insurance may cover theft from a car, often with conditions such as items being out of sight in a locked boot.