If your car is stolen, knowing what to do next can make a difficult situation easier to manage.
Reporting the theft as soon as possible gives the police the best chance of recovering your car and helps you meet your insurer’s requirement to notify them straight away.
We explain what to do if your vehicle is stolen.
EASY AS HACK
Never leave the keys in the ignition with the engine running and unattended while you defrost it as you could invalidate your insurance.
At a Glance - Stolen Car
You’ll need this information when reporting your vehicle as stolen:
- Location, day and time of the theft
- Your personal details
- Authorised driver details, if you weren’t in charge of it
- Registration number
- Car make and model
- Colour and any distinguishing features
- Vehicle registration certificate (V5C)
- Suspects or witness information
what to do when your car is stolen
Although vehicle theft in England and Wales dropped by 16% in 2025 to 617,000 incidents, 1 that doesn’t offer much comfort when your car has been stolen or your belongings taken from it.
To help the police recover your car as quickly as possible, it makes sense to report it stolen right away. A prompt report triggers a Police National Computer marker, which activates Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras across the UK.6 This greatly increases the chances of locating your vehicle before criminals can take it to a port or dismantle it at a chop shop.2
However, before you report it, it’s sensible to check whether the police, the council or the DVLA have towed it (contact TRACE if you’re in London or your local council if not).3
If there’s no other explanation but theft, don’t delay – contact the police, then immediately inform your insurance company. Most insurance providers require you to report a stolen car, and failure to do so can invalidate your policy.
Contact the police
An official record is vital for your claim and any legal proceedings that might follow,4 so it’s important to act fast once you’re confident your car has been stolen.
According to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), organised crime gangs can steal a car, clone the number plates, and get it to another country before the police even receive a report. 5 So, waiting to make your report until the morning after it’s taken – which the police say often happens6 – could be too late.
Here are the immediate steps to take:
- Report the crime to the police by dialling 101.7
- Some forces (but not all) provide an online form.8
- Keep the vehicle registration certificate (V5C), also known as the logbook, beside you – it confirms you’re the registered keeper.
Tell the police:
- Your name and address.
- The vehicle’s registration number (VRN), make, model and colour.4
- Any distinguishing features on or in the car.
- The personal details of anyone you authorised to use your car.4
The police will ask you when and where the incident happened and request any details of suspects or witnesses.7 They will then provide a crime reference number to give to your insurance provider.
Contact your insurance provider
Most insurance providers make contacting them after a vehicle theft mandatory in their policy wording. So, you must contact your insurer and report your car stolen. They will ask for your policy number and the crime reference.
If you bought car insurance from Ageas you should get in touch and start your claim as soon as possible.
Contact the DVLA
If your insurance claim is approved and your provider pays out, be sure to notify the DVLA that you no longer own the car – it now belongs to the insurer. Then the DVLA can properly update its records.
There are 2 main ways you can tell the DVLA:
- Through the DVLA online
- By filling out and posting the yellow section of your V5C logbook ‘Sell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade’ to the DVLA, with a letter detailing your insurer and when it accepted payment. Send the rest of the logbook to your insurer.9
Address your letter to:
DVLA Swansea SA99 1BD
Your insurance provider may ask for the entire V5C. If they do, write a letter that includes your insurance provider’s details, the claim date, your registration number, and your car’s make, model, and colour. Then sign the letter and post it.
To keep a personalised number plate, you’ll need to apply to keep it in your name if your vehicle is stolen. You can do this if you’ve reported it stolen to the police and your car had a valid MOT certificate and was taxed at the time.10
Does car insurance cover theft?
Some car insurance policies cover theft, but the level of cover will depend on your policy. It should also explain any exclusions. Car cover levels include:
- Third-party insurance – the basic level of car insurance to drive legally. It won’t pay out if your car is stolen or damaged by thieves.
- Third-party fire and theft – as above, but it also covers repairs or replacement if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, but not if damaged in an accident.
- Comprehensive – every car insurer, including Ageas, would cover most third-party risks under a comprehensive policy, as well as car theft and damage.
Ageas car insurance covers damage to or loss of the car caused by theft or attempted theft, as well as the cost of replacing or repairing its permanent audio, navigation and entertainment systems up to specific amounts.
However, like many car insurers, we do not cover the loss of a car if you left the doors, sunroofs, windows, boot or bonnet open when it was stolen. You must also have all keys or other unlocking devices with you or with the person you authorised to drive it.
Many insurers do not pay out if the car is stolen by deception, and you hadn’t taken enough care to stop it from happening.11
What happens if your stolen car is recovered?
Sometimes the police will recover stolen cars, whether as part of efforts to get them back at the local level or national partnerships to tackle serious organised crime.3 Government vehicle theft data for the year ending March 2025 showed that 26% of stolen vehicles were returned to their owners.1
When the police recover your stolen car, here’s what happens:12
- They’ll arrange for a recovery operator to take it to a safe place, such as a police pound.
- The police may examine it for forensics.13
- When they tell you to collect it, you must tell your insurance company immediately.
- You or your insurer will collect it and pay the removal and storage charges (depending on your policy’s level of cover).
Don’t arrange to collect a stolen vehicle from the police until you have spoken to your insurer first.14 Your insurer may want to assess whether any repairs are needed.
How to prevent your car from being stolen
Today’s cars are harder to steal – and will become even more difficult as the government gives the police and courts stronger powers to tackle serious and organised vehicle theft.15
However, any steps you can take to reduce the risk of your car being stolen are worth considering. They may also help to prevent thieves from snatching your belongings. Start by following these simple precautions.
- Keep your car locked (check the central locking has locked).16
- Close windows and the sunroof.
- Never leave the car engine running and unattended.
- Remove any valuables from your vehicle.
- If you have a car with keyless entry, keep the key safe in a signal-blocking pouch.
- Having a tracker fitted may not stop a theft, but it can help locate your car more quickly if it is stolen.
Find more information in our specific guide on preventing your car from being stolen.
Can I get car insurance if my car was previously stolen?
You can still get car insurance even if your vehicle was previously stolen, just make sure to inform your provider.
What happens if your car gets stolen on finance?
If your car gets stolen on finance, it can be more complicated than owning it outright.17
In most finance agreements, the finance company remains the legal owner of your car until the final payment. So, you still have to pay the finance provider unless your insurance policy covers any outstanding payments.4
Your first step, like with any vehicle theft, is to report it to the police and your insurance company. Just add the finance company to the list of important organisations to call as communicating with them promptly is typically mandatory under a finance agreement.4
If your car is stolen, most insurance policies will cover theft, but it’s always worth checking your policy first. Any payout is usually based on the car’s market value at the time of the claim, not what you originally paid or what you still owe. If that amount is less than your outstanding finance, you’ll need to cover the difference.
Learn why the Ageas car insurance makes life simpler.
FAQs
What if my stolen car has a personalised reg?
If you don’t get your car back, you will need to wait 6 months before you can transfer your private registration to a different vehicle.11
Will car insurance cover the cost of possessions in my stolen car?
What’s covered depends on your insurance policy. Some comprehensive car insurance policies include cover for personal belongings, while others let you add it as an optional extra. Check your policy documents to see exactly what’s included.
Could my car insurance claim be rejected if my car is stolen?
If your insurance providers think you may have been careless with your vehicle, there is a possibility they may not pay out.
Will my insurance go up if my car has been stolen?
Your insurance may go up if your car is stolen, but the increase isn’t automatic or the same for everyone. Insurers calculate premiums based on risk. Making a theft claim can be one of several things insurers consider when working out prices in the future, but it is always important to claim when you need to.
What do I do if my tools are stolen from my van?
You will need to take the same steps of contacting the policy and contact your insurance provider to make a claim.
Sources
[4] https://motorway.co.uk/sell-my-car/guides/what-happens-if-your-car-gets-stolen-on-finance
[5] https://static.rusi.org/organised-vehicle-theft-in-the-UK-trends-and-challenges-june-2025.pdf
[7] https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/ask-the-police/question/Q101
[8] https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/forms/rsv
[9] https://www.gov.uk/what-to-do-if-your-vehicle-has-been-stolen
[10] https://www.gov.uk/what-to-do-if-your-vehicle-has-been-stolen/personalised-registration-number
[12] https://www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/roads-and-driving/recovering-stolen-vehicles
[16] https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/car-protection-damage/
[17] https://fla.org.uk/consumer-finance/consumer-information/checking-the-history-of-a-motor-vehicle/
