5 Tips to Keep Your Car Safe and Protected

A couple of years ago, I went hiking above Chautauqua Park in Boulder. Within 30 minutes of my hike, I received a call from American Express letting me know of fraudulent behavior on my credit card. I was shocked that within a matter of minutes from the time I had parked and left my car, someone had smashed the passenger side window, grabbed my wallet which I'd hidden, and rushed off to have a fantastic spending extravaganza at my expense.

Remembering this experience got me thinking. How can I make sure that doesn't happen again? Here are a few quick tips:

Lock it down. While it might be tempting to leave your windows cracked on a hot day, make sure that your windows are completely rolled up and the doors are locked. Don’t forget the sunroof, too.

Hide valuables. As a general rule, never leave your valuables in the car. Hide sunglasses, electronics and any other “shiny objects” in your glove box or center console. Purses and shopping bags should always be tucked away in the trunk. Always take your garage door remote inside with you. Do NOT leave spare change in plain sight, I know a teen who smashed a window just to get a few dollars worth of coins.

Park smart. Keep visibility in mind when selecting your parking spot. Parking on well-lit streets and under bright street lights is always ideal.

Anti-theft devices. Car alarms are the best deterrent. Consider the addition of a tracking device, such as LoJack® or OnStar®, which could also qualify you for an extra discount on your auto insurance.

Minimize appeal. Overall, the best way to keep your car safe and protected is to lower the appeal of what treasures could be inside and to make it more difficult, risky and noisy for a thief to gain access to your vehicle.
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Give us a call to have a check-up to review other safety tips and see what discounts we can discover for your policy.

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