If you ever turn to a life of crime, you might find an easy and lucrative target in the car that sits at the curb. A study conducted by the British website Gocompare.com found that the average glove box houses almost $200 worth of goods, and most U.K. motorists don’t know whether their auto insurance policy covers that stuff or not.
The research found that glove boxes are a common hiding place for portable satellite navigation devices (33 percent), mobile phones (22 percent) and wallets/purses (18 percent) while the car is parked and unattended. On average, this collection of goodies is worth $181.17. The study found that 18- to 24-year-olds are 50 percent more likely to leave valuables in their glove box, as are those over the age of 45.
And the glove box isn’t the only place where valuables are hidden. There’s also a lot of non-junk in the typical trunk. The average value of items left in car trunks (or “boots,” as the British call them) was $266.95, with contents ranging from satellite navigation devices (10 percent), mobile phones (9 percent) and wallets/purses (11 percent) to laptops (15 percent), golf clubs/sporting equipment (20 percent) and power tools (8 percent).
“Most of us own a range of highly portable and desirable gadgets that are small enough to stash in our glove box or boot while we pop to the shops, and it’s all too easy to underestimate the value of the everyday items we carry around with us,” says Lee Griffin of Gocompare.com. “Our survey revealed that, on average, we store nearly $480 worth of belongings in our cars, but most drivers are unaware what cover, if any, they have if their possessions are damaged or stolen while left in their vehicle.”
The purpose of car insurance is to give you financial protection for your vehicle -- not the stuff you keep inside it. As a consequence, coverage for personal belongings is typically limited to fully comprehensive policies. If you carry around a lot of items in your car, you might check your auto and household insurance to see how well-covered you are.
