Tips to protect your car from vehicle theft - Hindustan Times
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Tips to protect your car from vehicle theft

ByAdvertorial
Feb 27, 2018 01:59 PM IST

It is crucial to ensure that your dream car has adequate safety features, including an anti-theft device and alarm, which can protect it from being stolen.

Cars are undoubtedly a convenient mode of transportation whether you are commuting to work on weekdays or going on long road trips on the weekends. Banks and non-banking financial companies provide easy access to credit in the form of auto loans for new and used cars. You can opt for a low-interest rate car loan with flexible loan tenure to purchase a car of your choice. When choosing a car, consumers usually look at the price, performance, and modern features such as a touchscreen infotainment system or sunroof. However, it is also important to consider whether your dream car has adequate safety features like an anti-theft device, central locking system, child lock safety, and car alarm.

(Pixabay)
(Pixabay)

Purchasing a car is as difficult as a purchasing a property. After you have gone through all that hassle of choosing a suitable car and obtaining a car loan, it is really unfair that you have to deal with the fear of your new car being stolen. Unfortunately, car burglary is high in this country. What has become apparent over time is that the majority of the car theft cases are opportunity occurrences, which begs the question - Could a car burglary be prevented if the owner of the vehicle had been vigilant and implemented a few effective safety measures?

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Yes, cars don’t give the same Return on Investment as a house or property because of their high depreciation rate and low resale value. Still, having a car stolen can have a devastating effect on the owner, not only on the financial front but also on the practical front i.e. you are inconvenienced by the absence of having a car at hand whenever you want to travel from place to place. Here is a list of security/safety measures that you can take to protect your vehicle against theft:

Get a motor insurance policy: Did you know that as per the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, all vehicles in India must have a third-party liability motor insurance policy? This includes all passenger and commercial vehicles. However, to protect yourself against vehicle damages incurred as a result of car burglary/theft, you need a comprehensive car insurance policy.

Lock your car: This security measure is a pretty basic one - do not leave your car unlocked after parking it in a private or public space. Don’t leave the car keys in the ignition of a parked car. Make it a habit to put the keys in your pocket or bag. Lock your car windows after parking your car. Open car windows serve as a tempting opportunity to thieves and rodents to break into your vehicle.

Don’t store valuables in your car: Remove all valuable items from your vehicle if you plan on parking it in a public space. If you have no other choice but to leave valuables like a laptop or camera equipment in your vehicle, then at least ensure that it is well-hidden from the eyes of passersby.

Practise cautious vehicle parking: Be smart about where you park your vehicle. If you are retiring for the night, then park your car in the garage with locked doors. If a private garage is not available, then park your vehicle in a well-lit street with security guards and CCTV cameras.

Install security features in your car: Security devices like an anti-theft device, a car alarm, a Stolen Vehicle Recovery System (SVRS), a steering lock device, and a motion sensor with LED indicators and siren can act as deterrents to car thieves. Car alarms can alert the owner to an ongoing burglary attempt, giving you sufficient time to inform the local law enforcement authorities. Install CCTV cameras in the parking area to discourage thieves from attempting a burglary.

You can also find out the peak season for car burglaries in your neighbourhood and organise watch committees.

Useful tip: To get the best motor insurance policy for your vehicle, it is necessary to compare various insurance policies online across the top insurance providers in the country. In order get the best deal, take the time to do some online research. The same applies to personal loans, car loans, and other insurance policies as well. Visit a reliable third-party comparison website to compare the features and benefits of various loan offers across the lenders and choose one that best suits your needs.

(This content was not created by the editorial team.)

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