If you are a victim of theft or attempted theft of your car, you must complain, because the insurance will ask you for proof of the filing of a complaint before compensating you.

The purpose of insurance by forcing you to file a complaint is to allow for the opening of a formal investigation into the claim.

Indeed, theft and attempted theft are infringements, and the filing of a complaint may result in the opening of a police investigation.

The police investigation is the starting point for criminal proceedings, which may go as far as the trial and conviction of those suspected of committing the offense of theft or attempted theft.

The insurance company will therefore use the evidence in the criminal proceedings to verify whether or not you are entitled to compensation, and whether there are third parties to whom it can claim damages.

You must complain as soon as possible after you become aware of the facts.

You have to go to a police station or a gendarme brigade.

If your vehicle documents or identity documents were stolen with the vehicle, you must notify the officers.

You will receive a receipt for filing a complaint and, at your request, a copy of the minutes of filing a complaint. These documents will allow you to disclaim your responsibility for the events that occur after the theft of the vehicle. For example, if after the theft your stolen vehicle is involved in a traffic accident or if it is used in a deflection.

You must report the claim to your insurer within the time limit set out in your contract.

This period shall be at least 2 working daysBut it can be longer.

You can make this statement yourself or ask a third party to do so on your behalf.

The procedure can be done in one of the following 3 ways:

• On site, in an office of the insurer, or a broker or general agent who represents the insurer
• Online, if it's on the insurance company's website
• By mail (it is best to send a registered letter or an e-mail registered mail)

In all cases, you must indicate in the declaration the elements that allow the insurer to identify you, to know your claim and the damage that it has caused you.

These are:

• Last name, first name, address
• Insurance Contract Number
• Circumstances of the disaster (place, date and time...)
• Damage sustained (theft, attempted theft or damage)
• Copy of the receipt for filing a complaint

You can also attach evidence of your damage (photos, videos, maintenance or repair invoices of the car or its accessories...).

After the claim is filed, the insurer may require certain items from you, in addition to the documents you submitted with the claim. These include:

• Carte grise Certificate of Registration (formerly known as
• Certificate of administrative status (absence of pledge carte grise and opposition to the transfer of
• Leasing or rental agreement (if you have leased or rented the vehicle for a long time)
• Purchase Invoice or Certificate of Sale (if you purchased the vehicle)
• Stolen Vehicle Detection and Recovery System Installation Invoice or Proof of Subscription
• Key sets.

Then the insurer will check whether you meet the conditions set out in the contract to be compensated for the theft or attempted theft.

It may base itself on the results of the criminal investigation and on the conclusions of the expert's report if it has commissioned an expert.

If the insurer believes that you meet the conditions set out in the contract to be compensated, it will calculate the amount of compensation.

The insurance contract generally provides that the compensation in the event of theft corresponds to the value of the vehicle as expert on the day of the disaster. This is an average value based on the value of the vehicle on the second-hand market.

Two situations must be distinguished according to whether the vehicle is found or not: