Ann Arbor, Michigan, Area Lawyer for Car Theft Victims
Unfortunately, car theft is common in Michigan. According to a report to our state legislature by Michigan's Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA), the number of reported vehicle thefts for 2005 was over 48,000.
Statistics or estimates of how many stolen car insurance claims are wrongfully denied would be hard to come by. I have seen enough, however, to say it happens more than you might think.
If your car was stolen and your insurance company refused to pay your claim, please contact me, attorney John Bredell, to discuss your legal options.
Car theft in Michigan — specifically in the Detroit metro and Wayne County — has been recognized as a serious problem for decades. Many initiatives have been launched to address the problem and educate the public. Some are sponsored by insurance companies, which have an obvious interest in reducing a criminal problem that requires them to pay out money to those with comprehensive insurance coverage.
Who Steals Cars, and How Many Get Caught?
Who steals cars in Michigan? Certainly, there are organized rings that target vehicles for chop shops. There are individual "joy-riders" and serious criminal offenders. Car theft is definitely more common in urban areas, but it happens in every Southeast Michigan city and county.
According to material published by the Insurance Information Institute, arrests cleared less than 13 percent of reported car thefts across the U.S. in 2006. Not only is this a difficult crime to solve, it is often noted that pure "property crimes" cannot be prioritized over catching violent offenders and maintaining order in the community.
What Can I Do After a Claim Denial?
With so many of these crimes remaining unsolved, many insurers' response is to look for reasons to deny customers' claims. In many cases, they insist that the owner/policy holder "stole," burned or damaged his or her own car to collect money. In the many cases I have handled, juries have decided otherwise.
Right now, if your auto theft loss claim has been unjustly denied, you have an insurance dispute on your hands. You may feel desperate and intimidated.
If you want to explore whether a lawsuit will accomplish what reason and negotiation cannot, please contact me today. I offer a free informative consultation to assess your case and help you decide what to do.
