Auto Insurance Claims: Property theft claim along with car damage, car damage, bike rack


Question
I had an expensive bicycle stolen off my car. The car was damaged extensively along with the locking rack. Allstate had advised me that the rack "probably" will be covered but they were "not sure". The bike they said would "probably not" be covered but they were again "not sure" and said I should go through homeowner insurance. Once I pressed the issue I was again told "not sure". I asked more about the issue and was told "what would normally be covered would be like if you took the car and turned it upside down and shook it out anything atached to it would be covered." Well that bike was locked to the rack that locked to the car. You shake that and it will not come off. Anyway I think you are getting my point. I would like my bike covered along with the damage to the car. Any suggestions oh how to approach this?

Thx  

Answer
Your theft coverge (one of the COMPREHENSIVE perils... along with fire, vandalism and other non-COLLISION (COLL) perils) covers the owned/insured automobile and all of its equipment and items "pertinent to its operation" (spare, jack, auto tolls, etc)... that does NOT include your bike.  

The rack is a toss-up in my mind... when you say "locking rack" are you suggesting that the rack was PERMANENTLY mounted to the car?  If so, you could and should argue that it's PART of the car. If, on the other hand, it is  removeable, I would have to say it's NOT coverered.  

The fact that the bike may have been locked to the rack which might have been locked to the car does NOT buy you coverage for the bike.

Whatever is not covered (bike, rack) under your auto COMP coverage would be covered under your HO policy (subject to any HO exclusionary language and subject to your HO deductible).

The only think I see definitely covered under you auto COMP policy is any damage to the car that was a direct result of the theft of the rack/bike... that would be subject to your COMP deductible.

Hope and trust that the above answers your question(s).

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Thanks