The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Insurancequiet-newt-869

Personal stuff went missing from my car after insurance towed it — anyone dealt with this?

So my car got wrecked about three weeks ago when someone ran a red light and hit me pretty hard on the driver's side. After all the back and forth with the other driver's insurance, they finally sent someone out to look at my car and called it a total loss earlier this week.

Here's where it gets frustrating. They arranged a tow without really giving me a clear heads-up on the timeline, and by the time I got to retrieve my stuff, my car had already been moved to some salvage facility across town. When I finally got access to it, my portable GPS unit and a small bag of tools I keep in the trunk were just... gone. Nobody touched it except the tow company and the lot.

I asked the insurance rep and she basically said "talk to the tow company." Tow company said "we don't inventory personal items, talk to the lot." The lot said "we just received it, not our problem."

It's not a massive financial loss but it's the principle of it — those were MY belongings in MY car, and now they've just vanished into thin air while these companies play hot potato with accountability.

Has anyone gone through something like this? Did you actually get anywhere trying to recover the value of personal items? Should I be filing a police report? Writing formal complaints somewhere? I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels and nobody cares.

11replies

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11 replies

  • 16
    tidy-finch-607

    File a police report today. I know it feels like overkill for a GPS but it creates a paper trail. Without it, everyone will keep pointing fingers forever. Also send a certified letter to the tow company and the lot itemizing what's missing and its approximate value. Make them respond formally.

  • 11
    genuine-beaver-610

    Insurance companies love the runaround when it comes to personal belongings because they know most people give up. Your auto policy almost certainly doesn't cover personal items inside the car — that usually falls under renters or homeowners insurance. But that doesn't let the tow company off the hook. They have a duty of care once your property is in their custody. Don't let them gaslight you into thinking this is normal.

    • 6
      mellow-sidewalk749

      Saving this whole thread. Really appreciate the honesty here.

  • 19
    steady-newt-418

    Honestly speaking from the other side — the hand-off between a tow company and a salvage lot is where stuff disappears most often, and everyone knows it. The adjuster probably isn't lying when she says she doesn't know, but she also isn't going to chase it down for you. You have to be the squeaky wheel. Ask your adjuster specifically whether the tow was arranged by them or the other carrier, because that determines who's contractually responsible for that company's conduct.

    • 10
      tired-passenger258

      Same boat here. Did anyone mention a deadline to watch out for?

  • 7
    daring-crane-282

    A few practical steps: First, write down everything you remember that was in the car with approximate replacement values — do this now before memory fades. Second, request the tow log and intake sheet from the salvage lot; they are usually required to document vehicle condition on arrival. If there's a discrepancy between what the tow company handed over and what's on that intake sheet, you have something concrete. Small claims court is also a real option here if the amount is worth it in your state.

  • 13
    sharp-stoat-918

    That's so stressful on top of already dealing with accident stuff. I'm sorry. You're already going through enough without having to chase down your own belongings. Hope you get some resolution — you deserve it.

    • 7
      gentle-optimist648

      This is really helpful — thank you for posting it.

  • 15
    clear-vole-531

    Do you have any proof the items were actually in the car at the time of the tow? Like photos, receipts, anything? I'm not saying you're wrong, just that without some documentation it's going to be really hard to get anyone to pay out. What did the tow company say when you asked them directly whether their driver inventoried the cab and trunk?

  • 13
    swift-crow-965

    Not legal advice, but tow companies are often licensed and bonded, and that bond exists partly for situations like this. Your state's DMV or transportation authority may have a complaint process specifically for tow companies — worth a quick search. If the combined value of what's missing clears the small claims threshold in your state, that's also a low-cost avenue. The key is documentation and acting quickly.

  • 17
    quiet-stoat-563

    Ugh, this happened to me almost exactly. Sunglasses, a phone charger, and a gym bag just evaporated between the tow and the salvage yard. I filed a complaint with the tow company in writing and CC'd my insurance rep — suddenly they were a lot more responsive. Didn't get everything back but I got a small reimbursement. Put everything in writing, don't just call.