Catalytic converter theft is normally covered if you have comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance policy. Comprehensive coverage will usually cover the cost of replacing the stolen catalytic converter as well as any damage caused by its removal.
What happens if someone steals my catalytic converter?
“During the pandemic, we’ve noticed a considerable increase.” It’s a case of opportunism. According to David Glawe, the group’s president and CEO, “as the value of the precious metals contained within the catalytic converters continues to rise, so does the number of thefts of these devices.”
Experts warn that depending on the state of the catalytic converter and the automobile it was stolen from, thieves can make up to $1,000 for one.
Your catalytic converter has been stolen, and you’ve discovered it. What should you do first?
“Don’t drive it,” warns David Bennett, the Automobile Association of America’s manager of repair systems. “I’ll have it hauled.”
A car may run without a catalytic converter, according to mechanics, but it will be highly noisy and emit fumes both inside and outside the vehicle. Thieves generally use a power saw or blowtorch to cut the part off from beneath the vehicle, and if they do a hatchet job, they may damage other systems as well, potentially impairing the vehicle’s driveability.
The following call should be to the insurance provider once the car is safely at the repair facility.
Can you claim for stolen catalytic converter?
Is theft of a catalytic converter covered by your insurance? It depends on your insurance policy, but if the theft is covered, you’ll need to think about the excess you’ll have to pay. If the claim exceeds the value of your car, the insurance company will write it off.
Which cars are most likely to have catalytic converter stolen?
Vehicles with Low Emissions A robber selling to a scrap yard will make more money if there is a larger concentration of these valuable precious metals. The Toyota Prius, a popular low-emissions vehicle, has the highest rate of catalytic converter theft.
Is catalytic converter theft covered by insurance Geico?
Is GEICO insurance coverage for catalytic converter theft? If you have comprehensive coverage, GEICO will cover the cost of replacing your catalytic converter as well as any damage incurred as a result of its removal. Theft and vandalism are clearly covered under GEICO’s complete policy.
Is theft of a catalytic converter covered by AAA insurance? If your catalytic converter is stolen, AAA will pay replacement and repairs if you have comprehensive coverage.
Is State Farm insurance going to cover theft of a catalytic converter? Catalytic converter theft should be covered under State Farm’s comprehensive coverage, which is identical to most auto insurance providers’ plans.
Is catalytic converter theft covered by Progressive? Progressive will cover the replacement of the catalytic converter as well as any theft-related repairs if you have comprehensive coverage.
Can a car run without a catalytic converter?
Yes, technically. Before catalytic converters became prevalent in the 1970s, older cars operated perfectly fine. So, if you’re wondering whether your car will run without one, the answer is yes. In addition, an O2 sensor is installed just behind each light-off catalyst to monitor the exhaust stream.
How much should I pay for a catalytic converter?
The average cost of replacing a catalytic converter ranges from $1000 to $2500, depending on the grade of catalytic converter you choose and the type of vehicle you drive.
How long does it take to steal a catalytic converter?
The consensus was that stealing the part from the car’s underbelly took no more than 5-10 minutes. The procedure of stealing a catalytic converter is so quick and silent that car owners are unaware until they start their car and hear a loud rattling if this car part has been taken.
Why do thieves steal catalytic converters?
A tiny layer of rhodiuma chemically inert, corrosion-resistant metalhas been applied to this piece of jewelry. It shields the silver and gives it a lustrous sheen.
Since 1975, rhodium has been an essential component in every car sold in the United States.
It’s part of a system that filters contaminants and keeps them out of the atmosphere.
It’s also why criminals are slicing off catalytic converters across the United States in order to get their hands on a few precious grams of the world’s most valuable metal.
Due to widespread public pressure, the United States Congress passed the “Clean Air Act” of 1970, which established nationwide standards for air quality.
One of the goals of these regulations was to reduce hazardous emissions from automobiles, with a 90 percent reduction from pre-1968 levels by the 1975 model year.
The current three-way catalytic converter was created by engineers and researchers at Engelhard Industries and Corning Glassworks.
The converter is located between the exhaust manifold and the muffler.
Its goal is to eliminate carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons (or unburned gasoline), and nitrous oxides, three dangerous types of emissions.
On standard fuel vehicles, the converter is straightforward: a stainless steel shell surrounds a ceramic honeycomb monolith, which is coated in three precious metals: platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
The metals in this honeycomb heat up and function as catalysts, converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, unburned hydrocarbons to H20 and C02, and nitrous oxides to nitrogen and carbon dioxide as the exhaust goes through.
Because these metals, particularly rhodium, are so stable and durable, they can fulfill this role for an extraordinarily long time while incurring little performance degradation.
However, as effective as Rhodium is in catalyzing automotive exhaust, it has one major disadvantage: expense.
Morris Bullock: Precious metals are extremely valuable, and they are valuable because they are rare – that is, they have a low abundance on Earth.
Precious metals include the platinum group metals, which include ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, platinum, osmium, and iridium, as well as other metals that are more widely known, such as gold and silver.
To give you an example, the earth abundance of rhodium, which is one of the metals used in catalytic converters, is on the order of 1 part per billion. For example, the quantity of iron on Earth is roughly 5%.
Even as demand for rhodium, palladium, and platinum increased around the world, closed mines and refineries produced a major supply imbalance.
It’s a perfect storm, with prices for all of these precious metals, especially rhodium, skyrocketing.
And if carmakers can’t get these metals from mines, they’ll have to rely on recycling.
It’s major business since recycled platinum group metals account for a large share of the precious group metals used by American car manufacturers.
That means there’s money to be made on the street:
Ben Garcia: They’re no longer violent crimes, and they’re no longer crimes against people, so they’re classified as property crimes rather than violent crimes. Property crimes cannot be given the same level of attention that violent crimes receive. Without particular marks on the catalytic converters themselves, it’s impossible to tell if they came from your automobile or someone else’s.
Wang, Yong: Because the engine is not operating all of the time with a hybrid, the temperature is even lower. So, how do you go about it? With current technology, you just add more catalysts, which necessitates the addition of more Rhodium, resulting in a severe scarcity.
So, what can be done about it? Robinson:
Electric vehicles are one option because they produce no emissions.
Wang: Light-duty cars currently account for one billion automobiles worldwide, with that number expected to quadruple by 2040. It’s not going to happen overnight to replace all of those automobiles with batteries.
Robinson: Reducing our reliance on these metals will improve the environment as well as diminish demand for thieves.
Bullock: We’re doing a lot of basic research on how to design new catalysts for reactions that are currently catalyzed by precious metals using earth plentiful metals like iron or nickel.
Robinson: Until then, Rhodium will remain in our cars, making it a potential target for thieves trying to make a quick buck off the world’s most valuable metal.
Which cars are least likely to have catalytic converters stolen?
Those that keep the device in the engine bay are less likely to be robbed. Because the catalytic converters in older cars contain significantly more precious metals than those in newer cars, they are more likely to be targeted.