Step by step: what to do if your car is stolen in France

If your car is stolen in France there are specific steps you must take to report the theft and, if you are eligible, claim compensation.

Contact the police

The first thing you need to do if the theft has just happened is to contact the police by calling 17. 

Otherwise, you need to contact a police station or gendarmerie as soon as you find out to report the theft and file the complaint. 

However, before doing so, it is good to check that the vehicle has not been impounded. If it was stolen from a garage, leave everything untouched until the police arrive, as they may be able to collect evidence such as fingerprints.

If the vehicle has a GPS tracker you can inform officers about it. 

Only the vehicle's owner can file a complaint. This means that if you have lent the car to a friend or family member and it was stolen, you still need to be the one to file the complaint. 

If the registration certificate, insurance documents or driving licence were also stolen, this should be mentioned in the report.

File a complaint

The next step is to file a complaint which can be made at any police station or gendarmerie, regardless of where the theft took place. 

If the perpetrator is unknown, the complaint can be filed online, although they might be asked to attend in person to provide further details. If the victim knows the perpetrator’s identity, then the complaint needs to be filed in person at a police station or gendarmerie, or by writing to the public prosecutor. 

It is also important to keep in mind that there is no theft among immediate family as family rules apply.

Notify your insurer

After filing the complaint, the theft must then be reported to the insurance company within the deadline specified in the policy, which must allow at least two working days from the theft or from when the owner became aware of it. 

The insurer may request a copy of the police complaint, so it is good to request one after filing it. Reporting the theft also helps protect the owner from liability if the stolen vehicle is involved in an accident or used to damage property.

If the vehicle was stolen from the owner's home, their home insurance may also cover damage caused during the theft, depending on the policy.

Claim compensation

If the insured vehicle has not been recovered within the period specified in the policy, usually one month, the owner may be able to claim compensation.

The insurer will usually require the vehicle's keys and registration certificate (certificat d'immatriculation, which used to be called carte grise) in return for payment.

If insurance compensation is unavailable, victims may be eligible to apply to France's Commission d'indemnisation des victimes d'infractions (Civi). However, this is subject to conditions, including the theft having serious consequences for the victim and their income remaining below certain limits.

The registration certificate remains valid if the vehicle is recovered.

Here is a list of the steps to remember in our graph below: