Stolen car trailer from secure storage facility using someone else's access code

[William19]

My custom enclosed car trailer was stolen from a supposed secure storage facility on May 1, 2018. The code used by the thief was from another tenant who is renting a storage space in the same facility. When I first purchased the trailer in July of 2017, I went to obtain insurance on it with my former idiotic car insurance company, who shall remain nameless at this juncture. They informed me the trailer is always covered when it's attached to my truck. That made perfect sense to me as it's not going to move on its own accord and will only move when towed behind my truck. They went no further and since this was my first trailer and being a bit naïve, I left it at that. I declined the insurance waiver at the storage facility thinking I had full coverage on the trailer through my insurance company. I changed insurance companies since then but did not inquire about the trailer with the new company "since it will always be covered when towed behind my truck". I contacted my current insurance company after the theft, who sadly informed me the trailer needed to have a specific individual policy to be covered...just like I thought when I contacted the idiotic company the first time about a policy on it. Since it was stolen from the "secure" facility, I declined the insurance waiver and I apparently have no insurance on it through my own carrier, do I have any recourse to recover the loss of the trailer through the storage facility since the thief gained access using someone else's access code?

 

[Zigner]

Your recourse is against the thief.

I don't understand your animosity towards the first insurance carrier. Under that policy, your trailer would have been covered when attached to the truck. You changed to a different insurance company with a different policy that no longer covers the trailer unless it has its own policy. The first insurance cannot speak for the second insurance company.

 

[xylene]

Where, (what state) did this occur in?

 

[William19]

I'm in Las Vegas, Nevada.

My animosity towards my prior insurance company is because they didn't offer me a full policy when the trailer WOULDN'T be attached to the truck, which would be most of the time. Again, I was naive and didn't pursue it any further thinking that since it's covered while being towed, then it must be covered at all times since it couldn't be moved without being attached to a truck. They also screwed me on another issue, bit that's another subject altogether.

My current company asked for the specific trailer policy number right away, which makes sense. It sounds like they would have offered me a full policy, not just cover it when in motion attached to a truck.

Thank you for your quick respose.

 

[Zigner]

Because you were told the trailer was covered when it was attached, it's a logical assumption that it's not covered when it's not attached. I'm sorry, but I really don't think the insurance companies are to blame on this one.

 

[xylene]

Trailers are highly mobile, easy to steal and easy to alter to give the appearance of being another vehicle or new vehicle for fraudulent title and/or registration purposes.

This is why trailer insurance is hard to get, restrictive in its coverage, subject to myriad exclusions, and shockingly expensive.

I'm very sorry about your loss. Unless there are more facts at hand, like they were involved in the crime,I'm inclined to beleive you have no cause of action against the storage facility, and I would be very surprised if your contract with them did not disclaim any liability for theft and put you on specific notice of the risk of theft and the need to secure your property.

Was anything securing the trailer other than a common code?

 

[William19]

Trailers are highly mobile, easy to steal and easy to alter to give the appearance of being another vehicle or new vehicle for fraudulent title and/or registration purposes.

This is why trailer insurance is hard to get, restrictive in its coverage, subject to myriad exclusions, and shockingly expensive.

I'm very sorry about your loss. Unless there are more facts at hand, like they were involved in the crime,I'm inclined to beleive you have no cause of action against the storage facility, and I would be very surprised if your contract with them did not disclaim any liability for theft and put you on specific notice of the risk of theft and the need to secure your property.

Was anything securing the trailer other than a common code?

I do understand what you're saying. However, I don't understand the term common code. I did look it up on Dictionary.com and it didn't pull it up. I had it securely locked up with all of the appropriate and thickest locks possible for the tongue/crank/stand and rear folding ramp, and I always made sure the double locked side door was locked. I had etched the VIN in several places but a pro would be able to find all of them and erase all of them. I saw the video and the guy was in and out in no time so he has done this before. Mine was also not the only trailer stolen from this same facility as another nearly identical trailer was stolen (only with expensive business equipment inside) around the same time as mine.

 

[Zigner]

"Common code" means that each occupant of the building had the same code to enter the building.

 

[William19]

Ah...no, we each had our own code to enter the property. Property management proved he used the code of someone else. They called the man whose code thatq was used. He denied giving his code to anyone else and denied knowing anyone with a truck like the one drove out with my trailer.

 

[xylene]

If the codes are unique, then how did the thief use this code to get into your storage bay?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Assuming they are 4 digit codes there are 9999 of them. They can be guessed. But calling the person and asking them is hardly proof that he wasn't involved.

 

[William19]

It's a parking lot where the trailers and motor coaches are located...some covered...some not...next to the buildings for the locked storage units. That's why the other guy and I are waiting for the police to do their thing.

I'd just like to know if I have any kind of leg to stand on, especially if, let's say, someone from the storage place was possibly involved.

 

[justalayman]

Unless you can prove somebody in addition to the theif was in involved, your sole recourse is against the thief.

 

[William19]

Thank you.

 

[xylene]

The level of physical security provided by this facility was apparently fairly low. An inside job is unlikely for the simple fact that it was basically unnecessary. I hope the police catch the crook and you recover your trailer. Good luck.