If you can't find your car, take a deep breath and follow the steps below. We'll help alleviate your stress by guiding you through the process.

1. Contact the police

Inform the police as soon as possible about the theft. This increases your chances of finding your vehicle. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or NICB, 35% of stolen vehicles are recovered the same day they were stolen, and 45% are recovered within two days.

When you call the cops, be ready to provide the following information:

• Car make, model and color.
• License plate number.
• VIN stands for vehicle identification number.
• Where the car was parked at the time of the theft, as well as a description of the surrounding area
• Approximate time the vehicle was stolen.
• Whether your car has a GPS system.

2. Call your car insurance company

Your auto insurer should be your next call after the police. Make a copy of your police report available. It should be noted that in some cases, you may not be able to file an insurance claim without a police report. An insurer may request additional information, such as the contact information of anyone who had access to the vehicle and the location of all car keys.

Be aware that not all auto insurance policies cover a stolen vehicle.

Only comprehensive insurance policies, which pay out for most incidents except a car accident, will cover a stolen vehicle. Your carrier will not reimburse you if you only have the bare minimum of coverage.

3. Contact your home or renters insurance provider

It's possible that not only your car was stolen. You might have had valuable items in your car, such as jewelry, a laptop computer, or a cell phone.

However, car insurance does not cover any stolen personal items. Rather, your best bet for reimbursement is through your homeowners or renters insurance. This means that, even if you've already contacted your auto insurer, you'll need to contact your home or renters insurance provider to file a separate claim for your stolen belongings.

4. Reach out to your financial institutions

If you have an auto loan or lease, notify your lender as soon as possible to report the theft.

You'll also need to determine whether you had any personal information-containing documents in your car, such as your vehicle registration. If this is the case, you should consider placing a temporary fraud alert on your credit records by contacting one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. You won't need to call all three because whichever company you contact will notify the other two.

Similarly, if you believe your credit or debit cards have been stolen, contact your lenders.

5. Prepare yourself, no matter the outcome

In most cases, insurers will process an auto claim 72 hours after the theft if the vehicle is recovered. Unless you have rental reimbursement coverage, you are responsible for paying for your own alternative transportation during that time.

If you file a claim for a stolen car, you won't have to worry about a significant increase in your auto insurance rates.

This is because, unlike with a DUI, you aren’t considered to be at fault for a stolen vehicle, explains Angela Ripley, president of VW Brown Insurance Service, an independent insurance agency in Maryland. There is, however, a catch. You may lose any previous claim-free discount, which may cause your rates to rise.

If your car isn’t recovered

If your vehicle is not found and you have comprehensive insurance, your insurer will reimburse you for the value of your vehicle at the time it was stolen. A deductible is also applied to comprehensive claims (a dollar amount that gets subtracted from a claim payout). This means that if your car was worth $15,000 at the time of theft and you have a $1,000 deductible, you will be paid $14,000.

An insurance adjuster uses a variety of tools to determine the value of your vehicle, including recent service records and receipts for any repair work. So, to get the best estimate possible, share any evidence you have with your insurer.

Based on an adjuster's evaluation, a car is usually classified as "fair," "good," or "great." "If you can show that the vehicle was well-maintained and in good condition — perhaps with a photo — [the adjuster] will probably say 'great,'" says Ripley.

If your car is found

The police are usually the first to discover a missing vehicle, according to the NICB. The police will seize it and contact you so you can retrieve it. Inform the police if you happen to find your car first.

Contact your insurance company right away, regardless of who finds your car. When your car is discovered after a claim is paid, your insurer owns it. If you haven't purchased a replacement yet, you may be able to buy your car back.

If your recovered vehicle contains any personal items that you previously reported stolen to your home or renters insurance company, contact them to notify them that you have received your belongings. This allows it to update your claim and notify you of the next steps.

If your vehicle is discovered while your claim is being processed, have it inspected to ensure it is safe to drive in case any parts are missing. You should also use a flashlight to look for any items that aren't yours in your vehicle. This could include illegal drugs or items associated with criminal activity. Inform the police about anything you discover.

Also, if your car is damaged as a result of the theft, your comprehensive insurance will cover the repairs, minus your deductible.