Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Warns Against Porch Piracy

Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready is encouraging residents to take precautions against porch piracy as the winter holiday season nears.

According to C + R Research, 230 million Americans will be shopping online this year, and 43% cite themselves as victims of package theft.

In 2020, Oklahoma lawmakers passed the Porch Piracy Act, which enforcing stricter penalties against porch pirates including up to two years in prison or up to a $5,000 fine.

Mulready suggests Oklahomans take these additional steps to prevent theft from occurring:

• Consider Shipping Insurance Shipping insurance is sold by postal services, courier companies and shipping insurance companies. Not all insurers will cover all goods. However, if you’re ordering high-value items online, you may purchase shipping insurance to ensure delivery.
• Give Specific Instructions Instead of having deliveries left unsecured at your front door, you can instruct drivers to leave a package at a back door, with a building superintendent, in a coded lockbox or with neighbors. You can also have deliveries placed on hold and request a specific delivery time. Most, but not all, of these services are free.
• Install Security Camera or Doorbell Camera Security cameras or video doorbells can also come in handy. The mere presence of these cameras or smart doorbells may be enough to ward off the potential package thieves. Even if it doesn’t, you’ll at least have evidence for a police report. Bonus: installing these cameras may qualify you for a homeowners insurance discount.
• Sign Up for Tracking Notifications Most carriers offer package tracking services and text or email alerts to know when a delivery will be made so that you can adjust your schedule accordingly. Sign up for text or email notifications to check your delivery status.

If a package is stolen, Oklahomans are encouraged to do the following:

• Contact the Seller — File a claim with the seller and ask for a replacement.
• Contact the Shipping Company — File a claim with the postal service that shipped your package. FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL and Amazon have a claim-filing system to help you track down your package.
• Check Your Credit Card — Many credit cards have purchase protection covering lost or stolen items. Make sure you use a credit card to purchase the item.
• File an Insurance Claim — Your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance may cover mail theft. Remember that filing a claim only makes sense for high-value packages worth more than your policy’s deductible.

Source: Oklahoma Insurance Department

Topics Oklahoma