Phiwath Jittamas/Getty Images Too often, safely parked cars are broken into or stripped for parts as owners sleep, work, and shop. As a concerned driver, you may find yourself wanting to protect yourself from becoming a victim of that sort of car cannibalization. Well, just like in the case of the theft of your whole car, parts and personal belongings left in your vehicle might be protected under your insurance policy. But it depends on the type of insurance you have and the circumstances around the incident. In the U.S., a stolen vehicle is typically covered with comprehensive insurance. This policy protects you against a range of risks, including theft and damage caused by theft. And you'll also be allowed to claim losses related to the theft of parts that are permanently fitted to the car from the factory — including those mostly likely to be stolen, such as catalytic converters. However, personal belongings taken from within a vehicle are often excluded, though this may differ from one insurer to the next. Some insurance companies would include cover for theft of personal effects as part of a standard auto policy for those who want it, with a claim limit of a few hundred dollars. That's exactly the case for Erie Insurance, which was ranked by Consumer Reports as one of the best car insurance companies out there. But this appears to be the exception rather than the rule. In most cases, theft of valuable possessions from a car would likely be covered by the personal property coverage in homeowners or renters insurance policies, according to Allstate. Protecting your vehicle parts and personal belongings through comprehensive or renters insurance Nutthaseth Vanchaichana/Getty Images If parts are stolen from your vehicle, car insurance providers will typically allow you to claim theft compensation through comprehensive insurance. But they have to be permanently-fitted parts that came with the vehicle when it was originally manufactured. If you have a modified car, comprehensive insurance would not usually cover you if it's shredded by thieves. Though, there are a number of policy add-ons available that can help protect aftermarket and custom parts. As noted, renters insurance is normally superior to car insurance in terms of the coverage it offers for personal belongings. Most insurers cover them even if they were stolen from inside the vehicle, but you could potentially opt for higher tiers of coverage for high-value items. That's true for the United Services Automobile Association, which includes theft of personal belongings in its homeowners or renters package but also has a standalone Valuable Personal Property (VPP) policy. That policy covers expensive personal items, such as cameras, jewelry, watches, and other prized possessions that traditional homeowners or renters insurance may not fully cover. As both are contents insurance policies – as in, they cover the "contents" of your home or car — VPP and renters insurance do not usually cover theft of the vehicle itself or its parts. This means that if your car gets stolen and your personal items are inside, you will need to file two separate claims. One will go through your auto insurance, and the other goes through your renters, homeowners, or VPP insurance.