It’s a thing you never want to experience: for a short moment in time you fail to keep your eyes on your valuables and then your wallet or handbag is gone without a trace. This especially happens when you feel too safe at a public place or when you visit places that are massively crowded. When you realize your loss you need to act fast and in the right way.
What to do if your wallet or handbag is stolen in Germany?
The immediate reaction should always be to call the police (via 110 or a local phone number if you know it) and to disable all stolen bank cards and credit cards. This should be done fast to prevent the risk of misuse and further financial loss. Calling the police is necessary to request punishment of the thief, get the chance to find the evildoer for example by evaluating video surveillance material and to document your loss. You’ll need to get a lot of official documents again and this is cheaper when the documents have been stolen and not only lost.
With buying a new wallet and requesting all these documents you should wait some days. Typically thieves take out the money and throw the rest away – if you are lucky your stuff will be found. Make a list what was inside: is your smartphone gone? Then you should call your mobile network operator to lock the SIM card immediately. Were your keys inside and also a hint where you are living? Then you should replace the lock inside your front door.
If you don’t get your stuff back you need to get a new identity card from the local authority (‘Einwohnermeldeamt‘), a new drivers license (from the ‘Führerscheinstelle‘), maybe new documents that show the ownership of your car (from the ‘Kfz-Zulassungsstelle‘). Always state that the documents have been stolen and provide proof from the police to lower the costs. You might need to inform railway companies and local public transport authorities if your BahnCard or monthly ticket is lost. Inform your health insurance to get a new card. And last but not least you could inform loyalty card programs and customer rewards programs.
Does an insurance pay for the costs you are having? That depends on what happened. If you failed to keep an eye on your valuables no insurance will pay. But if your stuff has been taken during a robbery or if it has been stolen from your home during a burglary you might have coverage. Check with your insurance companies.