Stolen Firearm Question...

[EnglishRedneck]

A couple of years ago I had 2 shotguns and a rifle stolen. Wife's car got broken into as well, and her purse stolen with scial security cards etc for the kids and her. Everything got investigated, fingerprinted, etc etc, and we all came to a dead end. Fortunately the insurance paid up (Nice new Sako and Beretta!)...

This morning I got a call from the detective on the case, saying they just found the social security cards for the girls, and that they are homing in on the firearms...

Question.

Since the insurance company paid out on the claim, I assume they have the right to claim any recovered property, but what happens in reality? Do they have some sort of auction proceadure? Do they just say "here, keep it"? Do they sell the black market in Mexico? What do they do?

[TMEC]

Maybe someone in the insurance business can help. Once had a rental policy that covered lost or stolen stuff and they said if lost and recovered after pay out it was mine to keep. Not sure how that works for regular home owers policy.

[swoledouglas]

I had a friend that had a 4 wheeler stolen and recovered a couple of years later. The insurance company gave him the option to buy it back (pretty cheap) or they were going to send it to auction. I am not sure if the same applies to firearms but I would guess the insurance company would give you the option to buy the guns back for a reasonable amount.

[Bill]

I'd call my insurance company. It's between you and your insurance company regarding the disposition of the property if you were reimbursed, not between you and the police department. The should give you your property back, and then you and the insurance company 'settle-up'. How the insurance company deals with the situation you'll have to ask them.

[EnglishRedneck]

Mods - Thanks for putting this back where it belongs...

Anyone have any insurance experience with this kind of thing? Can't find any signs of intelligent life at the insurance co!

[Bill]

Call you agent and say you're thinking about buying a new life insurance policy with a big bonus you just got at work. That will get you a return call, then ask your question.

[trailboss]

The guns belong to the insurance company. If they choose, they can sell them back to you for what they paid you but they don't have to. Depending on the value, they may recover them and auction them or just instruct the PD to destroy them.

Trailboss

[flatlander]

The police probably won't even know anything about the insurance deal, so it's possible that after the case is settled they will just hand the guns back to you.

What I'd be worried about is if the guns serial numbers were listed on some massive database and you had trouble if they ever got checked. Not that any LEO has ever checked a serial number on any of mt guns. But you'd want to make sure that they were cleared as recovered stolen.

JMHO. Good luck.

[EnglishRedneck]

The police probably won't even know anything about the insurance deal, so it's possible that after the case is settled they will just hand the guns back to you.

What I'd be worried about is if the guns serial numbers were listed on some massive database and you had trouble if they ever got checked. Not that any LEO has ever checked a serial number on any of mt guns. But you'd want to make sure that they were cleared as recovered stolen.

JMHO. Good luck.

I feel morally obligated to contact the insuarance guys, since they did handle everything well, am I also legally obligated? I assume yes here as well...

[glen]

The police will contact you to take possession of the firearms- just call your insurance agent and ask him what to do. I think your agent would instruct you on how to obtain or buy the guns at that point.

[Jakesfish]

Since they paid off on the items, they own them, as a rule they ( the ins co.) do not claim the firearms and they go to the incenerator.. since the police dept rarely has auctions on firearms any more, just say their gone.

[HWC]

Insurance company owns the firearms now, and they very seldom if ever claiim firearms.

If the firearms are something the police department can use they will hold a property hearing on the firearms to keep and use.

If not a property hearing will be held and a destruction order will be filed and the firearms will be destroyed.

This is the way it should be done per the law. Now how it actually is done????

But no the firearms will not be returned to the streets, possible the insurance may say give back to original owner but probably won't happen.

[traffic]

Had a gun stolen and it was later recovered. I called the insurance company (State Farm) and was told that they have no use or means of handling firearms. I was told that I could claim the weapon back from the police department and keep the weapon if I so choose. I got the persons name and information with the company and reclaimed my weapon. It may vary from company to company or time to time. The insurance companies probably do not want to have to deal with having to be a FFL to handle the weapons.