You hop out of your car, run inside for a quick errand, and come back to an empty parking space. Your heart drops. Then comes the dreaded realization: you left the keys in the ignition. Now the big question hits: Will your car insurance cover this?

In most cases, yes. If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurance should still cover the incident. That’s the part of your policy designed to handle things like fire, vandalism, natural disasters, and yes, theft. It doesn’t usually matter if you left the keys inside or even if you forgot to lock the doors.

That said, car insurance companies aren’t in the habit of handing out checks without a few questions

Leaving your keys in the car could raise red flags. They may investigate to make sure there’s no fraud involved. After all, it’s not unheard of for someone to “lose” a car that way.

Still, being careless isn’t the same as being criminal. If your story checks out and you’ve got the proper coverage, the insurer should honor the claim. Just be ready to provide a police report and possibly a statement explaining the situation.

Now, if you only have liability coverage, you’re out of luck

Liability car insurance doesn’t cover your vehicle. It only pays for damage or injury you cause to someone else. So if your vehicle gets stolen and you don’t have comprehensive coverage, you’re footing the bill.

What about personal belongings inside the car?

That’s a different story. Car insurance usually doesn’t cover stolen items like laptops, phones, or bags. For that, you’d need to file a claim with your renters or homeowners insurance.

Of course, this is all assuming the thief actually takes the car. If they just rummage through it, grab your stuff, and run, that’s not theft of the vehicle. It’s considered a break-in, and again, comprehensive coverage would be what you’d rely on for any damage.

Leaving your keys in the car isn’t a great idea

But it doesn’t automatically void your car insurance protection. As long as you’ve got comprehensive coverage and can show it wasn’t an inside job, your insurer should have your back. Just maybe next time, take the extra two seconds to grab your keys.