State Farm, after paying our first catalytic converter theft claim on our 2016 Prius in October for $2,850, denied the second theft claim three weeks after the first repair citing "increased risk of loss" and offered $850 conditioned on installing an aftermarket converter with a 12,000-mile warranty on a car with 190,000 miles, refused to authorize the OEM part our dealer said the emissions system required to pass Illinois inspection, and told us on a recorded line that "your policy does not guarantee any specific part," which is true and also not the question we asked. Forced a $4,200 OEM replacement plus a $600 anti-theft shield reimbursement using the catalytic converter theft recovery framework: the police report done right, the OEM parts entitlement fight, the aftermarket rejection in writing, the DOI complaint that unlocked the file, and the small claims lever. the complete 11-week playbook from second theft to check.
the second theft happened 22 days after the first repair, in a Metra park-and-ride lot in Cook County, in daylight, and the sound of a reciprocating saw cutting a cat pipe is now a sound i can...