What Proof Do Insurers Really Require After a Theft?

The break-in has happened, the police report is filed — and then comes the question that decides every euro: “Can you prove that?” This is exactly where many claims fall apart. Not because the items were never there, but because nothing can be substantiated. A list from memory is not proof.

Why “I had it with me” isn’t enough

Insurers don’t settle a claim on your word — that’s not distrust, it’s standard. Without solid proof, the value you report stays a claim, and claims get cut or refused when in doubt. Anyone who has documented cleanly, item by item, instead turns the loss into a clear case: traceable, verifiable, fast.

The three proofs: ownership, value, possession

“Proof” isn’t a single thing. When you claim, it comes down to three questions you should be able to substantiate separately:

1. Proof of ownership — was it yours?

The classic is a purchase invoice in your name. An order confirmation, a bank statement showing the payment, a warranty or registration document also prove you were the owner. A photo alone rarely does — it shows the device existed, not that it belonged to you.

2. Proof of value — what was it worth?

Here the purchase price with a date is what counts, because that’s what the depreciated value (or, depending on your policy, the replacement value) is calculated from. An invoice, a till receipt or an online order showing the price are ideal. With used or gifted items it gets trickier — more on that below.

3. Proof of possession — was it really on board?

The most underrated point. Even if you can prove an e-bike is yours, you have to make it credible that it was in the camper at the time of the theft. Time-stamped photos, a well-kept inventory list and — ideally — documentation showing what was recorded on board and when all help here.

This exact package — name, serial number, receipt, photo, time stamp — is the proof insurers talk about. For a step-by-step guide to setting up such a list cleanly, see our guide to the motorhome inventory list.

Which policy actually pays

Proof only helps if the loss is actually insured. For valuables carried in the camper, it’s often not the vehicle or home contents policy that applies, but a separate contents or camping-contents insurance — a solution the GDV (the German insurers’ association) also points to. What applies in detail, and why “my home contents already covers that” is usually a mistake, is in our guide to home contents insurance for a motorhome. Which cover fits you is best clarified directly with your insurer.

How to lose no time when it counts

Once it has happened, speed and order are everything. The acute steps — securing the scene, filing the report, the list of losses — are in the plan “Motorhome broken into — what to do?”. But the decisive advantage is built beforehand: anyone who has already documented item by item assembles the full proof in minutes instead of weeks.

That’s exactly what CamperProof is built for: you record each item with serial number, purchase value, photo and time stamp — and if the worst happens, you have a structured, time-stamped PDF report for insurance and police together in minutes. “I had it with me” becomes solid proof.