Property · Insurance Term
Theft (Burglary)
Definition
Theft is the taking of property without permission. Commercial property policies often cover theft of your business property, but with important limits: certain valuables may have small sublimits, employee theft is usually excluded, and under the common vacancy condition, theft is not covered once the building has been vacant more than 60 consecutive days.
In Plain English
Broad property forms usually include theft as a covered cause of loss, subject to conditions. Burglary, meaning a break-in with visible signs of forced entry, is sometimes treated differently from theft without evidence of how it happened.
Common limits include sublimits for items like jewelry, precious metals or patterns, and exclusions for missing property discovered only through an inventory count. Theft by your own employees is usually left to commercial crime insurance.
Under the common vacancy clause, theft and attempted theft are not covered if the building was vacant for more than 60 consecutive days before the loss. A monitored central station alarm may be required by some policies or help with terms.
Not sure how your policy handles this? Have us review it, or get a quote.
Example
Hypothetical: thieves break into a convenience store overnight and steal $8,000 of cigarettes and other stock and damage the door. With a $2,500 deductible, a policy covering theft might pay about $5,500 plus door repairs, subject to any sublimits.
What to Watch For
- Check for theft sublimits on items you stock, such as tobacco or electronics.
- Report thefts to police promptly and keep the report number.
- Confirm any alarm warranty in your policy and keep the system working.
- Watch vacancy periods, which can remove theft coverage.
Last updated October 14, 2026 · Primesure editorial team · How We Write