Brooklyn Homeowners Face the Reality: Package Theft Is Surging and Your Insurance Policy Needs to Keep Up

Brooklyn residents are increasingly finding themselves victims of a growing crime trend that’s costing the city nearly $1 billion annually. Despite a decline in reports in 2024, the total value of stolen packages in the city is estimated to be close to $1 billion, with package theft in NYC resulting in an estimated $945 million in losses in 2024. As delivery volumes continue to surge and package theft hotspots Brooklyn concentrate around large apartment buildings without doormen, homeowners are discovering that their insurance coverage needs to evolve to address this modern threat.

The Scale of Brooklyn’s Package Theft Problem

The numbers paint a stark picture of the challenge facing Brooklyn residents. Local data from the New York City Department of Transportation show that about 80% of city households receive at least one package per week and 20% receive four or more; more than 90,000 packages are reported stolen or lost every day. This represents a significant increase from previous years, with New Yorkers filing more than 74,000 complaints for stolen packages over the past five years, and calls to the police about package theft spike 45% during the holiday season.

The problem has become so pervasive that Assembly Bill A2116, introduced in January 2025, seeks to amend New York’s penal law so that stealing a package from a porch, driveway or doorway after delivery would constitute a felony. If passed, this law could impose harsher penalties on porch pirates and help deter package theft in NYC.

How Traditional Homeowners Insurance Addresses Package Theft

The good news for Brooklyn homeowners is that theft is a named peril under Coverage C (Contents) of your policy, meaning if someone breaks into your home and steals your valuables, your insurance should cover the loss. This coverage extends beyond just items stolen from inside your home. Home insurance can also cover theft of property away from your home. Your policy protects your items if they’re stolen while traveling, from a car, a storage unit, or even a dorm room. For example, if someone steals your laptop at a café, your insurance will cover it up to the limits of your personal property coverage.

However, there are important limitations to understand. Theft away from home is generally limited to 10% of your total personal property coverage, and while standard homeowners insurance policies typically cover theft, the financial reality of high deductibles often means that filing a claim for a stolen package is not financially prudent or worthwhile.

Insurance Industry Adaptations to Rising Package Theft

Recognizing the growing threat of package theft, insurance companies are beginning to adapt their offerings. Nationwide offers optional coverages, like Brand New Belongings, which pays to repair or replace your covered belongings without deduction for depreciation, regardless of age or condition, to provide you with extra protection in the event of theft. This type of replacement cost coverage is becoming increasingly important as package theft continues to rise.

Many insurers are also expanding their identity theft protection offerings, as most insurers will give you the option of adding identity theft coverage to help pay for expenses related to restoring your identity, such as legal fees. This becomes particularly relevant when packages containing sensitive documents or personal information are stolen.

The Max Pollack Insurance Advantage in Brooklyn

For Brooklyn residents seeking comprehensive protection against package theft, working with an experienced local agency makes all the difference. Max J. Pollack Insurance is a family business that has been serving the New York Metropolitan community for over 75 years. Max J. Pollack acquired his first insurance broker’s license in 1936, and operated his business from his home in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Today, we serve clients throughout the entire greater New York City area from our office in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

This deep local knowledge proves invaluable when helping homeowners navigate the complexities of brooklyn property insurance in an era of rising package theft. Max J. Pollack and Sons is a leading Brooklyn insurance company that has been serving the local community for more than 80 years. With comprehensive policies that can be customized to meet your unique needs and agents who are committed to providing personalized attention to detail, it’s no wonder why we’re the first place Kings County residents and business owners call when they’re looking for an “insurance company near me”.

Practical Steps for Brooklyn Homeowners

While insurance provides crucial financial protection, prevention remains the most effective strategy. Package Lockers & Drop-Off Points: Services like Amazon Lockers, FedEx Office, or UPS Stores offer a secure, off-site location for your parcels. This is one of the most secure methods, as the package never comes into contact with your home’s exterior. For high-value items, this is nonnegotiable.

Brooklyn has responded to the crisis with innovative solutions. In April 2024, Mayor Eric Adams and the NYC Department of Transportation launched LockerNYC, a pilot program that installs free public lockers on city sidewalks. Each locker can hold up to 25 packages and is equipped with security cameras, LED lighting and anti‑theft mechanisms. By April 2025, the pilot had logged more than 10,000 reservations, with over 1,400 users registered and 22 locker sites operating across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

The Future of Package Protection Coverage

As package theft continues to evolve, so too must insurance coverage. Homeowners insurance covers theft of personal property, with limits on high-value items and off-premises losses. If you have certain items that are extra valuable, it’s smart to get an endorsement beyond standard coverage. This is particularly important for Brooklyn residents who frequently receive high-value deliveries.

The key for homeowners is to work with knowledgeable agents who understand both the local crime trends and the evolving insurance landscape. The ongoing success of Max J. Pollack Insurance is due to a combination of extensive insurance industry knowledge, coupled with something you don’t see too often in today’s world old-fashioned, personalized attention to our customers needs. That’s the kind of service that existed in 1936, and it’s the kind we still deliver today.

As Brooklyn continues to grapple with the package theft epidemic, homeowners who proactively review and update their insurance coverage—working with experienced local agents who understand the unique challenges of urban delivery crime—will be best positioned to protect their financial interests while enjoying the convenience of modern e-commerce.