Does Your Insurance Cover Car Vandalism?

By Max Anthony •  Updated: 05/09/21 •  6 min read

Car owners are often left wondering what they can do to protect their cars from vandalism. Some of the most common types of car vandalism include key scratches, paint chipping, and tire punctures. In this blog post, we will discuss what is car vandalism? Does your insurance cover car vandalism? and ways you can prevent your car from being targeted by vandals.

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What Is A Car Vandalism?

Vandalism is a term that describes deliberate, malicious destruction of property. For car owners, vandalism can be costly and frustrating.

car vandalism
Vandalism on a car|wikimedia commons

 When you have your car vandalized, not only do you have to pay for the repairs but it takes time to get the vehicle back in good condition. You may also lose out on some work opportunities if your car doesn’t function properly.

Car vandalism is a crime that can leave you with a hefty bill. It’s not just an expensive nuisance, but it’s also dangerous to the owner and other drivers on the road.

It doesn’t take much for someone to vandalize your car by key scratching or breaking windows

With vandalism rates up in recent years, it is important to be vigilant and protect yourself from costly damages.

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Does Your Insurance Cover Car Vandalism?

Car owners who live in an urban area may be wondering if their insurance covers any kind of damage to a car. This is a pertinent question as there are many potential reasons why your car might end up with scratches, dents, or other damages.

 For example, you may have parked next to someone else’s vehicle and caused some minor damage while trying to maneuver into the parking space. Or maybe you had left your car parked on the street overnight and it was vandalized by someone who thought that they were doing something good for society.

It is important to know if your auto insurance will cover vandalism because this may help you decide how much coverage you should buy for vandalism protection or how much money you want available on hand in case of theft.

car vandalism
vandalized car| Flickr

Auto insurance companies are becoming increasingly aware of the rising cost of car vandalism and more comprehensive coverage is now available. 

The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that in 2016, $4 billion worth of cars were vandalized in the United States with around 40% being total losses.

Many people don’t realize that their insurance might not cover vandalism. It is important to read the fine print before buying your car insurance because it can save you a lot of money in the future. 

If you are currently insured and have been vandalized, then check with your provider for coverage information and file a claim if necessary.

So, the answer is a resounding YES! An easy way to find out your coverage for this type of incident is by checking in with your insurer. They should be able to tell you if the damage was caused by something that would be covered under your policy. 

While most insurers will have some form of liability coverage, it’s important to know what types of incidents are included in that policy before settling on one insurer over another.

The first thing any vehicle owner should do after an act of car vandalism has occurred is filing a police report and take pictures as soon as possible.

Can You Sale Your Vandalized Car?

Some people may think that car owners should just get a new car if their old one gets vandalized. However, replacing your vehicle can be costly and time-consuming. Not to mention, it takes away the sentimental value of your first car!

It’s always a headache to deal with vandalism and car damage. If you’re dealing with this problem, then the answer is most likely yes. However, it may not be as easy as you think to sell your vandalized car or get money for damages done to your vehicle.

Many factors go into how much money you can expect when trying to sell your vandalized car or receive funds from an insurance company for damages on a wrecked vehicle. 

There will be different rates depending on where in the world the car vandalism took place and what exactly was damaged on the vehicle since some areas have higher crime rates than others do, which causes prices to fluctuate more widely than they would otherwise.

Vandalized Car Repair Cost 

The average cost of vandalized car repairs is about $2,500. This includes replacing broken windows and tires that may have been slashed or punctured.

A vandalized car repair can happen in a variety of ways such as from a rock thrown through the window to someone using acid on the paint job. 

The most common type of car vandalism is key scratches and dents that come from people attempting to open locked doors with their keys. 

Vandalism can be costly not just for the victim but also for local community members who pay higher insurance premiums due to an increase in crime rates near where they live or work.

Tips To Avoid Car Vandalism

Car vandalism is a growing problem in the United States. Recent research has shown that up to 90% of car owners have experienced some form of car vandalism, including key scratching and windshield damage.

car vandalism
G20 crowds gather around vandalized police ca| Flickr

In most cases, car vandalism is a crime of opportunity. The best way to avoid this costly and inconvenient problem is to make your vehicle less attractive to thieves. 

You can do this by removing all valuables from the inside and outside of your car, as well as making sure that you don’t leave any personal items in plain sight.

Another good idea is to install an alarm system or video surveillance on your vehicle so that if someone does try vandalizing your vehicle they’ll be caught red-handed.

 It’s also important to remember never to start up the engine when it’s parked in a public place for long periods because it makes it easier for potential car thieves.

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Max Anthony

Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.