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How To Cover Vandalism Through Car Insurance

If your vehicle gets vandalized, you can potentially face a lot of expenses that you didn't expect (depending on the severity of the act). When this happens, having the right car insurance coverage can be a financial lifesaver.

We'll review the car insurance you need to have as well as how to file a vandalism claim.

Will My Car Insurance Cover Vandalism?

In order to be protected against property damage due to vandalism, you must carry comprehensive auto insurance.

What Is Comprehensive Coverage?

Unlike property damage liability insurance (which pays for damages to another person’s property you cause in an accident) and collision coverage (which protects you from having to pay for collision-specific damages to your own vehicle), comprehensive insurance covers non collision-related expenses such as those associated with:

  • Vandalism.
  • Weather and natural disasters.
  • Theft.
  • Animal collisions.

Buying Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive coverage, like collision coverage, is typically an optional car insurance coverage. The exception is typically if you have a loan or a lease, as your lienholder may require you to hold these coverages.

If you currently have a personal auto insurance policy with an insurance company, you can add comprehensive coverage to your existing policy by contacting your auto insurance agent directly.

You can also compare comprehensive insurance quotes online, or by contacting the Insurance Department in your state.

While your premium is likely to increase by adding comprehensive coverage to your car insurance policy, the cost can be minimal as compared to the expenses you might face in the event of vandalism or another incident.

Lowering Your Car Insurance Premium

Adding any type of coverage will increase the cost of your car insurance. However, there are several ways to lower your auto insurance premium.

Ways to get affordable car insurance include:

  • Establishing yourself as a safe and reliable driver by consistently practicing safe driving skills.
  • Staying accident-free.
    • Many car insurance companies reward safe drivers with accident-free discounts.
  • Driving a safe vehicle.
    • Safe and reliable cars will usually get lower rates than luxury vehicles or sports cars.
    • Safety features, such as back-up cameras, may also get you a discount.
  • Asking about any other available discounts.
    • Most car insurance companies offer a variety of discounts, including (but not limited to):
      • Good student discounts.
      • Multi-policy discounts.
      • Membership discounts.

Auto Claims for Vandalism

If you have become the victim of an act of vandalism, you should take pictures of the damage and notify the police within 24 hours.

After you have made an official police report:

  • Contact your car insurance company and file a claim.
  • Get contact information for witness (if any).

The insurance company will send a claims adjuster to evaluate the physical damage to your vehicle. Do not attempt to clean up or repair any damage until the insurance adjuster has made a full assessment.

Once the police report and insurance assessment are complete, you will want to prevent any further damage as best you can. For example, if your driver’s side window is broken, cover and secure it with plastic in order to prevent further damage from rain, or theft of objects within the vehicle.

If you do not attempt to secure your vehicle from further harm, your auto insurance company may not cover some repair expenses.

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