Does Auto Insurance Cover Theft/ Vandalism?

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You may wondering; does car insurance cover tires? Well, if you’ve comprehensive insurance, every necessary repair will be covered if you vehicle is vandalized. Comprehensive insurance policy covers any cost that is linked to vandalism. However, you must pay a deductible. This article will cover various topics involving auto insurance and vandalism extensively.

When does insurance cover car vandalism?

If your auto policy has a comprehensive insurance coverage, you’ll be covered for every vandalism case. Vandalism case may include; shattering of the windshield or spray painting. Whichever the case, file a claim with your insurance company. The insurer will certainly reimburse your repairing costs. Additionally, comprehensive coverage protects you from other events that are beyond your control. These damaging events might include; animal damage, branch/ tree damage, theft and flood damage.

However, vandalism coverage only covers the necessary repairs and the vehicle itself. The insurer will not cover Personal belongings like stereo/computers that were in the car if they’re stolen or defaced. Instead, personal belongings that are damaged during vandalism are covered under the homeowners or renters insurance policy.

What should I do if I do not have the comprehensive insurance?

There isn’t much one can do if they don’t have the comprehensive insurance and their vehicle is vandalized. The insurance company doesn’t have legal responsibility to cover your car repairing costs. The best thing that will happen is if the law enforcement arrests the liable person. You can then proceed and look for civil charges against the person deemed liable for vandalism.

We advise ever person with a vehicle worth over $3000 or less than ten years old to have comprehensive auto insurance. In general, you can get this coverage at an annual rate of $50- $100. Vandalism and other uncontrollable events can wreck your vehicle. According to our calculation, the cost of potential damage caused by these events surpasses the 5-year comprehensive insurance cost.

Should I file an insurance claim after my vehicle is defaced?

You don’t have to file an insurance claim simply because your vehicle is defaced. You should know your deductible cost. The deductive cost comprehensive insurance ranges from $50 to $2000. Higher deductibles tend to have lower premiums. So, if you can repair your vehicle with $400 or less, don’t file the claim if the deductible is $500.

Similarly, if the claimed total repairing cost is slightly above the deductible, forgoing the claim is a more economical option. Filing a claim with the insurance company might increase your insurance rates when renewing a policy. This will in return cost you more money in the future.

How do I file an auto insurance claim after vandalism?

There is a certain process you should follow after your vehicle is vandalized. This will ensure that your claim is managed smoothly and efficiently. These steps are as follows:

  • Contact the police
  • Filing a report with the police
  • Contact your insurer
  • Talk with the insurer’s claims adjuster
  • Take your vehicle in for repair

 

This process starts with contacting the police immediately after realized your vehicle has been vandalized. Being a criminal offence, you can file for a vandalism claim with your insurer without alerting the police first. Otherwise, the insurer might doubt your claim’s validity. Therefore, notify the police so that they can inspect the vandalism scene and give you a copy of their report. Also, write down your own observations of the scene. This will be very useful if your memory fades or when speaking with the insurer.

After obtaining the report, ensure that you contact your insurer, either online or through the phone. During the first encounter, the insurer will ask you various questions. Some of these questions include; where/ when the incident occurred, the level of damage and a report for the police. Additionally, they can ask you about your lasing/ lender company if you don’t own the vehicle. Once you file the first claim, the insurer will send its adjusters over top evaluate the damage level first hand.

Before the adjusters come, ensure that the condition of the car remains intact. Don’t try to repair the damages at all. But if it’s possible to drive the vehicle, take it to a secure location. If the car gets towed, ensure that you remove all the important documents out of the vehicle.

Once the adjuster does the assessment, you can now repair the vehicle. Your insurer might request you to use a particular auto shop. Alternatively, you can take it to the auto shop of your choice. Once you pay the deductible, the insurer will either pay the car shop directly or reimburse you the repairing cost.