Somebody Did This on Purpose

Vandalism is an unpleasant claim because there is nobody to hold responsible and the damage is often just expensive enough to be annoying and just cheap enough to make filing a real decision.

Which coverage responds

Deliberate damage to your vehicle by someone else is normally a comprehensive matter, subject to your comprehensive deductible. Keyed paint, slashed tires, broken glass, graffiti, damaged mirrors, a snapped antenna, poured substances. As with all comprehensive claims, a liability-only policy does not respond.

The steps that matter

1. Photograph everything before you touch it. Wide, medium and close, in good light, from several angles.
2. File a police report. Vandalism is a crime, insurers generally expect a report, and it matters if there is a pattern in your area.
3. Do not clean it up yet. Let it be documented first, and ask your adjuster before removing paint or residue, since some cleaning attempts cause more damage than the original act.
4. Look for cameras. Neighbors, businesses, a doorbell across the street. Ask within days, because footage is overwritten quickly.
5. Get an estimate from a shop before deciding whether to file.

The arithmetic before you file

Compare the repair estimate to your comprehensive deductible. A single keyed panel on many vehicles lands close to a typical deductible, which means filing returns little. Damage across several panels, or paintwork requiring blending into adjacent panels, is usually well above it.

Then weigh the second question, which is what a comprehensive claim does at your renewal. Carriers weigh comprehensive claims differently from at-fault accidents, and how much is a company-specific answer. Ask yours directly rather than guessing in either direction.

Do report it either way

Reporting an incident to your insurer is not the same as filing a claim, and it protects you if something surfaces later — hidden damage found at the next service, for instance. Say clearly that you are reporting for the record and have not decided whether to claim.

Repeat incidents

If it happens more than once, change something. Where you park, lighting, a camera facing the space, a conversation with a landlord or an HOA. Insurers notice repeated comprehensive claims at the same location, and more importantly, so should you.

What is not vandalism

Damage by a known person during a dispute can raise other questions, and damage you cause yourself is not a vandalism claim. Be straightforward about what happened; adjusters see a lot of these.

Ask us to price a lower comprehensive deductible if this is a risk where you park.