Car vandalism

Does car insurance cover vandalism?

This depends on your policy. Most comprehensive car insurance policies will cover criminal damage to your car. But the amount you’ll be able to claim will vary between providers.

However, you won’t usually be covered if you have a third party, fire and theft policy. Although you may be entitled to a payout if the damage happens while someone tries to steal your car. With a third party only policy, you won’t be covered, no matter the circumstances.

Some types of car vandalism are minor and, although frustrating and inconvenient, are often something you can sort out and pay for yourself.

But sometimes the costs involved can be more significant, running up a bill of hundreds or even thousands of pounds.

So it’s worth checking your policy wording to see what cover is included for malicious damage.

What are the most common types of car vandalism?

Your car might be an essential part of getting you or your family around. So it makes sense to try to keep it in good condition.

But if someone deliberately damages your car, this is vandalism and it’s a criminal offence.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were more than 160,700 incidents of criminal damage to vehicles in 2022.

The most common types of criminal car damage include:

• Intentional scratching of your car’s paintwork with keys or sharp objects
• Smashing windows, wing mirrors or lights
• Slashing tyres
• Graffiti
• Dented or kicked in bodywork
• Snapped windscreen wipers

Will I lose my no-claims discount if I make a claim for vandalism?

If your car is vandalised and you need to make a claim, this is usually considered to be an at-fault claim by the insurer.

In other words, because it’s unlikely you’ll be able to identify the vandal, your insurer won’t be able to recover any costs from them.

This usually means your no-claims discount (NCD) will be affected, so your premiums may go up at renewal time. This may still apply even if you have a protected NCD.

However, some insurers have a ‘vandalism promise’, meaning your NCD can stay intact after a vandalism claim.

Is car vandalism classed as accidental damage?

No, because vandalism - also referred to as malicious damage - is done deliberately by someone else, insurers treat it differently to accidental damage.

And even though you’re not to blame, any vandalism claim is still usually classed as an at-fault claim. However, if the vandal is caught by the police, they could face a hefty fine or even a prison sentence.

Do I have to pay an excess if my car was vandalised?

Yes, if you’re making a claim for damage caused by vandalism, you’ll need to pay your policy excess.

Often the insurer will simply deduct your excess from any payout they provide. So there’s no point in making a claim if the excess will be more than the cost of the repairs.

Also, check whether your policy has any cover limits for vandalism, as you may not get back the full amount.

How do I protect my car from vandalism?

There are things you can do to help avoid becoming one of the statistics:

Remove valuables

Don’t leave anything in sight that might tempt thieves to smash your car windows.

Use your drive or garage

Keeping your car near your property is a good deterrent for thieves and vandals. Motion sensors on your home that light up can also help.

Park in well-lit areas

If you can’t keep your car next to your home, make sure you leave it somewhere where thieves and vandals can be easily spotted.

Tuck in wing mirrors

Leaving your wing mirrors pushed in when you’re not in your car could prevent them being kicked or smashed.

Instal security measures

Investing in an alarm, GPS tracker and CCTV can help to deter and catch vandals.