Car vandalism insurance is becoming an insurance that’s used more and more and falls under the umbrella of comprehensive coverage with most car insurance policies.
Car vandalism rates are on the increase as times get more financially difficult and certain elements in society see car vandalism as a means of making money from tires, rims and other car parts.
While car vandalism can also include defacing a car with paint or key scratches for example, a fair amount of these cases don’t get reported because they may not justify a claim based on the deductible of a person’s policy.
Understanding comprehensive coverage for your location and crime rate will allow you to get the proper deductible so that you’re not falling into the trap of having chronic vandalism that you don’t want to claim because of the out of pocket costs.
Car Vandalism & Theft Insurance is Called Comprehensive Coverage.
When it comes to vandalism to your car, the type of coverage that deals with these types of issues and more is called Comprehensive coverage. It’s not a catch all for everything, but it does offer coverage for many things that do not involve an accident with another vehicle.
What does it cover?
Comprehensive auto insurance is the insurance component that covers theft, fire, larceny, vandalism, weather damage, riots, missiles, animal strikes and other similar circumstances which may cause damage to a vehicle. Comprehensive auto insurance will also reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered.
Just as important to know is that comprehensive auto insurance does not usually cover theft or vandalism by family members or employees, contents of the vehicle, tires, or damage due to improper maintenance.
The approximate stats for the use of this insurance is that 77% of insured drivers purchase comprehensive auto insurance coverage in addition to liability insurance, and 72% buy collision coverage.
You may find it interesting to know though, that neither collision nor comprehensive auto insurance is a requirement in any state. That doesn’t mean it’s not smart to have, it’s just not required. The fact is, if you have a loan or lease you’re gonna be required to have it to protect the vehicle as collateral. Think about it…if you loaned money to someone to buy a car, you would make it mandatory that they have proper coverage in case it’s badly damaged or stolen, right?
Vandalism Car Insurance Some closing thoughts.
As you can see from our discussion, insurance that covers vandalism which is comprehensive insurance isn’t too complicated to understand. It’s primarily from damage or loss that occurs when another car isn’t involved.
It’s worth noting however that: the states of Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts and South Carolina waive the deductible and thus are referred to by some as zero deductible states with regards to windshield claims. Thus without needing to pay a deductible you can call this a “free” windshield replacement. That’s pretty cool!