Car vandalism insurance – do I need vandalism cover?

If your vehicle has been targeted by vandals, you may end up having to pay out a significant amount of money to replace tyres that have been slashed, bodywork that has been scratched or damaged, or a windscreen that has been completely smashed and shattered.

Even a door mirror that’s been torn off and left hanging from the car can be expensive to replace. If it’s an electric wing mirror repair, this could run into hundreds of pounds.

If your car has been vandalised, you may be tempted to make a claim on your car insurance policy to help fund the repairs. However, not all car insurance policies will include vandalism cover. If your policy doesn’t, you may not be able to claim for any repairs.

Car vandalism occurs when someone deliberately damages a vehicle. It’s a criminal offense and common examples of car vandalism include:

• Dented or scratched bodywork
• Broken window(s)
• Slashed tyres
• Broken door mirror(s)
• Graffiti
• Broken headlights
• Twisted or broken windscreen wipers

If you have been the victim of car vandalism then you should report the matter to the police.

Vandalism can be a grey area in terms of vehicle insurance. For example, having a door mirror broken off your car in an act of vandalism is different to having it accidentally damaged by another motorist, who may drive too close to your vehicle when parked at the roadside and clip it off through carelessness.

If the damage is accidental and providing you have the contact details of the other driver involved, you will be able to make a claim. Your insurance provider should be able to recover the costs from the other driver’s insurance.

If your car has been damaged through an act of vandalism, it becomes more complicated. The likelihood is that you won’t know who was responsible for the vandalism - it may have happened overnight, while you were asleep, or during the day if you parked your vehicle somewhere unfamiliar and less secure. In this case, your insurance provider won’t be able to recover the costs from the third party involved.

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The chances are that you will either have to foot the cost of the repairs yourself, or make a claim on your insurance, which could affect any no claims discount (NCD) you may have built up. This may then affect the price of your policy at renewal time.

Unless you have car vandalism insurance.

Vandalism cover is a feature of car insurance that enables you to make a claim in the event of your car being vandalised. It’s not included in all RAC Car Insurance policies - it’s not part of our third-party, fire and theft or comprehensive policies. However it is a key feature of RAC Comprehensive Car Insurance Plus.

The RAC’s vandalism promise means that if your car is damaged by an act of vandalism, we’ll cover the cost of the repairs required - and protect your NCD. After all, vandalism is not your fault, so why should you pay for it?

It works in a similar way to our Uninsured driver promise, which also protects your NCD if your car is damaged through an incident with a driver who isn’t insured, and doesn’t have a policy we can recover costs from.

With vandalism being hard to prevent, having the right level of protection and cover in place could prove invaluable.

There are some simple steps you can take to protect your vehicle from vandalism.

• Park in well-lit and busy areas. Vandals don't want to be seen when they are committing crimes. Criminals tend to avoid cars that are parked in well-lit locations that have lots of passing people and/or traffic
• Hide valuables from view. Avoid leaving valuables in your car overnight. If this isn’t possible, ensure things like sat navs, tablet computers, bags and clothing are hidden from view
• Give as much space as you can to other vehicles. When parking your car, try to leave as much space as you can between other vehicles. This will prevent accidental dents and also make it easier for vandals or criminals to be seen
• Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme. If car vandalism is a problem in your area, consider joining the local Neighbourhood Watch. These community led initiatives usually have a close relationship with the police and are designed to reduce crime and raise awareness of criminal activity that may be taking place in the local area