In movies and television, the investigators looking into vandalism often asked if the victim had any enemies. As anyone who’s had vandalism happen to their car, you don't have to have an arch nemesis in order for your vehicle to be damaged. Vandalism can happen for no reason other than someone was bored with a baseball bat and your car was easily accessible. What matters is how to bounce back from the damages with the least amount of financial suffering.
While vandalism can create a huge amount of financial damage, unless you have comprehensive coverage, it is not covered by your auto insurance policy.
Knowing When to File a Claim
Filing a claim for damages caused by vandalism will depend on your deductible and the amount of damage. Auto insurance deductibles are per incident and not per year, so there is no benefit to filing a claim with costs within your deductible. For example, if kids threw eggs at your car and the only financial damage sustained was paying for it to be detailed, it would not be worthwhile to file a claim.
Knowing How to File a Claim
If the damages caused by the vandals top your deductible then you should file a claim. First, create evidence of your damages by taking pictures of the car and any mess in the surrounding area. Also, take note of what time you last saw your car before it was vandalized, what time you found the car had been vandalized, as well as any other details that may be relevant.
The next step is to call the police in order to have a police report taken on the damage to your car. Then, before you clean your car or arrange for repairs to be done, talk to your insurance agent to see if an adjuster needs to come out to look at the vehicle. At that time, you’ll be notified of the claims process including what paperwork you need to complete.
To be sure that your auto policy offers the most comprehensive coverage for incidents like collision, vehicle theft, and vandalism just give Low Rate Insurance of Texas a call at 817-635-0375. We can compare rates and create an Arlington Auto Insurance policy that matches your budget.