Does car insurance cover vandalism?

Vehicle crime stats in the UK might be decreasing (down 6% in 2024), but vandalism is still a very real, and very frustrating, issue.

Returning to your vehicle and finding smashed windows, broken wing mirrors, scratched paintwork, or slashed tyres can be a nasty surprise that could leave you out of pocket to the tune of hundreds or thousands of pounds.

So, what are your options? Does car insurance cover vandalism?

The short answer is that it depends on your level of coverage and the type of damage done to your car. Here, we define what “vandalism” means, share what you should do if you find your vehicle vandalised, and outline how insurance might be able to help.  

What is classed as vandalism?

If someone deliberately and maliciously damages your car, it’s considered vandalism — and it’s a criminal offence.

Common types of criminal damage to vehicles include:

• Smashed windscreens, windows, wing mirrors, or headlights
• Snapped or bent windscreen wipers
• Slashed or punctured tyres
• Scratched paintwork with keys or sharp objects
• Graffiti (e.g., spraypaint)
• Dented bodywork

What should I do if my car has been vandalised?

If you’ve returned to your vehicle and found it damaged in one or more of the ways described above, take a deep breath and do the following:

1. Call the police: If you’re not in immediate danger, call 101 (the non-emergency number) to report what’s happened to your vehicle and get a crime reference number. You’ll need this later if you want to file a claim with your insurance company.
   Note: If you return to your car and the vandalism is still in progress, avoid confronting the individual(s). Call 999 and request help — especially if you believe you or someone else is in danger.
2. Don’t touch anything: While it’s disheartening to find your property damaged, resist the temptation to start clearing up until you’ve spoken to the police. You might accidentally disturb evidence. You’ll be advised on when you can begin cleaning up. Until then…
3. Gather evidence: Take plenty of photos and video footage of the damage, including close-ups. If your vehicle has a dashcam, check and see if it caught anything. If the incident occurred at home and you have CCTV or a video doorbell, check those, too. You could also ask your neighbours if they saw or heard anything.
4. Contact your car insurance provider: If you want to make a claim, call your insurer. You’ll need your policy number, crime reference number, and details about the incident (time, date, and location). More on this below.

Does car insurance typically cover vandalism?

Your car insurance policy might cover you for vandalism, but it depends on your coverage level and your policy’s fine print.

In the UK, there are three types of car insurance: comprehensive, third-party, fire and theft, and third-party-only. Here’s how each level of coverage relates to vandalism claims:

• Comprehensive car insurance: If you have comprehensive car insurance, you’ll probably be covered for criminal damage to your car. However, the amount you can claim varies from one provider to the next. This is because you may have to pay your policy excess (which is often deducted from the payout), and some policies have cover limits for vandalism, so you may not get the full amount.
• Third-party, fire, and theft (TPFT): If you have TPFT cover, you usually won’t be covered for vandalism. However, if the damage occurred because someone was trying to steal your car, you might be entitled to a payout.
• Third-party-only (TPO): You won't be covered if you have TPO cover.

How to file a claim for vandalism

Once you’ve reported the vandalism to the police and received your crime reference number, you can file a claim by contacting your insurance provider. Make sure you have your policy number to hand before you do.

Every provider is different, and they all have their own claims process. That said, you’ll generally be asked to do the following:

• Submit the evidence of damage you gathered at the scene, including photographs and video footage.
• Give them the crime reference number.
• Share the time, date, and location of the incident.

If your provider confirms that you’re covered, they may arrange for your vehicle to be fixed at one of their partner garages. Otherwise, they may ask you to sort out the repair and reimburse you for the costs once you have the receipts.

If you’re a Howden customer, you can make a claim here.

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

When it comes to car insurance, there are two types of claims: at-fault and non-fault.

• An at-fault claim is when the insurer considers you at fault for the damage or where you or your insurance provider can’t recover the costs from someone else.
  
  
• A non-fault claim, on the other hand, is one where your insurer can recover the costs from a liable party.

While you’re clearly not at fault for your car being vandalised, insurers typically treat vandalism as an at-fault claim. This is because you’re less likely to identify the perpetrator to recover the costs.

As a result of being an at-fault claim, you’ll probably lose some or all of your no-claims discount (NCD) — unless you’ve paid to protect your discount.

Will claiming for vandalism damage make my car insurance more expensive?

Yes, claiming for vandalism on your car insurance can affect your premiums. Because the claim is classed as an “at-fault,” the price will probably increase when renewal time rolls around.

Is it worth claiming for vandalism on my car insurance?

Ultimately, whether it’s worth claiming for vandalism on your insurance will depend on the level of damage and your desire to keep your premiums low.

If the damage is minor and easily fixed, it might be cheaper to deal with it yourself. For instance, according to Checkatrade, a scratch to your car’s paintwork can cost, on average, anywhere from £90 to £300 to fix.

However, if the damage is significant and stretches across multiple parts of the vehicle, the repair bill could run into the thousands.

How to prevent your car from being vandalised

As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Here are a few things you can do to help prevent your car from being vandalised:

• Use security devices: An alarm, immobiliser, dashcam, and GPS tracker can help secure your vehicle, act as a deterrent, and potentially help catch thieves and vandals.
• Park in your driveway or garage: If you can, keep your car secure on your property by parking it in your driveway or inside your garage. Use motion sensors to light up your drive when someone approaches—this could deter vandals.
  
  
• Park in a well-lit area or secure carpark: If you can’t park at home or you’re out and about, choose a well-lit area or a carpark with CCTV when parking your car. Again, this could put off would-be vandals from acting if they feel they’ll be easily spotted.
• Keep valuables out of sight: Don’t leave cash, jewellery, mobile phones, tablets, or other high-value items on display in your vehicle. This could tempt thieves to smash a window and steal from you. Either lock them in the boot or take them with you.
• Tuck in your wing mirrors (if they don’t retract automatically): This could reduce the chances of your mirrors being smashed or kicked off in passing.
• Join your local Neighborhood Watch scheme: Neighbourhood Watch is free to join and can help you learn how to stop and report crime in your local area.

Car vandalism FAQs

Do vandals have to pay for the damage?

Yes, if caught and arrested, vandals can be required to pay for the damage they’ve caused. You may have to apply for court-ordered compensation from the offender to recover costs, and the vandal may be required to pay in instalments. However, they usually won't be asked to pay if they’re sent to prison for their crime.

What if my car was vandalised in another country?

If you’re driving your car abroad on holiday or business and it’s vandalised, you must follow the same advice outlined in this article. Contact the local police on the non-emergency number, gather evidence of the damage, and call your insurance provider to discuss the next steps.

All UK vehicle insurance must provide the minimum third-party cover to drive in:

• The EU (including Ireland)
• Andorra
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Norway
• Serbia
• Switzerland

Before driving abroad, always check with your insurer that your policy includes extra cover for theft or damage to your car.

Should I report car vandalism to the police?

Yes, you should always report car vandalism to the police. Firstly, it establishes an official record of the incident and provides the crime reference number you need to claim on your insurance. And secondly, doing so could prevent further incidents of vandalism by helping the police identify potential crime patterns.

In summary

To recap, you might be able to claim for vandalism damage on your car insurance, but it depends on your coverage level and the policy's fine print. If you have comprehensive car insurance, you’re more likely to be covered, but you may have to pay an excess, and you could lose your no-claims discount.    

Make sure you’re covered with Howden Car Insurance

Howden’s car insurance brokers can find a fully comprehensive quote that suits you, offering the highest level of protection while keeping you as financially unaffected as possible if your car is vandalised. Find out more here.

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