Car insurance for drivers with vandalism claims

Car insurance claims for vandalism are common, especially in high crime areas. With average repair costs of £700, vandalism is an issue all drivers should be aware of. Find out more about vandalism claims and how to save on your car insurance.

How is a vandalism claim different to an accident claim?

Accident claims are grouped into "at-fault” and "non-fault” categories — put simply any repair or replacement costs will be paid by the insurer of the "at-fault” party, which is usually the driver deemed to be to blame for the accident.

Although you may not be to blame if your car is vandalised, insurers usually treat vandalism as an at-fault claim. This is because they will be unable to recover any costs from the guilty party. You will be unable to claim any repair costs from your insurer if you only have third party insurance, as this does not cover any damage to your vehicle.

How will a vandalism claim affect my car insurance costs?

As vandalism is treated as an at-fault claim, it’s likely you’ll lose some or all of any no-claims discount you’ve accrued when you make a claim. However, some insurers offer exceptions for vandalism claims and will protect your no-claims discount, so be sure to check your policy documents for a vandalism clause. Your no-claims discount should also remain intact if you had no-claims discount protection on your policy at the time of the incident, but you may still have to pay an excess.

Even if your no-claims bonus remains in place, your car insurance premium could still go up at renewal time (your no-claims discount is applied after your premium is calculated). Insurers may see you as more of a risk as your car has been identified as a target for vandals.

You will need to declare any claims when you take out car insurance for the next three to five years, but any impact on your costs should be minimised over time as your no-claims bonus is rebuilt.

How can I save money on my car insurance if I’ve made a vandalism claim?

As most of your car insurance premium is based on risk, you can reduce your costs if you keep your car safe. Your insurers will consider you less of a risk (and will likely reduce your premiums) if you take measures to prevent your car from being vandalised again, for example by keeping it in a secure garage or adding an alarm.

You can also take measures to avoid unnecessary costs if you need to make another claim in the future. Consider taking out a policy that includes a vandalism clause, so your no-claims bonus will be protected in case it happens again. You might also want to take out no-claims bonus protection so you don’t risk losing your discount just as you’re building it back up.

Shopping around is the best way to save on car insurance costs after you’ve made a claim. Use our quote tool below to compare prices from specialist insurers:

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