Will Auto Insurance Cover Broken or Vandalized Windows?

You don’t want any type of unwelcome guest getting inside your car, which is why you keep the windows closed. However, windshields are made of glass, and like every other piece of glass they can break. This might result from wrecks, falling objects, or the particularly infuriating act of vehicle vandalism. 

When vandalism leads to broken windows, then your auto insurance likely will cover the damage. However, you still have to follow the right steps to both prove your claim and try to track down the responsible party.

What You Should Do When You Discover Vandalism 

If you walk outside one morning to see that someone has taken a baseball bat to your windshield, then your first job is simple: Call the police. 

Do not pick any of the debris up, and do not open the car unless there is an immediate threat to the vehicle. Rather, leave the car as it was when you found it. It is a victim, but it also might hold evidence like fingerprints that can help the police determine who the vandal was. 

When they come to the scene, the police will collect evidence of the crime and file a police report. They will also usually take photographs of the scene. This will document the damage to the vehicle, and you will be able to use it as documentation to submit to your insurer when filing a claim. They will often ask for the photos, police report and certain additional details about the incident.

Coverage Questions Answered 

There’s very little you can do to prevent vehicle vandalism if someone is determined to make it happen. It’s up to the authorities to determine who did it, if possible. However, in the meantime, your auto insurer will be there to help you out. 

If you have comprehensive physical damage insurance on your car, then your plan will pay for damage to your vehicle that results from hazards other than collisions. Vandalism falls under this definition. Some policies also insure window glass under separate terms than they do body damage. This might make it a bit easier for you to receive an adequate settlement when only the window glass sustains damage. 

Still, there are limitations to when your comprehensive coverage will pay for vandalism. If it was caused by you or someone in your home (even if that person did so out of spite for you) then the plan won’t honor your claim. However, if the police eventually catch the vandal, you will not have to repay the claim to the insurer. In most cases, your insurer will recoup their losses by taking action against the culprit, not you. 

The good news is that vandalism is not likely to raise your insurance rates. After all, your insurer will usually recognize that you had no fault in having to file this claim. So, when vandalism occurs, don’t hesitate to call your insurer.