Coverage For Vandalism Under Car Insurance

Car insurance, other than being a legal requirement, offers financial protection too. While the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 makes it compulsory to have one as a car owner, you must also consider the different benefits it provides. This depends on the type of policy that you buy, the inclusions and exclusions of the plan, and more. While a car may face different perils in the form of accidents, natural calamities and other man-made damages, is vandalism covered when you buy car insurance online? The answer to this question lies in the insurance coverage you have bought. To understand if your policy covers vandalism, let’s first look at what is termed vandalism.

What is Vandalism?

Vandalism refers to deliberate damage to the property of another person. It is a common scenario during civil disturbances, especially riots. During such times, the private property of a person is destroyed. This includes vehicles, homes, shops, etc. For instance, a mob pelting stone to revolt against a social reform often witnesses damage to the vehicles.

Does Car Insurance Cover Vandalism?

Now, to answer your question: does your car insurance plan cover damages due to vandalism, it is important to understand the different plans that are available. Car insurance plans are broadly classified into two categories—a third-party plan and a comprehensive policy. A third-party policy is the one that safeguards you, the policyholder, against liabilities that may arise. These liabilities can be either due to an accident or collision causing injury to a third person or damaging their property. In addition, the compensation for the death of such a third person due to an accident is also covered by the insurance policy. Thus, third-party plans limit the coverage only for legal liabilities. *Standard T&C Apply A second type of insurance plan that can be purchased is the comprehensive policy. This policy can be a nifty alternative to a third-party insurance plan as it includes such third-party coverage along with own-damage protection. Thus, it offers protection for damages to your car along with safeguarding against legal liabilities. Since such an own-damage cover includes protection from natural disaster and human-induced activities, it covers vandalism too. With such a comprehensive policy, you can lower the amount of out-of-pocket expense, thereby offering a greater insurance cover. However, remember that a wider insurance coverage impacts the car insurance prices too. *Standard T&C Apply

How can you raise a claim for vandalism?

The insurance claim initiation process for vandalism is similar to claims made for other types of damages. To start with, you need to inform your insurance company of such damages. While it can be done over an e-mail or physical application, some insurance companies allow you to lodge a claim via their mobile application too. In your claim application, you will be required to provide specific documents, like the insurance policy number, your car’s registration number, first information report in case of vandalism, evidence in form of pictures or videos of the damage to your car, PUC certificate, and any other documents as requested. Further, you must also place on record any newspaper article that reports about the incident of vandalism where your car is damaged. It helps in evidencing the damage due to such destruction.

Final words

While it is impossible to predict an event like vandalism, it is best to obtain a comprehensive coverage among the different types of motor insurance online. With such comprehensive cover, you can ensure all-round protection in addition to the facility to customize the insurance coverage. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.