Homeowners insurance provides peace of mind and financial protection. However, many homeowners wonder whether or not their policy covers damage caused by vandalism.
Good news: Most standard homeowners policies cover vandalism as an insured peril. The key is understanding your specific policy’s coverage and taking proactive steps to secure your property.
What Is Covered?
Vandalism may not receive as much coverage in the news as natural disasters do, yet its effects can still have lasting ramifications for you and your property. Luckily, standard home insurance policies typically include vandalism as one of their covered perils under standard coverages that protect from other forms of damage to your home.
Homeowners insurance typically provides protection from vandalism through three main components of policy: dwelling coverage, personal property coverage and additional living expense (ALE) coverage. Dwelling coverage will pay to repair any structural damage caused by acts of vandalism; personal property coverage safeguards your belongings; while ALE reimburses food, lodging and transportation expenses in case your home becomes inhabitable after an incident of vandalism occurs.
When filing a vandalism claim, it’s essential to document its extent. Photos or videos taken immediately following an incident will help your insurer assess how serious it was and estimate repair or replacement costs for affected items. It’s also helpful to have any receipts for purchases or repairs made as a result of vandalism claims.
Be sure to review both your policy’s limits and deductible before filing a claim. Depending on the details of your situation, taking proactive measures such as installing a security system or locking doors and windows could potentially help reduce premiums. It’s a smart idea to contact law enforcement as soon as any act of vandalism occurs in order to limit further damage and hasten the claims process.
Note about vacant homes: Although standard home insurance typically provides protection for vandalism, it may not apply if a house has been unoccupied for more than 60 days. You can add a vacant home endorsement or seek separate coverage in this regard for added peace of mind.
Are You Worried About Vandalism? Compare Homeowners Insurance Rates Today Using our Rate Form or Connect With an Independent Agent If so, once you find an adequate policy you can start the claim filing process for any damage caused by vandalism to your property.
What Is Not Covered?
No matter if you own or rent, it is crucial that you understand how your insurance covers acts of vandalism. As a general rule, your property coverage portion will generally provide coverage against acts of vandalism; typically this covers things such as fences, gates, sheds and home exteriors as well as damage up to any monetary limits on your policy.
Vandalism can also be covered under your personal property policy’s personal property section, providing coverage for items lost or stolen due to vandalism and other covered perils in your house. However, some personal belongings may not be protected – if that concerns you further consider adding an endorsement that protects them against theft and losses.
Though most standard homeowner policies include vandalism as an included peril, there may be exceptions. For instance, if your home remains vacant for 30-60 days without being occupied during that timeframe, vandalism coverage could potentially be excluded from your policy. If this applies to you and you plan to leave it vacant for extended periods of time, discuss available vacant home coverage with your Western home insurance expert for additional protection and coverage options.
Notifying incidents of vandalism immediately is key to being eligible for claims, and your insurer may require proof and documentation of damage done; such evidence can include photographs, videos or an inventory list of your items.
If your neighborhood experiences frequent vandalism, try taking proactive measures to deter crime. For example, get to know your neighbors better and encourage community participation, install security systems at all entry points, and foster positive relationships among them – this may all help reduce crime!
If you’re shopping for home insurance policies, use the zip code tool below to quickly compare top-rated companies’ rates and speak to a licensed Western home insurance expert by either calling them directly or connecting online.
How to File a Claim
Homeowners insurance provides essential protection in the event of property damage, with vandalism being one of the primary claims reasons. Before filing a claim against your policy for vandalism damage, however, it’s essential that you understand exactly what’s covered and take proactive measures to prevent further incidents from happening on your property.
Standard homeowner policies almost always cover vandalism and other forms of malicious mischief as an identified peril, but it’s wise to read your policy closely in order to verify any exclusions, such as reading the definition of “malicious mischief” within it. Note also that different insurers use different terminology; for instance some define vandalism as “acts of arson” rather than simply as “malicious acts.”
An important element of filing an effective insurance claim against vandalism lies in accurate documentation. This may mean taking pictures and videos of any damage and keeping records of items lost due to destruction. Furthermore, reporting vandalism to your insurer as soon as possible; some policies have specific timeframes that can impede eligibility; it’s best to review their terms carefully to see which are applicable before submitting a claim.
Notably, some policies exclude coverage for vandalism if the property has been vacant for an extended period – typically 60 days or longer; you should check your policy for details. To protect both yourself and the property while it’s unoccupied, preventative measures may also be beneficial.
Vandalism committed by one of the insureds (for example an angry ex-husband or wife) is typically not covered; as it constitutes an intentional form of revenge against their former partner. Therefore it’s crucial that communication occurs prior to moving out or getting divorced and any necessary updates made in your home insurance policies accordingly.
If vandalism renders your property inhabitable, home insurance may provide extra living expenses (ALE). In certain instances, this coverage can extend to other structures on your property such as garages or sheds.
What to Expect
Many homeowners purchase homeowners insurance to protect against natural disasters and accidents; however, vandalism also presents an ongoing threat. Most standard home policies include protection for acts of vandalism; however it’s essential to know exactly which acts are covered and which are excluded prior to filing any claim.
A typical homeowners policy covers both the physical dwelling and any personal items inside it, such as furniture, appliances and valuables such as cash, jewelry or electronics stored therein. Policies usually specify an annual limit on vandalism-related damage payments from insurers – this can differ significantly between policies; MoneyGeek recommends reviewing your policy to better understand how much reimbursement can be expected should an incident occur.
As soon as vandalism strikes your property, it is critical to contact your provider as quickly as possible. Be prepared with evidence such as photos or videos as well as an inventory of what was stolen or destroyed; additionally file a police report as further proof and help your insurer decide how much compensation they’ll give.
As a final point, most insurers may exclude repairs for vandalism if your home has been vacant for more than 30 or 60 days, due to being at an increased risk for theft and vandalism. To safeguard against such potential dangers, add a vacant home endorsement or look into purchasing a separate vacant home policy so your property is adequately covered.
If your insurance company agrees to cover the costs of repairs, make sure that any receipts and damage documentation is saved and kept. Waiting for an adjuster to assess and approve your claim could take time; be patient while keeping track of required documentation.