It’s always a bummer to head out to your car in the morning to discover that someone has taken a key to the paint job, or slammed into your car in the middle of the night and took off afterwards. Not only is it senseless, it can be costly to restore. If you’ve suffered property damage to your vehicle in the form of vandalism, here’s the steps you can take to recover.

1. Call the Police Immediately. As soon as you notice the damage, notify the police right away. This can help with any possibility of catching the person who caused the damage, and before you can proceed with an insurance claim, you’ll need to file a police report, anyway.
2. Document the Damage. Since every smartphone doubles as a camera these days, it’s easy to snap a few pics of the damage that you can submit with your insurance claim. Also, if you have recent pictures of your car before it was damaged, those will be useful, too. This answers the question of when the damage occurred.
3. Call the Insurance Company. Once you’ve got the police report and pictures, call your insurer as soon as possible. When you do, you’ll need a description and the pictures, a list of any personal property that was stolen from the vehicle and lender information, if applicable.

After you’ve taken these steps, your insurance company may send a claims adjuster out to meet you right away to assess the damage, or they may ask for additional pictures of the damage before they fulfill the claim. At this time, you may need to take more steps to protect your car from further damage, such as covering broken windows.

If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurance company should cover the cost of repairs minus any deductible. In the event that the police discover who is responsible for the damage, you may even be able to recover your deductible. If you run into trouble when filing your claim, lawyers with experience in property damage cases can help you deal with the insurance company. Give us a call today to assess your situation regarding your car vandalism claim.