Vehicles set on fire and vandalized: Find out if insurance covers.

In case of fire or vehicle vandalism, does insurance cover it or not?  

Recently, several cars were the target of vandalism and fires in the Lisbon region. Understanding insurance coverage for these cases is essential, as not all include damage caused by vandalism. Therefore, when hiring car insurance, "get to know in detail the coverage and exclusions of your policy," advises DECO PROteste in an article cited by Notícias ao Minuto.

The DECO PROteste clarifies that the third-party insurance, which covers only mandatory civil liability, does not cover damages to the vehicle itself, such as fires and vandalism. Therefore, it is necessary to have comprehensive insurance with specific coverage for malicious acts and vandalism.

Note that car insurance policies that only include mandatory third-party liability coverage "do not protect against damage to the vehicle itself, whether caused by acts of vandalism, natural disasters, or other types of phenomena".

Therefore, in the case of burnt vehicles, "the only way to ensure protection is by hiring comprehensive insurance with coverage for acts of vandalism or malicious acts." This coverage "includes compensation for damages caused by acts of vandalism, terrorism, and sabotage, actions of strikes, riots, labor disputes, riots, and changes in public order; it also protects the policyholder from losses caused by the authorities' response to the aforementioned incidents," explains DECOProteste.

"If this does not happen or if the policy does not include protection against acts of vandalism, in principle, the insured will have to continue paying for the car, even if declared a total loss by the insurer," indicates the entity.

In these cases, to activate insurance, "it is important to gather as much evidence as possible: photos of the scene and vehicle, exact location identification, and any potential witnesses".

Furthermore, previously, you must "present a complaint to the authorities, in a police station or through the electronic complaint and keep proof of it". Note that, whether or not the insurance covers the damages, if your car or motorcycle is vandalized, "you must always report the incident to the authorities".

In case the damages caused to the vehicle "require its transportation to another point, such as a workshop, for example", the travel assistance coverage - included in most car insurance policies, "can be activated for towing the vehicle".

In financing, financial institutions usually also require own-damage insurance, ensuring greater financial security in cases of vandalism.

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