Skip to main content

What to do in the event of your home being vandalised



Vandalism is, thankfully, not a common problem in the UK. 

Although the 2011 riots have given it a higher profile recently, most homeowners never have to worry about vandalism, and what few incidents there are tend to be focussed in the cities.

Nonetheless, if you are one of the unlucky few to experience problems with vandalism, making sure that you follow the right procedure in dealing with it can be the difference between having to foot the entire bill yourself and getting some help from your insurance company.

The first thing to remember, even if the damage is relatively minor, is that vandalism is a criminal incident and the police should be notified. From an insurance standpoint a police report acts as another piece of proof that the damage actually did take place to the extent that you say it did. Additionally, if the culprit is caught and dealt with not only do you get peace of mind, it also makes it less likely that there will be a recurrence.

Once the police have inspected the damage, the next thing to consider is the agreed excess in your buildings insurance policy (vandalism usually falls under buildings insurance as the damage is done to the fabric of your property rather than any of its contents).

The excess is the amount of money you have to pay up front on any claim that you make. If you have a large excess and the damage is minor you may have to foot the entire bill yourself, if you have a small excess or the damage is significant, the insurance company will pay anything over the level of the excess.



It is always worth talking to the insurance company straight away. The temptation may be that if the damage is small, you can get it fixed yourself and not notify your insurer – after all, you're footing the bill. This is not a good idea as there's always a chance of finding yourself the victim of vandalism, and the insurance company are likely to take a dim view of not being told of previous incidents. In fact, you may find that it invalidates your policy.

Call your insurance company and explain to them what has happened. The process for each company is slightly different but the best thing to do is to be open and honest from the start. They may pay up on your word, or they may wish to send out a claims inspector to take a look at the damage themselves. They will inform you how they want you to proceed.

Although you will probably want to get the damage fixed straight away, it's important to remember that you can't do it immediately. Many insurance companies will have tradesmen that they feel give a fair and honest price and will do maintenance work up to an appropriate standard. Make sure that you only use someone from their list, or who meets their criteria, otherwise you may find that they won't pay out when it comes to settling the bills.

At the end of the day, most insurance companies will be happy to pay out, that is, after all what you have insurance for, and most insurers are very helpful. Remember, though, if you're unsatisfied with the treatment you get you can always take your business elsewhere, and if your insurance company is being difficult, there's no harm in reminding them of that!

This information was provided to you by Allianz Your Cover (www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk).  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dumping the tumble dryer and Ecoforce giveaway

We have a tumble dryer, but it broke before christmas and we  couldn't afford to get it repaired, so I have been managing with an old fashioned wooden clothes rail and hanging bedding over the doors to dry, This last would of weeks however, I have been hanging the washing outside and it has been drying much quicker and with less creases, so I am going to take the plunge and instead of getting the dryer replaced I am going to give it away. Ecoforce heard me on twitter bemoaning the fact that I was chasing laundry round the garden as my pegs were not working and very kindly sent me some of their Ecoforce pegs to try and they have been fab. So in conjunction with Ecoforce I have a year's supply of green cleaning and washing up wonder products worth £50 comprising the following: EcoForce Peg Basket x 1 EcoForce Clothes Line x1 EcoForce Pegs x 2 packs Several of each of: EcoForce sponges, scourer...

Win a XXL'MAN SIZE' Faux Leather Bean Bag for Fathers Day

I have a fab competition for you to win a  Man Sized Bean Bag just in time for Fathers Day from Bean Bag Bazaar , which is worth £69.99. We are big fans of bean bags as they make perfect additional seating and can be popped in the garage when not in use and we are looking forward to reviewing one in Maxi's new bedroom . a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win a £60 Amazon Voucher with Barclaycard Freedom Rewards and A Thrifty Mum

Barclaycard Freedom Reward Card asked me to take their  60 second survey to see what shopping tribe I was part off .   Barclaycard and Brunel University have collaborated to research the modern way in which we shop and how UK shoppers can now be defined into four new shopping tribes.  I am a Bargain Hunter Gatherer: You're an expert at collecting the best tools, voucher codes and loyalty cards to make your budget go as far as possible, week in, week out. While the kids are doing their homework, you're doing yours - grabbing the best savings for your family. Key facts about you: You're most likely to be female, married or living with your partner and living in the north of the UK. You lot are busy. Two thirds of you cleverly juggle your home, work and financial life. You're not easily tempted by big discounts, only 35% of you have ever bought a non-essential item you didn't need because of a special offer. Home really is where the heart is - 42% of you...