Vandalism, property theft, and non-collision car damage: what will insurance cover?

Buying car insurance, many people think of the benefits of being covered for damage and injury resulting from a car crash. However, things can happen to your vehicle even when you’re not driving it. Vandalism, break-ins, property theft, and accidental damage; these can all cause significant and expensive damage or loss to a vehicle or other property, leaving many wondering: Will my insurance cover this?

This week, Kwiksure looks at the type of non-driving dangers that can happen to your vehicle and discusses what car insurance can do.

What common dangers should car owners watch out for?

Whether your car is parked or you’re simply getting in under the hood of your vehicle, you can still be at risk of damage and loss that can be costly. Even when you’re not driving, these common incidents can still occur and cause you unnecessary headaches:

Car vandalism

Like the story in China of three teenagers damaging 16 cars in Shanghai earlier this year, vandalism can come with a heavy repair cost. CCTV footage caught images of the teens scratching and defacing several luxury cars, including Mercedes, Porsches, and Infinitis, parked in an underground garage of a residential complex. The damage caused was estimated to cost tens of thousands of yuan.

According to an older GeoExpat post, one Hong Kong car owner was quoted a cost of HKD 2,000-3,500 to repair a scratched bumper. The costs of repair can vary greatly depending on how long, how deep, the type of car you have, and where on the vehicle things like scrapes and scratches are, respraying of a vehicle altogether due to graffiti can cost between HKD 20,000-60,000, whilst smashed windows can cost upwards of HKD 8,000.

Break-ins and property theft

The purpose of damaging a parked, unattended vehicle isn’t always just as an act of vandalism; sometimes people want to steal the property inside a car. Car stereos and dash cams can be prime targets, as can valuables such as laptops, mobile phones, or other electronics left inside. As one Hong Kong Government official learned, sometimes the inside of a vehicle isn’t a safe place to leave important items.

Depending on the method of breaking into your vehicle, the damage your car might suffer could be a smashed window or a busted keyhole. Images of people using coat hangers to force doors to unlock can also leave the internal mechanisms busted. With no local examples online for how much car locks cost to repair, a comparative US-example indicates it would cost the equivalent of HKD 590-1,720.

Accidental damage during self maintenance

Sometimes you might just experience a lapse in concentration and cause damage to the vehicle yourself. Many inexperienced drivers have made the mistake of putting the wrong type of fuel in their car, or have accidentally added wiper fluid to their engine’s oil tank. While these might seem like minor oversights, sometimes they can cause serious damage and rack up huge repair bills.

The best advice is to take care and always take your time when performing self maintenance on a vehicle. Always read your car's manual carefully and ensure you’re confident in your actions before you do them. When in doubt, always check with a qualified car mechanic. Cars are expensive assets and you’ll want to make sure you know what you’re doing before getting under the hood.

Will insurance cover costs associated with such damage?

The answer to this question has a few aspects to it. Firstly, the type of car insurance coverage you have really does matter. Third party car insurance is mandatory in Hong Kong can provide the basic level of coverage required by law. Unfortunately, car damage and loss examples such as those above are unlikely to be covered by third party plans, meaning you’ll need to pay for the cost of repairs and replacement out of pocket.

Comprehensive car insurance offers vehicle owners a lot more protection when it comes to car damage occurring when you’re not behind the wheel. Things like car vandalism, damage resulting from successful or attempted break-ins, and accidental damage incurred whilst your vehicle is parked will generally be covered under an comprehensive insurance plan.

There are a couple of things to be mindful of, however. When it comes to replacing smashed windows, broken mirrors, key scrapes, or busted door locks, the excess or deductible in your policy can vary. Sometimes it might not be worth ruining your No Claims Bonus where repairs are less or close to the amount of excess or deductible your policy states.

Property stolen from the inside of a car is also generally not covered by either third party or comprehensive car insurance plans. Property insurance plans can cover personal belongings (which we wrote more about here). Some items, such as GPS units or dash cams, can be included as car items on your policy (like insuring for the value of a car stereo), but things like laptops, phones, or other non-car related items are often excluded.

Finally, car insurance policies in Hong Kong will also generally exclude damage incurred from making self-maintenance mistakes. The upside is that car owners in this country very rarely pump their own gas or change their own oil; technicians almost always perform such actions for you, meaning there’s less of a chance of you making a mistake. If the technician does, you can make a claim for damages against them instead.

Finding solid third party and comprehensive insurance in Hong Kong

If you’re looking for great third party or comprehensive car insurance, you’ll want to talk to our team at Kwiksure. Our advisors have years of experience matching people to the sort of motor insurance they want and need. For a free, no obligation quote, visit our quote page here or contact the team at Kwiksure today to speak to a consultant directly.