Vandalism & Comprehensive Coverage

My car has full coverage and was vandalized in a parking lot. The damage included a broken window, stolen stereo, paint scratches, and a dent above the front license plate. If this dent was caused by a car backing into my vehicle to check for a security alarm, does that event fall under collision or comprehensive? If the dent falls under collision, do I have to pay my deductible twice even though all of the damage occurred during the same incident of vandalism?

Answer

The type of coverage that applies will depend largely on the police report that was filed by your local law enforcement officials. The type of policy you have and its coverage specifications will also influence how the damage is covered. It is unlikely that you will have to pay both deductibles, as all of the damage was part of the vandalism. Unless the police are certain the dent was caused by a collision with another vehicle, it will probably just be lumped in with the rest of the vandalism damage, which falls under comprehensive coverage. To find out for sure, you should contact your insurance agent and explain the dilemma.