Learn How To Get Your Car Repaired After It Has Been Vandalized

Waking up to a vandalized car can be quite devastating. There will be so many things running through your mind at the moment that you see the damage that it may be difficult for you to gather your thoughts to determine what steps you should take. If your car has recently been vandalized, use the guide below to learn what you need to do to get your vehicle repaired to its original condition if you have full coverage insurance.

Call the Police

The first thing you need to do is call the police. You need to let them know that someone has vandalized your car. An officer will be sent to your home to create a police report for the incident. He or she will need to know when you last saw your vehicle undamaged, if you saw or heard any suspicious activity, and when you noticed the damage. If you have any neighbors who have security cameras in the neighborhood, let the officer know. He or she may be able to ask the neighbor to see the videos, which could give them a better lead as to who did the damage. Find out when and how you can get a copy of the report before the officer leaves.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Next, you need to call your insurance company and let them know what happened to your car. You will need to submit a copy of the police report to the company to show that your car was in fact vandalized. The company may choose to send an adjuster to look at the car in person, but pictures of the damage -- if it is simply cosmetic -- may be enough for them to determine how much they think the damages will cost to repair. The insurance adjuster takes into consideration how difficult the parts for the vehicle will be to find, how much labor will cost, and if the car will need to be painted when determining the cost.

Get Estimates from A Few Mechanics

Next, you need to take your car to a few mechanics, if it is drivable. Have them each give you an estimate for what they believe the damage will cost to fix. If the car is not drivable, you can take the pictures that you have of the vehicle to the mechanics to get a rough estimate for what the damage may cost to repair. Choose a mechanic that you feel the most comfortable working with.

Once you have chosen the mechanic, you can submit the information to your insurance company. If the cost of the repairs exceeds the amount the insurance company, such as Northeast Underwriters, agreed to pay, you can submit an adjustment to the adjuster and he or she can have the company write a separate check for the additional cost so that you only have to pay for your deductible.