When you initially obtained homeowner’s insurance, you probably wanted to protect yourself from liability when visitors came over and to protect your investment in the property from losses caused by property damage. When most people worry about property damage, they imagine catastrophic losses due to matters beyond their control, like natural disasters or fires.
Your policy will typically protect you against such extreme scenarios, but also situations where the damage to the property is far less serious. You may have never considered whether homeowner’s insurance can help cover the costs you incur when someone sprays graffiti on your home or the fence surrounding it.
If you didn’t ask for extra coverage when you bought the policy, can you count on your homeowner’s insurance to help you address vandalism at your property, such as tags and graffiti art?
Homeowner’s insurance often covers criminal activity
Although it may not have been a focal point when you purchased the policy, the chances are good that your homeowner’s insurance coverage includes protection against criminal activity. Your claims may be subject to a deductible, depending on the terms of your coverage, but you can likely count on your homeowner’s policy to help cover the cost of graffiti removal.
If you have to remove graffiti from your siding, you may have to bring in a professional who charges for removal by the square foot. Your homeowner’s insurance will likely pay for that or the supplies you need to tackle the project yourself.
Filing a police report and reviewing the coverage on your policy can help you prepare to file a homeowner’s insurance claim related to vandalism of your property.