Car Vandalism May Not Be Covered

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Car owners are furious when they wake up to find their tires have been slashed. But that's nothing compared to how they feel when they find insurance might not cover the damage.

Dozens of tires have been slashed by vandals in Philadelphia, and other cities have reported similar incidents of vandalism such as Claymont, Delaware or Denver, Colorado which saw 50 tires slashed, and Berkeley, California which had 75 cars' tires slashed. Why do they hate your tires, man?

Perhaps even more frustrating than the actual vandalism is the fact that the damage may not be covered by insurance. If you elected full-tort, or comprehensive auto insurance, all damage to your vehicle including car accidents and vandalism is covered. But if you elect limited tort or that "state minimum" coverage which seemed like such a good deal when you saved 15% or more on your insurance, the new tires will come out of your pocket.

So, check your policy to see what is and what isn't covered and consider adding more coverage because unfortunately, tire slashing may be coming to a town near you.