Small cars the most likely to be vandalised

Owners of Smart cars are the most likely to have their vehicles vandalised, with one in every 100 falling prey to damage such as door scratches and graffiti each year.

In fact, it’s bad news for small cars in general, as the second most commonly vandalised brand was Mini, with one in every thousand cars succumbing to vandalism.

Next on the list was Alfa Romeo, followed by BMW, Mazda, Peugeot, Saab, Fiat, Mercedes and Citroen – showing that vandals don’t appear to be too picky with their vandalism. Remarkably, though, it’s not the UK’s best-sellers that suffer from vandalism. Ford, Volkswagen and Vauxhall make some of the country’s most popular cars, yet do not claim for vandalism as much as less popular brands.

The findings come from an analysis of motor insurance claims by Churchill Car Insurance. The insurer says that on average, a claim for vandalism is made every 22 minutes. The increasing complexity of modern cars means these claims are more costly than they used to be, too – the value of claims has risen by more than 40 per cent in the last five years.

Cosmetic damage is the most frequent type of vehicle vandalism claimed for, making up 15 per cent of claims. It’s followed by damage to the front bumper and front door, which make up 12 per cent each. The firm also found that claims peak during Halloween, when pranksters are rife.

“It’s extremely unfair, and while not all cases will result in a conviction, we strongly advise victims report vandalism to the police, even if the damage is only minor. If repairs aren’t made to even small scratches and dents, the condition of the vehicle will deteriorate, which could significantly impact the resale value.