Lock up your cars

The average cost of repairing vehicles damaged by vandalism in Great Britain has surged by 37% over the past year.

In some regions, the rise has been as much as £10,000.

Electric vehicles, inflation, and the continuing complexity of modern vehicles have all had an effect.

Worrying trends

Comparing insurance claim figures from Q2 in 2023 and 2024, this new data from insurance specialists at Quotezone reflects a growing concern for motorists.

Surveys reveal that 40% of Brits know someone who has had their car vandalised.

According to figures from The Green Insurer earlier this year, the problem is getting worse.

In times of a cost of living crisis, these types of crime often rise, but the research found many worrying statistics:

One in six (17%) UK car owners has been a victim of car crime in the last three years.

This figure is even higher in London, where 34% of car owners have been targeted.

The perception of rising car crime is widespread, with 31% of Brits believing it has increased in their area over the past three years, compared to just 14% who think it has decreased.

Easy targets

Green Insurer’s findings revealed that typically car break-ins are the most common type of car crime reported, affecting 13% of respondents.

This is followed by malicious damage such as smashed windows or vandalised paintwork (8%), unreported damage by another vehicle (6%), theft of catalytic converters (4%), and slashed tyres (4%).

But Brits appeared to be fighting back with over half (56%) of car owners saying they were taking action to try and prevent their cars from being targeted.

The most popular measure is installing security cameras, with 22% of respondents taking this step.

Other actions include using Faraday pouches to prevent key cloning (14%), installing tracking devices (14%), and using steering wheel locks (11%).

Unfortunately the rise in car crime is in part due to the growing sophistication of car thieves, who often use electronic devices to bypass keyless entry systems and target high-value parts like catalytic converters.

Price promotion

According to Quotezone, repair costs are particularly high in South East England, where motorists have experienced a 400% rise in the past year.

The average repair cost in the region was £2,032 in 2023, whereas now it’s a staggering £10,169.

Scotland has also seen a significant rise in vandalism repair costs, from £2,021 to £3,215 (+59%).

Only two regions have witnessed a decrease in costs.

In the North East, the average repair cost in 2023 was £4,781, whereas in the same period in 2024, it was £2,225 (53%).

Yorkshire also saw a 21% decrease, from £2,506 to £1,987.

What’s going on

The definition of vandalism varies depending on the insurer, but generally speaking, vandalism – also known as ‘malicious damage’ – simply means deliberate damage to your car.

This can include slashed or purposefully punctured tyres, scratched panels or paintwork by a key or other sharp object, smashed windows (even if nothing was stolen), graffiti, pulled-off or broken wing mirrors, smashed lights, and deliberately dented body or panels.

While the cost of repairing these damages varies drastically from region to region, they now cost, on average, 37% more than they did last year.

Inflation

Quotezone CEO says part of the increase in some areas could be due to the fact that more people are starting to own electric vehicles, which typically cost more to fix.

Greg commented on the data: “The significant increase in vandalism repair costs across GB is a stark indicator of the growing challenges motorists face today.

“Part of this increase could be attributed to the rising number of electric vehicles on the road, which are often more expensive to repair. The overall rise in inflation has also driven up the cost of materials such as paint, glass, and replacement parts.

“Modern vehicles, especially luxury cars, also come with more advanced technology and materials that can be costly to fix. Damage to sensors and cameras, for example, can significantly increase repair costs.

“This recent surge in repair costs is part of the reason car insurance premiums have been soaring – pushing up prices right across the board.

“Beyond the financial hit, these incidents are worrying for community safety. Persistent vandalism can affect local neighbourhoods, increasing crime rates, and even driving down property value.”

Regional variations