Document it before anything else
Wash the car later. Photograph each scratch from straight on and again at a low angle, and include one wide shot of the whole side so an adjuster can see how far the damage runs. Deep scratches photograph poorly, so shoot in daylight or with a flashlight raking across the panel.
Then report it. Vandalism claims almost always require a police report, and filing one costs nothing and takes very little time. Ask nearby homes and businesses about cameras the same day, because the useful footage is usually overwritten within a week.
- Photos of each panel affected, straight on and at an angle
- One wide shot showing the full length of the damage
- The police report number
- Where the car was parked and the time window involved
- Any camera that had a view of the vehicle
How vandalism coverage works
Vandalism is a comprehensive loss. Comprehensive covers what happens to your car outside of a driver hitting something — theft, fire, hail, falling branches, and deliberate damage — so no fault is assigned and your comprehensive deductible is what you pay.
Because there is no at-fault finding, these claims generally do not carry the surcharge an at-fault collision would, though rating practices vary and your agent can tell you how yours works. If the person responsible is identified, your insurance company may pursue them and refund your deductible.
- Refinishing every panel the scratch actually crosses
- A blend into the panels alongside, so the work disappears
- Your comprehensive deductible as the only out-of-pocket cost
- No at-fault finding, because no driver caused the damage
- A possible deductible refund if the person responsible is identified
What repairing a keyed panel takes
Run a fingernail across the scratch. If it catches, the damage has gone through the clear coat, and no amount of polishing brings that back — the panel needs to be refinished. Keys typically cut deeper than that, right through the color to primer or bare metal.
The repair sands the area flat, primes and seals it, then sprays color mixed to the panel’s actual measured shade and blends into the neighboring panels. Long keyed lines that cross a door, a quarter, and a fender mean all three get worked, because a repair that stops at a panel gap shows.
What to expect from us
Send the photos you took for the police report and you will have a free written estimate within 24 hours, itemized panel by panel so you can see exactly what the claim covers. That is also the document your adjuster will want.
Color match is where this repair is won or lost, and it is the compliment that comes up most often in our reviews — we are at 5.0 across more than 110 of them. Every refinish carries a lifetime paint warranty. Call (651) 460-9996 or drop the car at 8080 W 125th St in Savage.
