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October 28th, 2020
As homeowners prepare for another Halloween weekend, they may start to wonder whether or not their property is covered for damage that may occur on Halloween night. Specifically, Halloween is known for various pranks taking place – such as homes being egged or covered with graffiti and lawns or vehicles being TP’D. While more times than not these pranks do not result in serious damage, there have been occasions in which homeowners have been left with thousands of dollars in damage because of a Halloween prank. The question then becomes, will your homeowner’s carrier pay for this damage? As with most legal situations, the answer is “it depends.”
Specifically, the terms of your insurance policy will govern what type of coverage is in place and whether or not the damage you sustain is covered under your insurance policy. In looking at your policy, if the same covers acts of vandalism then the damage you face as a result of a Halloween prank may in fact be covered. But what is vandalism? The definition of vandalism is purposefully destroying or defacing someone’s property without their consent. In other words, if someone intentionally does something to deface your property without your approval, it may qualify as vandalism. Acts of vandalism often times include the following:
Thus, if the damage that befalls your home or property is worth more than your deductible and constitutes vandalism, it may well be worth it to file a claim for damage with your homeowner’s carrier.
