Unfortunately, having your car keyed is a common occurrence. ‘Keying’ occurs when someone damages your vehicle’s paintwork using a sharp object, like a key. It’s technically an act of vandalism, and if your car has been keyed, there are a number of steps you can take.

What to do if someone has keyed your car

Notify the police

As keying is an act of deliberate vandalism, you should report it to the police – but don’t call 999. Report it to your local police by dialling 101 – the non-emergency number.

This ensures that a record of the offence is made, meaning you’ll be given a crime reference number. You’ll need this in the instance of an insurance claim.

Check your insurance cover

Next, you’ll need to check whether your car insurance policy covers vandalism. Some providers cover it as standard, but others don’t. If your policy does include vandalism, then you should consider whether or not to make a claim.

Note that some insurance providers will uphold a no-claims discount, recognising it’s not your fault that your car was keyed. However, not all providers take this stance, so you’ll need to check this and then factor it into your final decision.

Remember that you’ll still have to pay any excess, regardless of whether your no-claims is protected or not. If your excess is greater than the cost of your claim, then it may not be worth making the claim in the first instance.

Gauge the damage

Whether you want to repair the scratch yourself or leave it up to a professional is entirely up to you – but more intense damage will inevitably be repaired more skilfully by an expert. If the scratch is minor, you may be able to handle it yourself. There are products to help with a DIY repair job.

Bear in mind, though, that deep scratches may lead to rust and corrosion down the line. Similarly, there’s always a risk with DIY repair that you may exacerbate the damage.

The cost of a professional repair will vary depending on several factors. This includes the location and scale of the damage, as well as the car itself. If you shop around for a quote, you’ll be able to find the best deal.

How to prevent a car being keyed

There are clear steps that can help prevent vandalism like keying. Parking somewhere that is populated and well-lit helps, particularly if there’s CCTV around. Leave more space between your car and others, as this gives vandals less cover.

At home, park your car in a garage, or install an at-home security system for greater peace of mind. Always ensure that your vehicle’s alarm system is working properly too.

Finance a more secure vehicle

If you think it’s time to level up your car’s safety and security features, you can use our car finance calculator to get a no-obligation quote for a new model in minutes.

Rates from 9.9% APR. Representative APR 11.9%

Evolution Funding Ltd T/A My Car Credit

My Credit Rating

Excellent

  • You are a home owner
  • You have been on the electoral role for a long period of time
  • You have current credit arrangements and mortgage with no defaults
  • You have no CCJs, credit arrears or missed payments
  • You rarely apply for credit
  • You are employed or self-employed

Good

  • You are on the electoral role
  • You are a home owner or long standing tenant
  • You have a stable employment history
  • You have current credit arrangements with occasional missed payments
  • You have no CCJs

Fair

  • You are or have recently been on the electoral role
  • You may have recently changed address
  • You may have occasional missed payments
  • You may have an old CCJ
  • You may have regularly applied for credit

Poor

  • You may have had frequent changes in address
  • You may not be traceable on the voters roll
  • You may have exceeded credit card limits
  • You may have missed payments on current agreements
  • You may have had a CCJ in the past

Bad

  • You may not be traceable on the voters roll
  • Your credit cards are over their limits
  • You have recent CCJs
  • You may have been refused credit elsewhere
  • You may be in a debt management plan
£

X monthly repayments of
£X

Typical rate

Loan amount

Total payable

X% APR*

£X

£X

*for illustration purposes only

No impact on your credit score*

Representative Example

Borrowing £7,500 at a representative APR of 11.9%, annual interest rate (fixed) 11.87%, 47 monthly payments of £194.81 followed by 1 payment of £204.81 (incl. estimated £10 option to purchase fee), a deposit of £0.00, total cost of credit is £1,860.88, total amount payable £9,360.88.

Evolution Funding Limited, trading as My Car Credit, is a credit broker and not a lender.

Please ensure you can afford the repayments for the duration of the loan before entering into a credit agreement.

*Initial application is a soft search. Should you progress, some lenders may perform a hard search on your credit file.

Require more help?

Got a question you can’t find the answer to, or need some advice and guidance around taking out car finance? Our Car Credit Specialists are friendly, experienced, and here to help so get in touch today!