Theft and vandalism losses are generally covered, but they are also the losses carriers scrutinize hardest, because they hinge on proof and on the condition of the property at the time. Break-in damage, stolen property, and malicious destruction are all typically covered, provided the claim is documented and the property was not sitting vacant beyond the policy's limit.
These claims fail on documentation more than on coverage. A police report, a proof of loss, and a full accounting of the damage and stolen property are what carry them, and the vacancy clause is the trap most owners never see coming.
What decides a theft & vandalism claim in Florida.
The vacancy clause
Most policies limit or exclude vandalism and certain losses if the property has been vacant beyond a set period (commonly 30 or 60 days). This catches owners of investment property, properties between tenants, and buildings under renovation. Occupancy status is often the first thing a carrier checks.
Proof of loss and police report
A prompt police report and a detailed, documented proof of loss, itemizing stolen property and physical damage, are the backbone of the claim. Gaps in documentation are the most common reason these claims are reduced.
The damage beyond the obvious
Vandalism and forced entry often cause damage well past the broken door or window, structural, electrical, plumbing, and interior damage that a quick scope misses. The full extent should be documented, not just the entry point.
What the carrier will try on a theft & vandalism claim.
- —Invoking the vacancy clause to limit or deny a vandalism loss.
- —Disputing the value or existence of stolen property without engaging the documentation.
- —Scoping only the visible break-in damage and ignoring the rest.
- —Delaying on the basis of an "investigation" to pressure a lower settlement.
We Build Your Claim The Way Ford Built The Assembly Line.
Henry Ford didn’t try to be the expert at everything. He surrounded himself with specialists, each mastering one part of the work, and assembled the result into something no individual could build alone. We document claims the same way. For a serious loss, one adjuster’s opinion is not enough, so we bring in the right specialists, pull a full report from each, and assemble them into a claim the carrier cannot dismiss.
Building Consultants
Read the structure and the code the way an insurer’s engineer does, so nothing covered gets left out of scope.
General Contractors
Real-world repair pricing and sequencing that holds up when the carrier questions the cost to rebuild.
Structural Engineers
Independent reports on causation and structural damage that carry weight the carrier can’t wave off.
Professional Estimators
Line-item Xactimate estimates built to the same software and standards the carrier’s own adjuster uses.
Contents Specialists
Full inventory and valuation of damaged personal property and business contents, item by item.
Water & Mold Testing
Moisture mapping, thermal imaging, and lab testing that prove the source, the spread, and the cause of loss.
We don’t send an adjuster. We send a team.
These specialists are independent third-party professionals brought in for documentation and evidence purposes. CCG does not perform repair work and holds no financial interest in any repair or remediation contract.
Theft & Vandalism claims: what Florida property owners ask.
Are theft and vandalism covered by my property insurance?
Generally yes, stolen property and malicious damage are typically covered perils. The common obstacles are documentation and the vacancy clause, not coverage itself. A police report and a detailed proof of loss are essential.
The property was empty when it was vandalized. Does that matter?
It can. Most policies limit or exclude vandalism if the property was vacant beyond a set period, often 30 or 60 days. This affects investment properties, units between tenants, and buildings under renovation. How the vacancy question is handled can decide the claim.
How do I prove what was stolen?
With a prompt police report and a documented, itemized proof of loss, records, photographs, receipts where available, and a full accounting. Strong documentation is what carries a theft claim; gaps are where carriers cut it down.
The carrier only scoped the broken door. Is that all I get?
Not necessarily. Forced entry and vandalism often cause damage well beyond the entry point. We document the full extent, structural and interior, and pursue it rather than accept a scope limited to the obvious.
General information only, not legal advice or a coverage determination. Coverage depends on your specific policy, the facts of your loss, and current Florida law.
Denied, underpaid, or already closed? Florida law may still give you time to reopen a theft & vandalism claim.
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