| 2011/12 Position | 2010/11 Position | Model | VV Index rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Entry | Fiat 500 | 3.62 |
| 2 | 2 | BMW Z4 | 2.97 |
| 3 | New Entry | Peugeot 207 | 2.39 |
| 4 | 7 | BMW X5 | 2.37 |
| 5 | New Entry | Land Rover Range Rover | 2.15 |
| 6 | 21 | Volkswagen Beetle | 1.88 |
| 7 | 5 | Audi TT | 1.64 |
| 8 | 30 | Fiat Punto | 1.61 |
| 9 | 46 | Mini Cooper | 1.54 |
| 10 | 11 | BMW 3 Series | 1.52 |
The Most-Vandalised Cars in UK
by Patricia Montgomery, LincsMag Writer.
Date: 17 April 2012
The Fiat 500 is the most vandalised car in Britain, according to analysis of more than 1,500 vandalism claims for online car insurance provider swiftcover.com’s 2011/12 Vehicle Vandalism Index.
This year’s annual index revealed that the Fiat 500 rose to the top spot by a considerable margin in 2011/12 with a rating of 3.62, followed by the BMW Z4, Peugeot 207, BMW X5, and Range Rover. This year’s findings reinforce the trends suggested by swiftcover.com’s 2010/11 index, which was dominated by luxury cars including the Lexus IS, BMW Z4, Mini One, Mercedes CLK and Audi TT.
No One's Immune
Although two of the top five cars were ‘everyday’ vehicles, the analysis found that high-end brands were disproportionately likely to be targeted: of the top five most-vandalised brands, three produce prestige vehicles (Porsche, Land Rover and BMW).
With some notable exceptions, ‘everyday’ cars were significantly less likely to be vandalised: the UK’s best-selling car for 2011, the Ford Focus, had an index score of just 0.58.
Robin Reames, chief claims officer at insurance provider swiftcover.com, said: "Our analysis shows that although luxury cars are still more likely to be targeted by vandals, owners of everyday vehicles shouldn’t consider themselves immune.
"The majority of vehicles in the top ten are what we call ‘executive cars’ such as the BMW Z4 and Audi TT, likely to be driven by high earners who see their car as a status symbol, and it probably won’t surprise many to learn that there are two 4x4s in the top ten.
"Vandalism results in significant costs to insurers and motorists – although the average claim sits at £972.75, they can reach several thousand pounds and the most expensive claim we saw this year was £5,604.31 for a BMW 125."
Top Ten Models Targeted
swiftcover.com analysis shows the top ten car models most likely to be targeted by vandals
Some Measures You Can Take
Reames continued: "While vandalism is difficult to prevent, there are several measures that motorists can take to protect their cars and make them less likely to be targeted. Firstly, anyone lucky enough to have a garage should use it regularly to keep their car safe. However, there are some steps that motorists can take that don’t require a huge investment: special sheets designed to cover cars are an inexpensive way to make your car less prominent, and a motion activated light will deter would-be thieves as well as vandals."
"We hope that the index gives some insight for those considering their next car."
Top Ten Brands Targeted
swiftcover.com analysis shows the top ten car brands most likely to be targeted by vandals
| 2011/12 Position | Brand | VV Index rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porshe | 3.46 |
| 2 | Saab | 1.68 |
| 3 | LandRover | 1.65 |
| 4 | BMW | 1.63 |
| 5 | Suzuki | 1.55 |
| 6 | Fiat Total | 1.45 |
| 7 | Jaguar Total | 1.36 |
| 8 | Kia Total | 1.31 |
| 9 | Mini Total | 1.29 |
| 10 | Mazda Total | 1.21 |
VV = swiftcover.com Vehicle Vandalism Index results
Based on analysis of approximately 1,500 claims for vandalism and malicious damage among the UK vehicles insured by swiftcover.com in 201-12. Figures adjusted to take into account numbers of cars on the road and cars with less than ten instances of vandalism/malicious damage per year removed.
