If an insured suspects that someone put water or a substance in his gas tank – would this be covered under the vandalism portion of his auto policy?

New York Subscriber

Vandalism is covered as an other than collision loss. In general, vandalism requires an act made with willful and malicious intent, intending to cause harm, which is generally how putting water in gas would be seen. If the vehicle was inspected and no water or foreign substance was found in the gas and the vehicle had simply malfunctioned or had some other issue, then the insured would be responsible for the repairs. Without evidence of such, any mechanical issues will be seen as just that, mechanical issues.