Protests erupted after ICE conducted several raids in the LA area over the weekend. (Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM)
Anti-ICE protests that erupted in LA over the weekend caused damage to several buildings, cars and businesses — but most of the damage is likely insured.
The damage follows several days of unrest as protesters and authorities clashed about immigration raids performed by ICE. Late Sunday night and early Monday morning, some businesses were vandalized and burglarized. Protesters also burned several self-driving Waymo cars, sprayed graffiti on buildings and threw rocks and electric scooters at police cruisers.
Civil unrest can be costly. In 2020, protests following the murder of George Floyd resulted in about $2 billion in insured losses, the most expensive period of civil unrest in U.S. history. And in 1992, the LA riots caused about $775 million in insured losses, or about $1.4 billion in today’s dollars.
Most of the damage from the weekend’s protests is likely insured, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Standard policies generally provide coverage for property damage from riots, civil commotion or vandalism.
- For homeowners, standard homeowners insurance usually covers damage caused by fire, an explosion, a riot or civil commotion, vandalism or malicious mischief. Policies cover not only the home’s structure but also personal possessions. If a homeowner can’t live in the home because of the damage, standard policies also cover additional living expenses, which pay for costs incurred while living away from the home. That includes things like hotel bills and restaurant meals while the house is repaired or rebuilt.
- For drivers, optional comprehensive coverage will take care of damage to a vehicle and its contents in case of fire, falling objects, vandalism or riot. It will also reimburse a driver if their windshield is cracked or shattered, sometimes without a deductible. About three-quarters of drivers have comprehensive coverage.
- For businesses, a standard business owners policy typically covers damage to the physical part of the business as well as its contents in case of fire, riots, civil commotion or vandalism. If a business has a plate glass window, they may have to purchase coverage for that separately. If a business is forced to suspend operations or limit hours due to rioting, they might have coverage for loss of income if that have business income insurance, also known as business interruption insurance. This kind of policy is only triggered if there’s direct physical damage to the premises, though. If the police department or fire department closes access to the property, businesses might be able to recover lost income and extra expenses through a “civil authority provision” in their business policy.
- For commercial properties, most standard policies will cover damage caused by riots, vandalism and civil unrest.
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