Property damage

Agricultural storage and processing structures in Marion, Iowa damaged by high winds of the 2020 Midwest derecho

Property damage (sometimes called damage to property) is the damage or destruction of real or tangible personal property, caused by negligence, willful destruction, or an act of nature.

Destruction of property (sometimes called property destruction, or criminal damage in England and Wales) is a subset of property damage that involves damage to property that results from willful misconduct and is punishable as a crime. Destruction of property encompasses vandalism (deliberate damage, destruction, or defacement), building implosion (destroying property with explosives), and arson (destroying property with fire), and similar crimes that involve unlawful infliction of damage to or destruction of personal property or real property.

Courts may also order the destruction of property that infringes intellectual property laws.

Insurance claims

Property damage also refers to loss of tangible property in insurance loss claims, related to residential and commercial buildings, as well as motor vehicles. In motor vehicle accidents, typically there may be loss to structures, personal items, and vehicles, which would be referred to as property damage.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hörnle, Tatjana; Dubber, Markus D., eds. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Criminal Law. Oxford, UK: OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0191654602.
  2. ↑ "property damage". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  3. ↑ Wagon, Tina (2024-04-09). "What is Considered Criminal Damage to Property". Wheldon Law. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  4. ↑ Wright, Richard; Jacques, Scott (2010). Property Crime: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide. St. Louis, MO: Oxford University Press, USA. p. 11. ISBN 9780199805709.
  5. ↑ Li, Xuan; Correa, Carlos M., eds. (2009). Intellectual Property Enforcement: International Perspectives. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84844-663-2.
  6. ↑ "Loss of Use as Property Damage". www.irmi.com. 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  7. ↑ "How Is Property Damage Handled in an Auto Accident?". vaughanandvaughan.com. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  8. ↑ Toney-Butler, Tammy J.; Varacallo, Matthew A. (2025), "Motor Vehicle Collisions", StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, PMID 28722984, retrieved 2025-05-21