Auto insurance will help pay for dents and scratches in certain situations, depending on the type of coverage you have. There are several factors to consider when deciding whether or not you should file a claim for a scratched car, including the cause and severity of the damage and the cost of your deductible. If the repairs will cost less than your deductible, it would make sense to pay out of pocket for the damage. If someone else’s car causes the damage, their insurance should pay for the repairs. More extensive damages may make filing a scratch or dent claim worth it. Let’s walk through the types of auto insurance that cover scratches or dents and explore how filing a scratch or dent claim can affect your rates.
What type of car insurance covers scratches or dents?
There are two types of auto insurance that typically cover dents, dings and scratches: collision coverage and comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage will cover damages to your car caused by a collision with another vehicle or object. For example, if you get a mystery door ding in a parking lot, you run into a tree or you scrape your car’s paint on a parking garage pole, your collision coverage will typically cover it. Comprehensive coverage protects your car from damage that did not result from a collision with another car or object and is outside of your control. If your car has hail damage, is damaged by a falling tree limb or is vandalized, your comprehensive coverage will cover these scenarios.
How Filing a Scratch or Dent Claim Can Affect Your Rates
Deciding whether to file a scratch or dent claim for a small repair is a tricky decision, especially if the damage is your fault. You should compare the out-of-pocket cost after your deductible to any potential increase in your insurance rate to decide if filing the claim makes sense for you. If the cost to repair the damage isn’t much more than the cost of your deductible, you might consider paying out of pocket. You should also consider if the scratch or dent could lead to bigger problems, like rust, down the road. If the damage is deemed your fault, a scratch or dent claim will affect your rate, but if it is not a chargeable claim or the other driver is at fault, your insurance rates should remain the same.
There are times when you should always file a claim, like if you get into an accident with another vehicle. If they are at fault, their insurance will pay, but if you are determined to beat fault, your insurance will. It’s always better to be safe and contact your insurance company when another driver is involved in the damage.
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