What happens if you scratch another car

Comprehensive insurance covers you for various instances not covered by collision coverage, including keying and vandalism, fallen objects, and a shopping cart or moving object hitting your car from the side, causing dents or scratches. When it comes to minor damage to your car, there are certain damages that insurance policies will not cover, such as:.

If your claim gets rejected, you might consider paying for the damage before things get worse. If you borrow somebody else's car and cause damage to another vehicle while driving it, your liability insurance will cover the scratches and dents.

If you cause damage to the car you are driving, you can still make a claim on your liability insurance. The owner of the vehicle, however, will still need to contact their insurance company to report the incident and might be liable for damages. It is important to note that both collision and comprehensive coverage have a deductible amount, which is the money you have to pay before the insurance company pays for the rest of the cost. If the price of fixing your bodywork costs less than the deductible, it might not be worth filing a claim and having to pay higher premium prices.

You will still pay out of pocket, but your insurance premium payments will remain the same. If, however, there are other damages that are the result of the accident, the coverage will pay for them, along with fixing the dents and scratches.

It is your decision whether to make a claim on your insurance for minor damage. Consider the cost, your deductible, and the increase of your premiums before you submit a claim, but always let your insurance company know about the incident. Check this out if you need additional information, resources, or guidance on car insurance. Does Auto Insurance Cover Scratches? New Cars. Buyer's Guide.

Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Guido Mieth Getty Images. Is It Worth Making a Claim? First, you need to understand that hitting or scratching a car and leaving the crime scene is a hit-and-run offense.

If the owner of the damaged vehicle decides to press charges, you will most like be charged for hit-and-run. In the case where you left the incident scene unaware, two things might happen: you may find police in front of your door if the owner pressed charges. In this case, all you need to do is let them know that you have no idea when the incident happened.

You might also need to get a good lawyer if the charges go any further. Hey there! I'm Gui. To be honest, I'm not really that interested in cars. But what I'm really, really not interest in is spending lots of money fixing my car up. Thankfully, I have a father-in-law who's obsessed with cars and a brother getting a PhD in internal combustion engines, so I get to learn about fixing cars. Otherwise, your insurance company will classify the incident as a hit and run with an uninsured driver.

If you hit another unattended vehicle, even if there is no damage, the right thing to do is to stop and leave a note with your contact information. If you were in the parked vehicle when the accident occurred and suffered an injury, call the police right away so they can assess the accident. Depending on the injury, you may need medical assistance or an ambulance.

As with all other incidents, take photos, exchange information, look for witnesses and notify your insurance company. The more information you can gather at the time the accident occurred, the better. Make sure to gather details about the other vehicle and driver if possible: name, phone number and license plate. Refer to the following table to find the claims contact information for some of the top car insurers.

If someone hits your car and takes responsibility for it, their insurance will pay for repairing your vehicle. However, how you were parked affects the outcome. If you were incorrectly or illegally parked, the insurer may not pay for your repair. If you have collision or uninsured motorist coverage, insurance will step in to pay for the repair — after you pay the deductible. Even if an accident involves a parked car, your insurance company still considers it an accident.

If you are worried about your car insurance rates going up after your car was damaged by a hit and run, think twice before you file a claim with your insurance company. You may be better off paying for your damages out of pocket to avoid a possible rate increase.

Dents, scratches and other damages are the unfortunate side effects of parking in public places. Unfortunately, even a small dent or scratch can be expensive to repair. If you hit a parked vehicle, you should leave a note on the car with your information.

September 17, Mary Van Keuren.