How to Claim Insurance for a Car Dent: Denting your car is never fun. Not only has your expensive vehicle sustained damage, but you’re also left with the difficult task of figuring out how to claim insurance for it. How can you make sure that you receive the maximum settlement for your car?
The key is knowing which type of insurance coverage to choose for your situation. Here are some things to consider when choosing the right type of insurance for a dent in your car.
How to Claim Insurance for a Car Dent: Insurance Types
There are many types of insurance coverage, and many of them will cover car dents. The type you choose will depend on the type of dent in your car, the value of your car, and whether or not you purchased optional collision coverage.
Walking through the types of insurance coverage for a car dent will help you understand which is right for you.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage: This insurance covers damages from an accident with a driver who does not have insurance. This type of insurance is usually purchased with liability coverage.
Liability Coverage: This insurance covers damages from a car accident caused by the insured driver. This type of insurance is usually purchased along with uninsured motorist coverage.
Collision Coverage: This optional form of insurance covers damages from a car accident caused by the insured driver.
Comprehensive Coverage: This optional form of insurance covers damages from a car accident caused by anything other than a car accident, such as vandalism or weather damage.
Accident or Damage?
The first thing you need to determine is if your dent was caused by an accident or by some other form of damage. If the dent was caused by some form of damage, then you will need to take your car in for a professional inspection.
If the dent was caused by an accident, then you will need to file a claim with your insurance company. Keep in mind that not all insurance companies will cover a dented car. Your insurance company may only cover a new car after a collision, but not a dented car.
If your insurance company does not cover the cost of a dented car, you may be able to make an agreement with your insurance company to have the repair done through a certified repair shop. You will have to pay for the repair out-of-pocket, but any repairs made through these shops will be covered under your insurance policy.
Your Own Insurance
One of the easiest ways to claim insurance for a dent in your car is to use your own insurance. If you have an auto insurance policy, the process becomes pretty simple.
First, take a picture of the dent and take note of its location and size. If the dent is on the hood, take a picture of the hood. If it’s on the bumper, take a picture of that. You should also take pictures of any other damage to your car that’s not a result of the dent.
Next, take your car to a body shop and have them give you an estimate for repair. Once you have this estimate, contact your insurance company and file a claim for the dent.
Typically, your insurance company will cover 100 percent of the cost for repairs. If you have comprehensive coverage, you might also be able to get the cost of the repair covered.
Third Party Liability
Third-party liability insurance is the most common type of insurance coverage for a car dent. It’s typically part of your car’s comprehensive insurance, which covers both third-party and first-party claims.
Typically, comprehensive insurance covers damages to your car caused by an accident. This includes other vehicles, animals, and environmental factors, such as hail or heavy rain. Comprehensive insurance covers you in all types of accidents.
Third-party liability insurance will pay for damages to a third party’s vehicle that you caused in a collision. It will also cover any medical expenses that you caused to a third party in an accident.
In third-party liability coverage, your insurer will pay for your damages up to the legal limit of your policy. In other words, if your damages exceed the policy limit, you’ll have to cover the rest yourself. In addition to third-party liability insurance, you should also consider purchasing uninsured motorist coverage and collision coverage. These types of coverage will also cover damages to your vehicle in accidents with uninsured drivers and collisions with other vehicles, respectively.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage is effective if you come into contact with a driver who is not insured. This type of coverage is typically not very costly and can save you money in the event that you are in an accident with an uninsured driver. If the uninsured driver is at fault, then your insurance company will pay for your damages.
The cost of this type of coverage varies depending on the provider and the car you drive, but it is typically less than $100 per year.
Uninsured motorist coverage may be necessary if you live in an area where many drivers are uninsured or where accidents are frequent. You can also extend this type of coverage to your passengers if they are driving the car.
Conclusion
It’s important to know which type of insurance coverage to choose for your situation. Picking the wrong type could result in you receiving less than you deserve.
For example, if you have comprehensive, collision, and liability insurance, but the damage was done by a deer, you won’t be able to make a claim with collision or comprehensive.
The best way to make sure you receive the maximum settlement for your car is to make sure you know which type of insurance coverage applies to your situation.