Does My Car Insurance Cover Scratches?
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Insurance doesn’t have to be boring. That’s why we hired Sara East to be our BA insurance writer. Maggie specializes in making mundane subjects hella-entertaining.
Reviewed by
Paul Martin is the Director of Education and Development for Myron Steves, one of the largest, most respected insurance wholesalers in the southern U.S.
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When does car insurance cover scratches to my vehicle?
How does car insurance cover scratches?
How much of the damage will my insurance coverage if my vehicle is scratched?
If my car insurance does not entirely cover the scratches, how much do I have to pay?
Expert(s) Found on this Page
When does car insurance cover scratches to my vehicle?
I walked to my car this morning to go to work and noticed there's a big scratch on the driver's side passenger door. I want to get the scratch fixed, but I'm not sure if scratches are covered under general car insurance.
Your car insurance will cover scratches if the scratches are a result of vandalism or a collision. Now, I'm not talking about a major collision, but let's say you go on vacation in the mountains and you're driving your car along narrow roads lines with trees and bushes. After your drive, you realize your car has scratches on it from the trees. Your insurance would cover the scratches in this situation.
The thing to remember about using your insurance for scratches is that you always have to pay your deductible. So while your insurance may cover the scratches, you'll always want to consider the price to fix the scratches outside your insurance vs. under a claim.
In most cases, making a claim for scratches isn't worth it. While getting a ding in your car at the grocery store is annoying, it's usually not worth getting fixed. But if you decide you want to, your insurance may cover it.
How does car insurance cover scratches?
I woke up the day after Halloween to notice that someone had thrown a pumpkin at the back of my car. Not only did it scratch my car, but it made a direct hit on the handle of my hatchback and now the back won't open. I am planning on filing an insurance claim, but I'm not sure how my insurance will cover the damage.
When you call your insurance company to make a claim about your vehicle being scratched, they'll investigate whether the scratch was your fault. Once the cause of the scratch is determined, if you're eligible to have your insurance cover the scratch, your insurance will open a claim. From there you'll work with an approved body shop to get your scratches fixed and your insurance will cover the expenses, minus the deductible.
How much of the damage will my insurance cover if my vehicle is scratched?
I took my car to a body shop after I discovered some scratches on the side door. They're saying there is about $1,500 worth of damage, how much of that will my insurance cover?
Your insurance will cover all of the damage to your car, minus your deductible. Depending on your insurance, your deductible can be anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousand.
If the damage to your car is less than your deductible, it's not worth filing an insurance claim. I recommend paying to fix the damage on your own, or not getting it fixed at all if the appearance doesn't matter to you.
If the scratch is determined to be your fault, and something that your insurance will not cover, then they will not pay anything toward the damage.
If my car insurance does not entirely cover the scratches, how much do I have to pay?
Someone keyed my car while I was at work, and I'm planning on filing a claim. If my insurance doesn't cover all of the damage, what will I owe?
If your insurance company determines that the cause of the scratches on your car makes them eligible for coverage under your insurance, then they will cover the damage 100%, minus your deductible. Whenever you choose to file a claim, you always have to pay your deductible. Once your insurance company decides they're covering the damage, they cover all of it.
If basic car insurance does not cover scratches, what will?
When I bought my insurance policy, I was trying to save money so I went with a basic policy. I don't know if I have the right policy to cover scratches. If my basic car insurance won't cover scratches, what will?
We already know that the right insurance will cover scratches. When building your insurance policy, or checking to make sure you have the best coverage, having the following coverages can ensure that you're getting more coverage under your policy.
- Full coverage insurance: This means you have an insurance policy that includes all possible car insurance coverages available. If you have full coverage insurance, your scratches will be covered under this policy.
- Comprehensive coverage: This coverage, often referred to as other than collision, is insurance for physical damage done to your car that is not part of a collision. If you don't have full coverage but you have other than collision damage, your insurance will cover the scratches under that policy.
- Collision coverage: This insurance is coverage for any time you collide with something else. Certain situations, like your car getting scraped by tree branches on a drive, would be covered under collision.