Do you always go through your car insurance to repair scratches on your car?

[Oneofakind1]

My car was scratched when I was parking recently and someone reversed into me. It looked like minor cosmetic damage so I was going to get it repaired myself. Now it seems like there is also a small dent in the passenger door so it’s a bigger and more expensive job.

I did report it to my insurance company but wasn’t going to make a claim. Now I’m thinking I should.

Does it matter legally? Will it take longer to get it repaired through my insurance company? I don’t have the full details of the other driver, only a name. Wondering about other people’s experiences? Thanks

If you don’t have the other driver’s details to claim against them it will go through your own insurance so you’ll lose your no claims bonus. It may also not be worth it when you consider the excess. Have you had quotes to repair? I usually just leave minor dings until the service and then see what they say re cost.

We don't bother with small scratches and dings but we buy our cars outright, if you are on a PCP contract similar you may have to get it fixed properly.

My car is old but very reliable,

Originally belonged to DF and owned outright by him from its start. It's long since depreciated so really 'owes' me nothing in value.

I'm not too careful with it, so yes there are scratches. It's serviced once a year and I budget for all the scratches to be fixed at the same time as its annual service.

We just live with the scratches!

I only claim through my insurance if I really have to, so the premiums stay low. I wouldn't even tell them about dings and scratched. if you tell them and don't claim through them you premiums will still rise. Even if you have a no fault claim you premiums will rise. Even if you have protected no claim bonus.

I take them to a local body shop and get a quote. We have three nearby - one is medium sized family firm they have a courtesy car and the others are one man operations working out a an industrial estate.

For most small dings scratches and even when I scraped the wall the cost will be much lower not using the insurance.

If you aren't intending to sell the car on as a 'lovely shiny perfect car' then minor scratches don't matter at all. If a bigger dent and the undercoat has come off, I'd apply something to prevent rusting. You get a clear varnish/paint for this but have forgotten it's name.

Yes I am intending to sell the car soon so need to get it fixed. I thought it was just minor scratches but I’ve had someone out to look at it who says there’s a dent. I can’t see it myself but I think I’ll get a quote from a body shop place and take it from there.

Depends on the situation.

Are you going through someone else’s insurance or your own?

Cost of the repair? (Does it exceed your excess and is it enough to justify the inconvenience and increase in premiums)

Do you have protected no claims?

In my case, self-inflicted minor scratches, stone chips and alloy dinks, we live with and then get them all done at once when we change the cars, so as to retain the value as far as possible. Accident damage goes through the at fault party’s insurance, though if the work has been minor (a small rub or paintwork scratch for eg) repairs have often been paid out of own pocket, again because the costs are either less than or equal to the excess on the policy. I’m sure in a couple of case it’s also been because the other party didn’t actually have insurance.