Everyone’s car probably has a few dents and scratches in it. That’s just part of being a driver, and many of these blemishes are probably cosmetic, and have no effect on your ability to drive your car. Still, these seemingly small damages could be very costly to repair if you ever want to go that route.

Only in certain cases will your auto insurance help you repair this damage. In the end, it is the cause of the damage and the type of coverage that you have that will be the determining factors in whether your plan will actually cover you. Here’s what you need to know.

Were You in an Accident?

Car insurance is designed to only cover vehicle damage caused by unexpected, unavoidable losses. Therefore, if your car simply accumulates a few dings and scratches along the way, then your policy is not going to pay for the repairs. Damage caused by lack of maintenance and upkeep also will not have coverage.

What Type of Auto Insurance Do You Have?

The average car insurance policy contains numerous types of coverage, and each will address vehicle damage differently. For example, if you want your own policy to pay for your own vehicle if it sustains damage, then you must make sure it contains both collision insurance and comprehensive insurance. Collision coverage pays for damage you sustain in a wreck, while comprehensive coverage pays for damage caused by non-collision hazards. It is comprehensive coverage that will pay for hail damage, damage from falling trees, and similar incidents.

What Is Your Deductible?

Even if you have collision & comprehensive coverage on your auto policy, there will still be limitations on how much your plan will pay for damage. One of these is your deductible.

A deductible is an amount of money that you agree to pay for vehicle damage yourself, rather than obligating your auto insurance to pay. So, supposed that you have a $1,000 deductible, and hail causes $3,000 in vehicle damage. You must pay the first $1,000 worth of repairs, while your insurer will pay the remaining $2,000.

The catch here is that your claim value must exceed the value of your deductible for your plan to pay at all. Therefore, if a scratch will cost $200 to repair, and you have a $1,000 deductible, then your auto policy won’t pay for your damage at all.

All in all, before making a claim on your auto insurance for dents and scratches, consider the value of making that claim. If this is something you can pay for yourself, then you will probably save yourself money in the long run by not placing an extra burden on your insurer.

If you are ever curious about whether your plan will cover physical damage, then contact us to learn more. We’re happy to work with you to make sure your plan provides adequate compensation for the cosmetic damage you might face.

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