Some things can put a damper on your day faster than discovering that your car has been scratched or dented. It’s terrible. But, the worst has happened, and it’s time to start looking at advanced options forward. You have insurance, so can you file a claim for repairing your car’s precious paint job and bodywork? The good news is you can reach out to your insurer and request a payout. There are a couple of things you would do well to know before taking this step, though. Find out what these are now!
- Are you better off consulting your insurer over this type of damage?
- What should you expect moving forward?
What’s more, the type of insurance policy you’re operating and the exact way that the scratch occurred also matters a lot.
To start with, if you are operating the primary Third Party insurance policy, you have no grounds to file any claim for a payout as the coverage doesn’t extend to repairing your car under any circumstance.
If you’re operating a Third Party, Fire, and Theft policy, you may file a claim for payout. However, the condition under which the scratch occurred matters a great deal. For example, if your vehicle was scratched due to a collision, a Third Party, Fire, and Theft coverage won’t payout for repairs. However, if it occurred due to vandalism or theft, you would be asked to reimburse for the damage.
With comprehensive coverage, aside from covering you for scratches occurring due to theft or vandalism, you can also file a claim even if the ding happened due to an accident. Now, whether you are using a Third Party, Fire, and Theft or Comprehensive policy, you would need to pay a deductible first before your insurer covers the rest of the cost for you. For this reason, it’s always advisable to think carefully about whether you would be served when handling the repairs yourself or if consulting your insurer is a better alternative.
