Insurance & Repairs: Car Dents
Finding a dent or scratch on your car is never a pleasant experience. It may leave you wondering if it’s worth making a car dent insurance claim or if there are more affordable repair alternatives.
In this article, we will answer common questions about car insurance for dents and scratches, as well as various car dent repair options to find the best solution for you and your car.
Claiming Insurance on Car Dents and Scratches
When deciding to make a car dent insurance claim for car damage, there are many important factors to consider.
Claiming Through Insurance
Claiming through your car insurance policy to fix car dents and scratches may be more expensive than paying directly in the long term. It’s important to consider all the aspects before proceeding.
- Consider your no-claims discount, a valuable benefit offered by insurance companies for not making claims. If you’ve built up a good no-claims discount, it may be more cost-effective to pay for the repairs without going through your insurer. Losing this discount will lead to higher premiums for years to come.
- Most insurance policies also include an excess, which is the amount you agree to pay towards any claim. If you have a high excess amount, it might be cheaper to cover the cost of repairs yourself than paying the excess and potentially increasing your premiums.
Third–Party Claims
It is often less expensive to obtain a free estimate for a minor car body repair near you than to file a claim with your car insurance for a dent fix.
Choosing to claim on another individual’s insurance, known as a third-party claim, can be straightforward if the other party acknowledges fault. However, you must inform your own insurer about the incident, even if you are not making a claim through them. Failure to do so can result in your policy being cancelled, potentially leading to higher premiums in the future or your insurer refusing to pay out on future claims.
Even if you’re not directly making a claim through your own car insurance, your involvement in the accident can still affect your future insurance rates. Insurance companies often rely on statistics that suggest individuals involved in accidents are more likely to be involved in future incidents within a three-year period.
Do Scratches and Dents Devalue Your Car?
The effect of dents and scratches on your car’s value depends on several factors, including the location of the damage, how severe it is and type of car you drive. While most car dealers understand that used cars may not be in perfect condition, significant damage will impact the resale value.
Therefore, when considering selling your car, it’s worth noting that repairing minor dents and scratches can potentially increase its value. It may allow you to gain more than the cost of repairs, ultimately resulting in a higher selling price.
How to Repair Car Dents
If you decide to avoid going through insurance, there are alternative methods to get rid of car dents, scratches, and bumps.
Car Dent Pullers
There are two main types of car dent pullers available:
- Suction Dent Pullers – These work similarly to plungers, creating a vacuum to pull out the dent.
- Glue Dent Pullers – These involve attaching a tab to the dent with adhesive and then pulling the dent out.
These tools can be a cost-effective option for shallow dents on flat surfaces. However, using dent pullers on deep or angled dents, may risk further damage. If your vehicle has paintwork damage, it is highly recommended to not use a dent puller as this will worsen the problem rather than fix it.
Professional Car Dent Repair
In our expert opinion, the most effect way to repair bumps, dents and scratches is by seeking trained professional assistance. At ChipsAway, we offer over 20 years of experience in repairing paintwork scratches, minor dents, alloy wheels and bumper scuffs. Our services come with repair guarantees, ensuring peace of mind and long-term value of your vehicle.
