Is minor car paint damage worth going through insurance?

I bought a new Tesla Model Y with under 400 miles. Recently, my sister accidentally triggered the garage door, causing a 7x12" scrape on the trunk lid and faint vertical scratches across the back window. The trunk scrape is clear coat deep and can be polished off, but the window scratches are tiny and don’t impact the glass. The greatest issue is a 1/2" chip down to the metal. For the entire trunk to be repainted, a Tesla-certified shop charged $2000–$2500, while another establishment quoted $500 but suggested switching to polishing and touch-up paint. I am unsure whether to go with a less expensive repair or meticulously restore the vehicle. I also have a $250 deductible on my comprehensive insurance. Should I use my insurance, shell out $500 for the repair, or do it myself and receive my sister’s money back? Does buffing away light scratches also offer a long-term fix?

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Based on my experience, it’s usually best to handle accidents like these independently. Take the car to a repair shop and have your sister cover the costs. Avoid attempting a DIY repair on your brand-new vehicle unless you’re experienced. However, you don’t necessarily need to go to a Tesla-certified shop for body work.

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For optimal color blending, the best paint shops will respray the entire trunk as well as the nearby panels. If they are proficient at matching colors, it ought to appear brand new. If you do it yourself, it will appear amateurish, and anyone who happens to glance at that area will be able to tell you did it yourself. Really, don’t even try to improve it; leave it to the experts. Painting and auto body work are really challenging.A spotless booth is also necessary for expert painting. (As an amateur, I’m repainting my car from scratch.) Don’t even buff it because you’ll most likely exacerbate it. For an expert, obtaining a buffer and removing some clear coat is all that is necessary to get it level again. The problem is that you may be exposing the base coat because factory cars have extremely thin clear coats.

If the repair costs are less than your car insurance deductible, it makes sense to pay for the damage out of pocket. On the other hand, if the damage is more extensive and costly, it may make sense to file a claim for any dents or scratches that need to be repaired.

No need to involve insurance in such because the process of receiving compensation is always long