Wife hit a pole in a parking lot … should we file a claim or pay out of pocket?

My wife hit a pole in a parking lot. It caused a good scrape and dents on two doors on one side. I was thinking we might just pay out of pocket instead of turning it into insurance. Is that a good idea? Or would a parking lot scrape like this not affect our insurance rates much?

This is an at-fault collision, so it could raise your premiums unless you have some sort of accident forgiveness. If you’re okay with paying out of pocket, then it might be worth doing to avoid a potential insurance hike.

@Vail
It could be worse if you lose your claims-free discount or if you don’t have accident forgiveness. That could end up costing more in the long run.

Orin said:
@Vail
It could be worse if you lose your claims-free discount or if you don’t have accident forgiveness. That could end up costing more in the long run.

Also, depending on the type of pole and whether there’s surveillance, you and your wife could get a claim from the parking lot owner, which could cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

You’re probably looking at an accident surcharge for three years. I’d suggest getting a repair quote and seeing how much it’s over your deductible. Then, decide if the cost of the repair is worth paying out of pocket compared to the increased premiums over time.

@Jordan
I got the quote and it’s about twice my deductible. I’m not sure how much the surcharge will end up being though.

Bevin said:
@Jordan
I got the quote and it’s about twice my deductible. I’m not sure how much the surcharge will end up being though.

If your deductible is $1000 and the quote is $2000, you’re only paying an extra $1000 out of pocket. But the accident surcharge is usually around 10% for 36 months. It might cost you more than $1000 overall.

I’d recommend getting a couple of estimates from reputable paintless dent repair and body shops first. This sounds like a minor enough issue that it might be cheaper to just clean it up a bit. Use insurance for bigger repairs, like when the damage is over a few thousand dollars, or if there’s another party involved and you’re worried about liability.

@Jin
Wait, I didn’t even know this was an option. I’ve got similar dents on my minivan and haven’t filed a claim yet. Should I just search for ‘dent repair’ or look for a specific type of shop?

Nico said:
@Jin
Wait, I didn’t even know this was an option. I’ve got similar dents on my minivan and haven’t filed a claim yet. Should I just search for ‘dent repair’ or look for a specific type of shop?

Yep, some of these dent repair shops can work wonders, especially if the paint isn’t broken or scratched.

@Wil
That’s awesome. Thanks.

I had something similar happen a few years ago. Damaged both my door and the front quarter panel. I was quoted $4000 to fix it with paint. I went through insurance, but that made it an at-fault claim, and my premium has been higher ever since.

@Moe
How much did your premium go up? Is there a way to find out how much it will increase before actually filing a claim?

Bevin said:
@Moe
How much did your premium go up? Is there a way to find out how much it will increase before actually filing a claim?

Before the accident, my premium was around $110 a month. After the claim, it went up to about $200 a month.

Bevin said:
@Moe
How much did your premium go up? Is there a way to find out how much it will increase before actually filing a claim?

Unfortunately, you can’t really find out the exact increase before filing. Most insurance companies only apply the surcharge at the next renewal, and premiums are already going up for many people.

If you go through insurance, you’ll pay your deductible and probably see your premium go up for a while. It’s likely cheaper to just handle the repair yourself.

I’m guessing the claim would cover both doors and the paint work to get everything blended. The best move is to take it to a good shop and get an estimate.

What car are we talking about here, a 2005 Altima or a new Aston Martin? Get some quotes, then see if the out-of-pocket cost is better than the increase in premiums. Out-of-pocket repair can sometimes be surprisingly expensive.

@Leighton
It’s a 2022 Hyundai Tucson. We have a $1000 deductible. Just left the collision shop and I’m waiting for the estimate. I joked that I’ll pay cash if that makes a difference haha.

My mom scraped the driver’s side front quarter panel and door on a 2020 Explorer. The repair was around $6000 without insurance.