It may be simple for you to determine whether or not to file a claim if your car is damaged in a significant accident. But what if the collision is minimal, with only a few dents and scrapes on your vehicle? Is such damage covered by your insurance policy? Is it even necessary to file a claim for the same?
Minor damages may be covered by your insurance coverage, but it may not always be cost-effective to have the insurance company pay for the repairs. You may choose to pay for your losses if they can be repaired at a fair fee. According to experts, this is a cost-effective strategy.
Does Car Insurance Cover Scratches and Dents?
Minor damage, such as scratches and dents, may deface the vehicle’s paint or cause cosmetic faults, but they do not impair its operation. As a result, damages such as having your car keyed or being hit by road debris, among other things, leave a mark on your vehicle. These blemishes are not substantial enough to prevent you from driving the vehicle or force you to take it to a repair shop right away.
These types of losses are typically covered by comprehensive or collision insurance. However, before filing a claim, make sure you analyze the deductibles to ensure that it benefits you. Continue reading to learn about the different sorts of scratches and dents that your insurance policy covers and does not cover.
Car Insurance Covers for Different Types of Dents and Scratches
Scratchy Bumper: In case you bump into another vehicle and end up scratching your own bumper, the car insurance company will cover it for you. Such damages are covered under collision coverage. Even your insurance company will pay for the damage to the other party as well.
A Deer Dent: Any type of animal damages, including dents and scratches caused to a vehicle are covered under a comprehensive car insurance policy. Even a little animal can cause huge damage to your vehicle in case of an unfortunate accident.
Car Wires Chewed by a Squirrel: In case your car wires are damaged and it is inoperable with minor scratches, your comprehensive car insurance policy covers it. You can easily get in touch with one of the network garages partnered with your car insurance company and get the same repaired with great ease.
When Your Car Gets Keyed:Comprehensive car insurance policies in the UAE cover activities like vandalism, damaging your car doors, spray painting, breaking the windows when trying to break in, and more done by an unknown third party.
A Car Hit by Road Debris: Comprehensive car insurance also covers damage caused by unfortunate incidents hitting a rock, cargo, or other road debris. However, damage caused by you on hitting an object lying on the road, let’s say a rock or other car’s bumper, it will be categorized as a collision loss. You can also check with your insurer to get additional glass coverage to cover damages like cracks on your windows or damaged windshield glass. The add-on is available with a lower deductible or no deductible with most insurance companies in the UAE.
Types of Dents and Scratches Car Insurance Does Not Cover
Here are several circumstances in which scratches and dents are not covered by a UAE auto insurance policy.
Not Having a Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy: It is mandatory to have a car insurance policy for every car owner in the UAE. But what if you have a minimum liability insurance policy that does not cover your own car damages? Minimum liability insurance policies in the UAE only pay for the third-party repair and medical expenses in case their car gets hit by yours and gets damaged. It does not provide coverage for even minor scratches or dents on your car.
Normal Wear and Tear Damages: When your car gets old, it starts to pick up occasional dings, even if you drive it carefully. The car insurance policies in the UAE do not cover such losses and damages.
Intentional Cause of a Scratch or Dent: In case you get annoyed for reasons like getting a ticket, for example, you may kick your vehicle and create a dent. Car insurance companies do not approve claims raised for such damages.
Claims Not Reported on Time: In case you make a delay in reporting the claim and the damage becomes old, you may not get paid by the insurance company. The car insurance companies in the UAE have set specific limits for how far back they are going to settle the claim for the damage that occurred. Even if you do not remember the exact time the damage took place, but you still should be able to provide the date and the given circumstances.
Damages Caused in a Non-Covered Location: In case you are driving in a non-covered location and end up causing scratches or dents on your car. The car insurance company will not cover such losses. You would need to buy a country-specific insurance policy to pay for those damages.
Should You File an Insurance Claim for a Scratch or Dent on Your Car?
Even if the scrapes and dents are covered by your insurance coverage, you should not file a claim for them. This is due to the fact that submitting a claim may result in an increase in your insurance rate. So, if the damage is modest, you must attempt to repair it all on your own. It could cost you much more to pay the deductible.
For example, suppose you have a scratch on your car that may be repaired for roughly AED 100. Reporting an insurance claim for such incidents makes no sense if your deductible is AED 500. However, if the repair costs exceed the deductible, you can consider making a claim and having your insurance carrier pay the difference.
If you strike a third-party vehicle or suffer any injuries in the accident, you must also notify it to the police and obtain an accident report before making an insurance claim. If the injuries and damages are small, you might try to settle the problem with the other motorist without involving the insurance company at all.
