Any damage to your vehicle can be a major inconvenience. Some drivers automatically turn to their insurance agent to file a claim, but this isn’t always the most cost-effective way to deal with scrapes or scratches to your vehicle’s exterior. 

Is Car Paint Covered by Car Insurance? 
As a rule, most auto insurance policies cover paint repairs for your vehicle. This is generally covered under comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage provides compensation for damages to your vehicle caused by fire, wind, hail, lightning, falling objects, smoke, theft, vandalism and other incidents. If your paint is damaged due to one of these incidents, you may technically be able to file a car insurance claim. 

Filing a car insurance claim comes with its own downsides, however. When you file a car insurance claim, you risk your rates going up. This is because car insurance premiums are primarily calculated based on how likely you are to file a claim and cost the insurance provider money in compensation. Drivers with a history of claims tend to pay more for auto insurance. 

There are also circumstances in which your auto insurance claim may be denied when it comes to scratched or scraped paint. 

Meeting Your Car Insurance Deductible 
If your car’s paint is simply scraped, you may not be able to meet your car insurance deductible. Your deductible is how much you must pay out of pocket after an accident before receiving compensation. For example, say your car insurance deductible is $1,000 but fixing the scrape costs close to $800. In this case, you would not be able to reach your deductible of $1,000 and may not be able to file a car insurance claim. 

On the other hand, if the damages are significantly higher than your deductible, it may be best to file a claim for compensation. Repainting your vehicle can vary in costs, some incidents costing over $2,000 to repair.  

Want to Learn More? 
If you have any questions about an accident or whether you should file a claim, make sure to have the damage evaluated by an expert and speak with your insurance agent. This can help you calculate how much it will cost to repair your vehicle and whether or not you will reach your car insurance deductible.