Door Dent in Parking Lot. Insurance Claim or Not?

My car is an 2004 Nissan Altima and still look new. Long story short, The guy who parked next to me open his door and slam it into my car, leaving a nice visible dent. Green on white paint. His SUV took no damage. I have file a police report and plan to have the other guy's insurance to pay for the dent. But my friends told me it is not worth the trouble and might rise my rates and stuff. My parents on the other hand told me to give the other driver a break because both of us go to the same college (don't know him) My grandmother is an oddball and warn me that karma will come around and bite me if I file a claim and save me if I don't.

What do you think is best to do now? File the claim or forget about it?

Chloie R

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Jane

Forget about it, your friends are right, your premiums will go up because of this claim. Unless the door is severely damaged, let it go.

merillo5

Forget about it because they will raise your rates .

musicluvr

My opinion: Forget it. Sure, your insurance company will pay to get your damage fixed, but what kind of a deductible do you have? Your deductible is something you pay first and foremost, before your insurance company will pay damages. My guess is that the damage to your car will cost your deductible to repair, not a whole lot more, thereby negating (making foolish) you filing a claim with your carrier.

Rest assured, your rates WILL increase if you report this. Despite being in the business, and thinking my carrier would not raise my rates if I just reported POSSIBLE damage - I simply reported as an FYI that someone ran a cart into a rental car I had possession of, and then I learned the damage was there when i took the car out. Unfortunately, it was too late, because it was on file now with my carrier - it 'counted'. So for the past 3 yrs, I've been paying higher rates, even though my insurance didn't pay out a dime!

Best advice though, ask the guy if he can be a 'stand-up' guy and help you with the cost - tell him you'll do 50/50 so neither of you have to report it - sometimes that will be enough to 'scare him' into helping out.

Good luck in whatever you choose!

Michael S

He was negligent NOT you. He should pay. It will not affect your insurance since you are not at fault. Never mind what others say, follow your own decision. Ask yourself, had you damaged his car, would he let you get away free?

chevypride0310

i'd file the claim, its not going to make yours go up since you had nothing to do with it, i think the only way your rates would go up was if you did the damage yourlsef and you file 3 or 4 claims of damage you did yourself, this one shouldn't do anything to yours, also why give him a break since you don't even know him, only way you could give him a break was if you knew him and you two agreed that he would pay for the repair without filing a claim, since you don't know him its a good chance he wouldn't give you any money after you had ti fixed, so file the claim

imre_14_2000

Thats a nice new car, I would file and get the dent fixed. I would be so pissed if someone dented my car and its not nearly as new as yours. I think that guy should watch out for karma, some one is gonna door his car(lol) Maybe hell learn to be more careful with his stupid over sized SUV.

good luck

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