Everyone has or will experience car troubles at some point. But one that is a big inconvenience is car door dents. Not only are they an eyesore but they can be costly to repair and embarrassing to explain—imagine telling your car insurance provider that you backed into a shopping cart.
So what do you do if you come back to your car after a shopping trip or other errand and find one of these dents? Don’t worry—here’s what you need to do:
Find Liability and Contact Your Insurance Company
The most important step is the first—you will need to file a claim through your car insurance provider. But understanding who caused the dent is vital to this process. If you are the cause, then you will need to get your car insurance company involved.
If it is someone else, then you may be able to look for them in the parking lot or ask around. In any case, if they don’t leave their information, you can always check with security cameras or take photos of the car and dent. Depending on your policy’s coverage, you may be covered to get the dent fixed at a car body shop. And if you don’t have car insurance, unfortunately, you’ll need to pay for car door dent repairs out of pocket.
Find a Reputable Car Body Shop
Once your car insurance company approves the claim, it’s time to start looking for trustworthy car body shops in your area. Get online and start searching for reviews from customers who have used car repair services near you or get recommendations from someone you trust.
A transparent and professional car body shop will tell you exactly what needs to be done and how much it will cost. Finding a body shop that’ll do the repairs at a reasonable cost and with the right quality can make a huge difference in your not-so-fun car door dent experience.
How to Avoid Getting a Car Door Dent
Staying aware of your surroundings isn’t just important for car dents, it’s important for car safety in general.
Here are a few tips you can use when parking in the lot:
- Stay away from shopping cart return areas and car doors that open outward.
- Park by another open spot so you have enough room to maneuver.
- Open your car door slowly
- Check for child seats in the neighboring car
- Make sure to leave enough space for car doors to open
What If You’re at Fault for Someone’s Car Dent?
If you’re at fault for another person’s car door dent, it may seem like a sticky situation. According to High Speed, 60% of Americans say their parked vehicle has been damaged and out of that 60%, most say the person who caused the damage didn’t leave a note.
The first course of action is to leave your information (name, number, and insurance details) on the car. It’s important to be honest about what happened, even if it means having to pay for car repairs out of pocket. Accidents happen, but taking responsibility for one is important.
At Valley Collision, Your Door Dent Will Be Gone in No Time
Whether your door dent is minor or major, you can always count on Valley Collision. With our top of the line car body shop and transparent communication, your car will look back in perfect shape in no time.
It’s time to get back on the road with a worry-free car—contact us today and let us take care of that dent for you!
