What should you do if your car has body damage?

What is body damage?

Body damage is damage to the car’s bodywork, such as a dent in the bumper. Body damage is often caused by a collision with another driver or by accidentally hitting something, such as a post. The most common type of body damage is therefore dent damage. Body damage is often confused with paint damage, but paint damage refers to damage to the car’s paint finish. If you hit a pole, you can end up with both body damage and paint damage.

If your car has only superficial body damage, you can usually continue driving. In this case, there’s no need to involve the police. However, you’ll still need to fill out an accident report form. Not sure if you can continue driving? Then contact emergency services. Be sure to read our article“What to Do in Case of an Accident.”

Body Damage After a Storm: What Should You Do?

Your car can also be damaged by, for example, a heavy hailstorm or a storm. If your car has sustained body damage due to storm damage, you must also fill out a claim form and send it to your insurer or insurance agent. Be as specific as possible when filling out the claim form. Your insurer will verify the weather conditions on the day and at the time the incident occurred.

What to Do in the Event of an Accident Involving Property Damage?

Exactly what you need to do in the event of body damage depends on the type of accident. We distinguish between body damage caused by a single-vehicle accident and body damage caused by a two-vehicle accident. In the case of damage from a single-vehicle accident, no other people are involved—for example, if you’ve driven into a pole. In this case, you don’t have to wait at the scene of the accident. If you’re unharmed and the car is still drivable, you can drive home safely. If you want to file a claim with your insurer, you’ll need to submit a fully completed accident report form.

Was it a two-party accident, such as a collision? If so, always fill out an accident report form together with the other party. Also, take photos of the damage to both cars and write down the contact information of any witnesses. This will help speed up the claims process. Next, contact your insurance company. You can have the body damage repaired at a repair shop affiliated with your insurer.

Car Body Damage: What About Insurance?

If your car has body damage, there’s a good chance you’ll need to have it repaired. Car repairs can often get expensive. Naturally, you’ll wonder how your insurance covers this. Is body damage to your car covered by auto insurance? This depends on the coverage of your auto insurance policy and whether you’re liable for the damage. If you’re not responsible for the damage, the insurer will try to recover the costs from the other party. If you caused the damage yourself, you’re liable. In this case, it depends on the type of coverage you have. Do you have auto insurance with only third-party liability coverage? Then you’ll have to pay for the costs of the damage yourself. This is because third-party liability insurance only covers the damage you cause to the other party.

With limited comprehensive coverage, you’re insured for things like windshield damage, damage from break-ins, and vandalism. If you cause a collision yourself, however, the body damage to your car isn’t covered under this policy. With all-risk coverage, almost all types of damage are covered, even if you caused them yourself. Of course, there are some exceptions here as well, such as when alcohol or drugs are involved.

Does body damage affect your no-claims years?

If you’re insured for body damage, this will affect your no-claims years. Regardless of the cost, your no-claims record will be reset if you file a claim for(body) damage. So it doesn’t matter how much the damage costs. This means you’ll end up paying more for your insurance premium. You might therefore wonder whether it’s wise to file an insurance claim for minor body damage.

Driving Away After a Fender Bender: What Are the Consequences?

Under the Road Traffic Act, it is a criminal offense to flee the scene of an accident. This applies not only when there are physical injuries resulting from the accident, but also when there is only property damage, such as damage to the vehicle. If someone drives away after a collision, that person has 12 hours to report to the police. Failure to do so is considered a criminal offense. This can result in a maximum fine of €6,700 or a prison sentence of 3 months. In addition, a driver’s license may be suspended for up to 5 years. However, these are the maximum penalties. In practice, they are rarely imposed, but driving away after causing only property damage can still have serious consequences.

I drove off after hitting a parked car—what should I do?

Imagine this: you park your car in a parking lot and then pop out to run an errand. When you return a short while later, there’s a big dent in your car. Someone hit it, but there’s no sign of the person responsible. The person who caused the damage is liable to prosecution if they don’t report it within 12 hours. For you, this is especially frustrating, of course, because you’re left with the damage and there’s no one to hold accountable. In situations like this, the Motor Vehicle Guarantee Fund may be able to help. They can tell you whether you’re entitled to compensation.

Where can I get my car repaired if it has body damage?

Need to get your car repaired for body damage? Be careful where you take it. Your insurance company expects you to have the car repaired at one of its authorized repair shops. So always contact your insurance company or agent in advance to find out which repair shop is located near you. You can also find them on the green card.

Car Body Damage

Body damage to your car is, of course, incredibly frustrating. Body damage can occur, for example, because you misjudged your parking spot, but also because you were involved in an accident with another road user. For insurance purposes, it’s important to determine who caused the damage. In the case of a single-vehicle accident—where no other road users are involved—you can simply continue driving and fill out the accident report form yourself, then send it to your insurance agent or insurer. In the case of a two-vehicle accident, you’ll fill out the accident report form together with the other party.

Cost of body damage

If you caused the body damage yourself, it will only be covered if you have comprehensive auto insurance. Third-party liability or limited comprehensive car insurance does not cover damage you cause yourself. Be sure to check whether it’s worth filing a claim, as this will affect your premium discount and no-claims bonus. Sometimes it’s more cost-effective to pay for the damage yourself. Was the damage caused by someone else? In that case, you can seek compensation from the other party.

Repairing Body Damage

Although repairing body damage isn’t immediately necessary in cases of minor damage, it does, of course, detract from the appearance of your car. That’s why it’s wise to have even minor body damage repaired. If the damage was your fault and you plan to file a claim with your insurer, you can have the repairs done at one of the auto repair shops with which the insurer has an agreement. Always contact your insurer in advance to discuss where it’s best to have your car repaired. These repair shops are also listed on the green card.