Paint damage to a car: File a claim or pay for it yourself?

Filing a claim for paint damage isn’t always in your best interest. Often, it sets back the number of claim-free years you’ve accumulated. As a result, you end up paying for the scratches indirectly, because your auto insurance premium goes up. By driving without making a claim, you build up claim-free years. If you’ve built up claim-free years, you’ll receive a discount on your auto insurance premium. However, the auto insurance policy must be in your name. Filing a claim causes you to lose claim-free years, which means you’ll have to pay a little more for your auto insurance.

If you have legal expense insurance, you can file a claim under that policy and won't have to contact the other party's insurer yourself.

Is the person responsible unknown, or did you cause the paint damage yourself? If so, think carefully about whether you want to file a claim under your comprehensive auto insurance. As mentioned earlier, this will cost you your no-claims years. Sometimes you can repair the scratches on your car yourself. That way, you can save a lot on repair costs.

In some cases, you may be eligible for compensation from the Guarantee Fund. The Guarantee Fund is financed by all insurance companies that provide auto insurance in the Netherlands. This means that, indirectly, everyone who owns a motor vehicle (and has it insured!) contributes to the Guarantee Fund. However, you must be able to prove that the damage was caused by another car, and you’ll need at least two witness statements.

A scratch on the car—what does the insurance cover?

Whether the repair of a scratch on your car is covered by the insurer depends on your auto insurance coverage. Unfortunately, third-party liability or limited comprehensive auto insurance does not cover paint damage. If you have comprehensive auto insurance, paint damage is covered. If the person responsible for the paint damage is known, the insurer will seek reimbursement from the other party itself. You don’t have to do anything yourself. If the person responsible is unknown, the insurer will still pay out compensation. If you discover a scratch on your car, it’s important to contact your insurer or insurance agent immediately. They will tell you what to do to file a claim. Sometimes the damage must first be assessed by an expert, but often you can go straight to the repair shop.

Car Paint Damage: How Do You Fix It?

Car paint damage can happen to anyone. It could be caused by someone else, or you might accidentally hit a pole or scrape against a wall yourself. Of course, you can always have paint damage repaired at a garage. However, this can quickly become a major expense, since paint repairs aren’t always cheap. Is the damage not too severe? Then you might be able to try repairing it yourself with a touch-up pen or a can of car paint. However, don’t just jump right in. You can seek professional advice or do your own research online and watch instructional videos.

Where can I get paint damage repaired?

What if the Guarantee Fund doesn’t pay out? In that case, you could repair the paint damage yourself or hire a company or auto repair shop to do it for you. However, this can easily cost you hundreds of euros. If you decide to repair the paint damage yourself, always seek professional advice before you begin.

How does paint damage repair work?

Paint damage always seems easy to repair, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It depends on the size of the damage and where it’s located. For example, damage to a mirror housing is often easy to fix, but paint damage to the front bumper isn’t always so simple. What’s more, you sometimes have to deal with hidden damage, such as behind the bumper. If you have the paint damage repaired at a garage, the costs can quickly add up—especially if a part needs to be replaced or the car needs to be repainted. You might be able to repair small, superficial paint damage yourself, for example, with a touch-up pen or a can of car paint.

Can I compare car insurance policies?

Premiums and terms can vary significantly from one car insurance policy to another. At www.alpina.nl, you can easily compare car insurance policies online and purchase a policy right away once you’ve found one that better suits you and your car than your current policy.

Do you have a question? Check out our frequently asked questions. Here you’ll find the most common questions for each product. If your question isn’t listed, please contact us. We’re happy to help! You can reach us Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 088-6883700.