Does car insurance cover repairs after accident?

Does car insurance cover repairs for your vehicle?

Car insurance will cover repairs to your vehicle, but only if you have purchased the type of coverage that is relevant to the loss you have suffered. If you carry full coverage, body repairs will be covered. Coverage for repairing damage to your car due to a crash or natural disaster falls under either collision or comprehensive insurance.

Comprehensive and collision will cover damages such as:

• Dented Bumper
• Deep paint scratches
• Cracked windshield
• Suspension damage
• Rear-end damage

You will have to pay a deductible if you file a claim under your auto body repair insurance. Also, it is important to note that auto body repair insurance typically does not cover the cost of repairing damage to a car's engine or other mechanical breakdowns.

Does car insurance cover bumper damage?

Yes, car insurance will cover bumper damage as long as you have purchased the type of coverage that is relevant to the cause of the damage. Unless another drive is at fault, that will be either collision or comprehensive coverage. 

Bumper repair costs vary depending on the severity of the damage and the type of car. Modern bumpers have sensors that help collision avoidance systems. That can also mean costly repairs.

How much does insurance pay for bumper damage?

Your insurance policy should pay for the full cost of damage to the bumper – minus your deductible – as long as you have collision or comprehensive coverage (depending on the cause of the damage). But it’s important to remember that you must pay that deductible out of pocket before your coverage kicks in. 

Ultimately, questions about the cost to repair front-end damage, such as a front bumper, come down to how much damage has been done to the bumper, how expensive the bumper itself is, and how much labor costs. 

Auto insurance coverage for a dented bumper

Collision coverage takes care of car bumper repair, subject to your deductible.

You are not required by law to carry collision insurance – although your lender may require you to purchase it -- but you need this type of coverage to fix your vehicle.

Collision insurance has a deductible associated. The deductible is your portion of the repair cost.

Should I file an insurance claim for bumper damage?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question; it depends on your circumstances. However, if you decide to make a claim, your premium likely will increase at renewal time.

There is a good chance your premium will rise anywhere from $2,551 to $3,863 for a first at-fault accident. It's worse if you have a second at-fault accident – that will boost your rates from $2,551 to $5,492.

Does car insurance cover paint damage?

Yes, car insurance will cover paint damage if you have collision and comprehensive coverage and one of those types of insurance is relevant to the claim. 

Like most of these repairs, the cost to repaint a car can vary depending on the damage. How much does it cost to repair a deep paint scratch? What about multiple scratches? A lot of damage to the paint may require a new paint job.

How much does insurance pay for paint damage?

Insurance will pay as much as is necessary to repair the paint, minus the deductible, up to the actual cash value of your car. 

A coat of synthetic enamel paint might cost between $300 to $700 for an average-sized sedan, according to a J.D. Power analysis. On the other hand, if the car requires multiple coats of high-quality paint, the cost can soar into the thousands. So, while you can make a claim for scratches, the cost to repair the damage may or may not make it worthwhile.

If the cost to repair exceeds the value of the car, it may be deemed a total loss.

Auto insurance coverage for paint damage

Auto insurance claims for vandalism are covered by comprehensive insurance, subject to your deductible. If someone scratched your car and didn’t stick around to take responsibility, that’s considered vandalism.

Comprehensive coverage has a deductible, which you will need to pay yourself,

If the damage was done by a vandal or a hit-and-run, you will need to file a police report; it’s required by your insurance company that you report the crime.

If another car is involved and the person remains on the scene, coverage will depend on who is at fault.

For example, if the scratches happened as another car was backing out next to you and scraped your car, their liability would cover the damage. However, if you were the one backing out, your collision would cover the damage.

Should I file an insurance claim for paint scratches?

As long as the claim amount is significantly more than your deductible, or more than you can comfortably pay out of pocket, you should consider making a claim. 

Rates can go up anytime you file a claim, but in most circumstances, a comprehensive claim shouldn't raise your premium.

Does car insurance cover cracked windshields?

Most windshield claims fall under comprehensive insurance, although some claims might fall under collision insurance. As long as you have collision and comprehensive insurance, your policy should pay the claim. 

In most cases, if you have comprehensive coverage, fixing a cracked windshield should only cost a small deductible – and possibly nothing at all. However, you could be paying for the new glass if you don’t have a full coverage policy.

How much does insurance pay for a cracked windshield?

You typically can expect your insurer to pay the full cost of fixing or replacing your windshield, minus your deductible. However, the details can vary from company to company. 

A small crack can be repaired cheaply, even without insurance. However, windshield replacement can be pricey.

The cost of a new replacement windshield varies greatly depending on the year and make of vehicle, says Jon Cardi, senior vice president of strategic client sales and support at glass company Safelite.

"For vehicles that are five years and older with limited features like rain sensors or radio antennas, many common windshields may range from $350 to $450," he says.

Newer, more complex windshields carry advanced safety features such as emergency braking and lane-keeping assist. That means the forward-facing cameras require recalibration when a windshield is replaced.

"The typical cost of the windshield replacement with the recalibration process begins near $800, often surpassing $1,000," Cardi says.

Auto insurance coverage for a cracked windshield

Windshield replacement or repair is covered by comprehensive insurance unless the damage was caused by a collision. The details vary by the insurance company, but most insurers allow you to have your windshield replaced once a year for a small deductible, or, in some cases, no deductible.

There are three states where the law requires windshield replacement to be covered with no out-of-pocket expense for drivers who carry comprehensive insurance coverage, Cardi says.

"South Carolina and Kentucky cover both the windshield and side glass, and Florida covers the windshield only," he says.

In addition, there are five other states where an endorsement of the comprehensive coverage can be purchased to “buy down” the deductible:

• Arizona
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• New York

"There are also a number of carriers that are extending this type of policy to other states, so shopping for the right coverage is important," Cardi says. If you choose to have a crack repaired before it spreads across the windshield, most insurance companies will waive the deductible.

Most insurers offer a full glass rider to your policy, which repairs or replaces glass damage with a zero deductible. This rider tends to be fairly affordable.

Should I file an insurance claim for a cracked windshield?

In many cases, there is no downside to claiming a windshield replacement. You get a new windshield for free or a small deductible and many insurers will not raise your premium at renewal time.

But this is not always the case. Some insurers might raise your premium by a small amount. You should be prepared for this possibility if you file a claim. 

Check with your insurer to see what their process is. 

Does insurance cover suspension damage?

Insurance will cover suspension damage as long as it was caused by a source that’s covered by comprehensive or collision insurance. 

Damage to your suspension can come from a variety of sources, but hitting a pothole is a common cause of damage.

How much does insurance pay for suspension damage?

The cost to repair suspension damage from a pothole can vary dramatically depending on the damage and your vehicle. However, according to the Auto Chimps website, most repairs are likely to cost between $200 and $400.

Your insurance company should pay for that cost -- minus your deductible -- as long as the damage is related to a covered claim under the terms of your auto insurance policy. 

Auto insurance coverage for suspension damage

Your collision coverage would pay for this type of damage if it was caused by a covered event, such as driving over a pothole.

However, car insurance will not pay for regular wear and tear to your suspension.

Collision comes with a deductible. In many cases, the pothole damage may not be enough to make a claim worthwhile.

Should I make an insurance claim for pothole damage?

Probably not, unless the damage is significant and you can't afford to cover the cost out of pocket. Most of the repairs would fall under your deductible amount (even if you carry a low deductible, such as $500), so it makes no sense to file a claim.

In addition, filing a collision claim will almost always result in a premium increase. Save your insurance for major repairs and pay for smaller ones out of pocket.

However, if your entire suspension needs to be replaced or you can't afford the repairs, using your insurance may be a necessity.

Does car insurance cover rear-end damage?

Once again, insurance will reimburse you for any covered loss according to the terms of your policy. If you are rear-ended in an accident and you have purchased collision insurance, you should be covered. 

According to data from the National Transportation Safety Board, there are roughly 1.7 million rear-end collisions in the U.S. every year.

How much does insurance pay for rear-end damage?

It's almost impossible to put a price range on repairing this kind of damage. Rear bumper replacement costs can range from a few hundred dollars for a bumper up to $10,000 or more if the frame of your car is bent.

Your insurer should cover any loss that falls within the scope of your policy, minus the deductible.

Auto insurance coverage for rear-end damage

If you are not at fault, the other driver’s insurance will cover your damages, assuming the other driver has insurance.

The damage to your vehicle would fall under the property damage portion of the other driver’s liability policy. While most industry experts recommend carrying $50,000 in property damage, not everyone follows that advice.

If your fellow motorist only carries the required state minimums, it may not cover all of the damage. Minimums vary by state, but in California, for example, the property damage requirement is a mere $5,000, which will most likely not get your car back on the road.

If the other motorist is entirely uninsured or has low coverage levels, your collision coverage will cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle.

If you have it, you may also be able to use the uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage portion of your policy. This coverage kicks in to repair or replace your vehicle if the person who hit you is uninsured or not carrying enough coverage to fix your car.

Should I file an insurance claim for rear-end damage?

In most cases, the other driver's insurance should pay for the damage as they will usually be found at fault. If they're uninsured or underinsured, you may have to turn to your own policy, assuming you are carrying uninsured/underinsured coverage. 

In that case, you will have to decide whether filing a claim makes sense, particularly in light of your deductible. Also, in some states, your rates can rise after filing a claim even if you are not at fault for the damage. 

You will need to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage if you want your car repaired. If you decline the coverage and the person who hit you is uninsured, you may be on the hook for the damages or headed to court if you end up suing the other driver.

Collision repair costs at a glance

How much does car body work cost? Here are some of the most common repair costs.

• Dented bumper: $800 to $2,000 to replace
• Deep paint scratches: $300 to $700
• Cracked windshield: $350 to $1,000 or more to replace
• Damaged suspension: $200 to $400, or $1,000 to $5,000 if the damage is severe
• Rear-end damage: Up to $10,000

Sources:

• Eli’s: How much is it to replace or repair a bumper?
• J.D. Power: How much does it cost to paint a car?
• DMV: Insurance requirements