Can I Claim Insurance If I Scratched My Own Car?
2 Answers
You can claim insurance if you scratched your own car, but it may not necessarily result in a payout. It's important to check whether you have purchased scratch insurance. The details are as follows: Scratch Insurance: If your car is covered by scratch insurance, the scratches caused by your own actions—typically due to careless driving—are usually covered, and the insurance company will provide corresponding compensation. If your car does not have scratch insurance, the insurance company is highly unlikely to approve the claim. Additionally, filing a claim will affect the renewal premium for the following year, and the more claims you make, the higher the premium will rise. Insurance Claims: As long as you have insurance, you can request a claim from the insurance company after your car is scratched. If you report the incident to the insurance company within 48 hours, they will send a specialized assessor to evaluate the damage. If more than 48 hours have passed, the car owner must bring their original ID card to file a report. You can truthfully explain the cause of the scratches, and this will not affect the compensation amount from the insurance company.
Of course, you can claim insurance if you scratched your own car, as long as you have comprehensive coverage or collision insurance. With my years of driving experience, I've had similar situations. The key is to assess the severity of the scratch and your deductible. If it's just a minor scratch and the repair cost is a few hundred bucks, it's more cost-effective to pay out of pocket to avoid affecting next year's premium. Like that time I scraped a pillar in a parking lot—the repair shop quoted 800 RMB, but my deductible was 1,000. Filing a claim was pointless, and my premium still went up by 30%. For serious damage, like a broken light or a dented body with repair costs in the tens of thousands, definitely file a claim. But be aware: insurers keep records, and frequent claims may cause renewal issues. Always choose a reliable repair shop to avoid secondary damage.
