What to Do If Your Car Gets Scratched in a Residential Area?
3 Answers
If your car gets scratched in a residential area, you can first negotiate with the person responsible for the damage to resolve the issue—either by repairing the damage or filing an insurance claim. If the responsible party cannot be found, you can call the police or review surveillance footage to identify them. Once identified, negotiations can begin. More relevant information is as follows: 1. After discovering the scratch, do not move the vehicle and immediately call your insurance company. An insurance representative will come to the scene to inspect the damage. 2. After the insurance representative conducts an on-site inspection and gathers evidence, negotiations will take place between the car owner, the responsible party, the repair shop, and the insurance company to assess the damage. 3. The car owner and the insurance company will collect the necessary materials for the claim based on the specific circumstances of the incident. 4. The insurance company will review the materials, and upon successful approval, the insurance company will directly transfer the compensation to the policyholder's bank account.
A few days ago, my car got scratched in the neighborhood, which was really frustrating, but I stayed calm and didn’t move the car. First, I took photos from all angles, including the scratched area and the surroundings, then looked up the property management’s phone number and called the police. The property staff came over, and we checked the surveillance footage together, but unfortunately, the angle didn’t capture the incident. So, I directly contacted my insurance company and reported the claim number. The adjuster came to assess the damage and arranged for free repainting at a nearby repair shop, which took two days to fix. My advice is to park in open spaces to avoid obstructions—having surveillance footage for evidence would make things much easier.
Don't panic if your car gets scratched. The key is to protect the scene and not move the vehicle. Take photos immediately to document evidence, including the license plate and damage details. Then, contact the property management to check surveillance footage—ideally to catch the culprit, or you might be held responsible yourself. If there are witnesses, ask for their contact information to assist. Next, handle the car damage: for minor issues, use your insurance claim number so the insurer can assess the damage and arrange free repairs or compensation. If it's not serious, you can buy a touch-up pen for a quick, low-cost fix.
