What to Do If Your Parked Car Is Damaged and the Third Party Cannot Be Found?
2 Answers
After the auto insurance reform in 2020, the 'Cannot Find Third Party' special clause was included in the coverage of the auto damage insurance, eliminating the need for car owners to purchase it as an additional coverage. This means that as long as you have auto damage insurance, even if your vehicle is damaged and the responsible party cannot be found, the insurance company will fully compensate the owner for the loss, and the owner does not need to bear any costs. The 'Cannot Find Third Party' special insurance is an additional coverage under auto damage insurance. It covers the deductible amount that the insured would have to bear when the loss of the insured vehicle should have been compensated by a third party, but the third party cannot be found. The insurer is responsible for the compensation. In the following two scenarios, if the 'Cannot Find Third Party' special insurance is purchased, full compensation can be obtained when the accident occurs: 1. The vehicle is parked out of sight, and upon returning, it is found damaged by someone, but the perpetrator cannot be found. 2. While driving, the vehicle is scratched or hit by a third-party vehicle, causing damage, but the other party flees the scene.
Last year, my car was scratched in a mall parking lot, and the responsible party couldn’t be found. In such cases, it’s recommended to first take photos as evidence—capture the damaged area and parking environment from all angles, including the license plate and ground markings. Then, immediately contact the parking lot management to check surveillance footage and call 122 to report to the traffic police for record-keeping. If it’s confirmed that no third party can be found, remember to file a claim with your own insurance company. The ‘Unidentified Third Party’ add-on under the car damage insurance can cover 70%-90% of the costs. However, premiums may rise next year, so for minor scratches, handling it yourself might be more cost-effective. Lastly, try to park in monitored middle spots to reduce the risk of side scratches. I later installed a mini dash cam with parking surveillance on the windshield—it cost just over 200 yuan but offers great peace of mind.
