Who is Responsible for Parking Lot Car Scratches?
2 Answers
Parking lot car scratches are handled under the following circumstances: 1. Free parking lots: If the perpetrator flees and the parking lot is free, the vehicle damage can be claimed through insurance. However, since it is a hit-and-run with no responsible party identified, the insurance company will only cover 70% of the owner's loss, leaving the owner to bear the remaining 30%. 2. Paid parking lots: When a vehicle is parked in a paid parking lot and the parking attendant provides a parking voucher, the owner must present the voucher and pay the fee upon leaving. This establishes a storage contract relationship between both parties. If scratches or other damages occur during parking, the parking lot is responsible for corresponding compensation.
A few days ago, my car got scratched in a mall parking lot. Though furious, I knew I had to stay calm. First, take photos as evidence—capture the damage location and surrounding environment clearly. Then, request surveillance footage from the property management. If the license plate is visible, it's straightforward—just claim compensation from the at-fault party. If not, check the parking fee policy. Paid parking lots usually share some liability, but free ones leave you with no recourse. Last time, the footage was blurry, so I ended up filing under my own collision insurance, which raised my premium by over 300 the next year. My advice: always park in monitored, official spaces whenever possible.
