Why is it not recommended to claim insurance for a car scratched against a wall?
2 Answers
There are two reasons why it is not recommended to claim insurance for a car scratched against a wall. Specific reasons: First, if you do not make any claims within a year and renew your insurance with the same company the following year, the premium rate can be lower. Second, the process of filing a claim is quite complicated and time-consuming. For example, for a paint job, it takes one day for damage assessment and two days for repairs, leaving you without a car for three to four days, which is quite inconvenient. Correct approach: If it's just a minor scratch, you can buy a touch-up pen of the same color to fix it yourself. If it's something you can handle on your own, there's no need to go through the hassle of calling the insurance company. It's recommended to wait until the car is "covered in scratches" before taking it in for repairs and using the comprehensive insurance to claim. This is because, for paint jobs, whether it's a small scratch or multiple scratches on the same door or bumper, the entire area needs to be repainted.
Last time I reversed into the community wall, the 4S shop guy said it's not worth claiming insurance for such minor damage. The premium increase would cost more than a paint touch-up – accidents like scraping a wall leave records that can raise next year's premiums by 15%-30%. My scratch wasn't big, so a quick repair shop fixed it for 300 yuan, whereas insurance would've cost nearly a thousand with deductibles. After calculating both options, it was a clear loss. Plus, insurance claims require filing reports and waiting for inspections, taking at least a day, while DIY repairs take two hours. For minor dings, it's better to take photos first, get a repair quote, and pay out of pocket if it's below the insurance deductible.
