Steps to Take When Someone Dings or Dents Your Car

​Have you ever left your car parked in parking lot, or perhaps on a busy street or even a residential area, only to come back and notice your car suddenly has dings and dents? Unfortunately, this scenario is all too familiar for many people. Even the most cautious people who routinely park in a distant parking spot, precisely to avoid dings and dents, are the victims of careless drivers.

Discovering that your car has new dings and dents is one of the most unpleasant surprises for people who go the extra mile to maintain their cars’ good looks. It can be even more frustrating when the person who has blemished your car is nowhere to be found. While some drivers who accidentally ding someone else’s car take responsibility and leave their contact information on a note, many others flee the scene.

Steps to Take When Someone Dings or Dents Your Car

In the event that you find your car with newly minted dings and dents, there are some basic steps you can take.

Record information. If the driver who dents your car takes off, write down as much information as possible. It will be helpful to record the date, time, place, and details about the damage to your car. If you have a camera handy, take pictures of the dings and dents.

Call the police. Even if you don’t have much information, it’s important to file a police report. This will be very helpful when you’re making an insurance claim.

File an insurance claim. Assuming that you don’t have any information about the other driver, you’ll have to file a claim with your insurer. Keep in mind you can only do this if you have uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance. This type of coverage covers the dings and dents to your car, but you’ll have to pay the applicable deductible.