Surprise! You’ve just noticed that someone has dented your car while you had it parked in a parking lot or on the street. Or even worse, someone hit your parked car causing more damage than just a dent. So what do you do now?
The first thing you want to do is call the police. They will have you file a report to record what happened in the incident. Then you can use this report to submit to your car insurance company.
If the person who hit your car was a good person, and left you a note with their information on it, then give them a call immediately. Write down what happened and get their insurance information. They should contact their insurance, and you can call their insurance company to get a claim started. If the person that hit your car, and wasn’t so kind as to own up to it, then you’ll have to contact your insurance company to start a claim, so you can have your car repaired.
Make sure you take lots of photos of the damage and the surrounding area of where your car is parked in relation to where it is in the street or parking lot. Write down any information that you think you might need, like the time of day, what damage was done, and any street names that are nearby. If there are any witnesses, make sure you get their information as well. It’s best to gather as much information as possible, in case your insurance company needs it down the line.
Contact an auto body repair shop to schedule an appointment. Some insurance companies may require a quote before they will send a check. Also, ask your insurance company if they provide a rental car if the car repairs will take more than a day. If you have dents or scratches, you want to get those taken care of quickly, as they can lead to rusting if not fixed.
If you are in need of repair, give us a call at Oakdale Collision Center and we will get your car looking like new, and back on the road.