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Auto & Insurance
Does insurance cover dent repair in Rockwall?
It depends on what caused the dent. Hail and other weather damage is usually covered by comprehensive coverage. Damage from hitting another car or an object is usually covered by collision coverage. Either way, your deductible applies.
Comprehensive or collision: which one applies?
Car insurance splits physical damage into two kinds of coverage, and which one pays depends on how the dent happened.
- Comprehensive generally covers damage you didn't cause by driving: hail, falling branches, flood, vandalism, and hitting an animal.
- Collision generally covers damage from hitting another vehicle or an object, like a pole, a curb or a garage door.
Both are optional on most policies. If you only carry liability coverage, neither one will pay to fix your own car. Your declarations page, the summary at the front of your policy, shows which coverages you have.
Your deductible decides whether a claim makes sense
Insurance pays the repair cost minus your deductible. If a dent costs less to fix than your deductible, a claim won't pay anything, and you're better off paying the shop directly. That's why it helps to get a written estimate before you call your insurance company.
What to do next
- Take clear photos of the damage before anything is moved or repaired.
- Get a written repair estimate so you can compare it to your deductible.
- Check your declarations page for comprehensive and collision coverage and the deductible on each.
- If you file, you can choose where your car is repaired. Here's how that works in Texas.
Every policy is different, so your agent or insurance company has the final word on what yours covers.