Does car insurance cover car doors dinging another car?
If your car door hits another car, contact your own insurance company to process it. The other vehicle's damages will be covered by your liability insurance. You may need collision and comprehensive to be covered for your own damages, depending on the situation.
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Joel Ohman
Founder & CFP®
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He has an MBA from the University of South Florida. Jo...
Founder & CFP®
UPDATED: Jul 8, 2023
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UPDATED: Jul 8, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- You need to contact your own insurance company if you want to file a claim for damage to another vehicle caused by your car door
- No-fault insurance rules do not cover this situation as they only apply to bodily injury
- Depending upon your deductible, you may find it cheaper to pay for this type of damage out of your pocket and also avoid paying higher rates in the future
Accidents happen occasionally, and you may have inadvertently hit another car with your door when getting in or out. You’ll want to know how to rectify the damage and may be thinking about contacting your insurance company in this case.
So, what do you do if your car door hits another car and damages it? We know that you want to do the right thing and have found some of the answers for you below.
If I hit a vehicle with my car door, will car insurance pay?
You must file a claim under your property damage liability coverage if you want to involve your car insurance company. This type of coverage will pay for any damage you cause to another vehicle or property.
What if I live in a no-fault state?
Some people think the situation can vary based on whether you live in a no-fault state or an at-fault state. However, this difference only applies to a claim for bodily injury, where each insurance company will cover the claim on behalf of the client.
When it comes to property damage, auto insurance companies handle these claims the traditional way, no matter which state you live in.
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What should I do if my car door hit another car?
If you are responsible for damage to another vehicle, you should always try to contact the owner. Many of these incidents happen in shopping mall parking lots where cars are lined up very close to each other.
In this case, you should go into the shopping mall and ask the staff to try and locate the owner of the vehicle for you. If this proves impossible, leave a note on the other car’s windshield with your contact details.
How do I process a car insurance liability claim?
If you decide that you want to process a claim through your auto insurance company for the damage that you caused to the other car, gather as much information as you can first. You will want the contact details of the other party, together with information about the vehicle. It would help if you also took photographs of the damage and the general location.
Next, call your insurance company and talk to an agent. They will provide you with the relevant forms to fill out so they can process the claim for you.
What if my car door hits another, and I leave?
This is illegal, and you could face a fine if the police decide you are responsible for this type of hit-and-run damage.
Always try to locate the other driver if they are not present at the incident and exchange insurance details if you choose to process a claim through your insurer. Otherwise, you can decide to pay for the damage yourself.
What if someone else hits my car with their door — should I claim?
Sometimes, you may be the victim of a parking lot hit-and-run. In this case, you need to assess the extent of the damage and decide whether you want to file a claim against your insurance. You’ll probably have to cover the cost of a deductible and may wonder whether it is worth filing. After all, you may have to pay increased rates in the future following such a claim.
Unless you must have a pristine car, it is probably not worth the effort to pursue an insurance claim. Often, the damage caused by a swinging car door is relatively minor, and it is perhaps not worth the hassle or expense of involving your insurance company.
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What should I do if my car door hits another car?
You will be responsible for the damage if you or your passenger accidentally hit another vehicle with your car door. If the other driver is there, you can discuss the issue with them and decide whether you will pay for the damage out of pocket or file a claim with your insurer.
If the other driver is absent, you should take steps to try to locate them or leave your details on a note attached to the windshield. It may be better for you to settle out of pocket rather than pay your deductible and risk higher insurance rates in the future.
Exploring Real Cases: Car Insurance Coverage for Car Doors Dinging Another Car
Case Study 1: Liability Insurance Coverage
John accidentally opens his car door too wide in a parking lot and dings the side of another vehicle. The owner of the damaged car files a claim with John’s insurance company. Since John is at fault for the damage, his liability insurance kicks in.
The insurance company covers the cost of repairs to the other vehicle, including any necessary bodywork or paint repairs. John’s liability insurance protects him from having to pay for the damages out of his pocket.
Case Study 2: Collision Coverage
Sarah is parked on a busy street when another driver swings their car door open and hits Sarah’s car, causing a significant dent and scratches. Sarah contacts her insurance company to file a claim. She has collision coverage, which covers damages to her vehicle, regardless of who is at fault.
The insurance company assesses the damage, determines the cost of repairs, and covers the expenses, minus the deductible. Sarah is relieved that she has collision coverage to help pay for the repairs to her car.
Case Study 3: Comprehensive Coverage
Mark’s car is parked in a parking lot when a strong wind causes a shopping cart to slam into his car door, causing a dent and paint damage. Mark has comprehensive coverage as part of his car insurance policy. He contacts his insurance company and files a claim.
The comprehensive coverage covers damages to Mark’s vehicle that are not caused by a collision, such as theft, vandalism, or weather-related incidents. The insurance company approves the claim, and Mark’s car is repaired, with the insurance company covering the cost, minus the deductible.
Case Study 4: No Coverage
Emily parks her car on the street and returns to find that another car has opened its door and dinged her car’s door. Unfortunately, Emily doesn’t have any collision or comprehensive coverage in her insurance policy. In this case, Emily is responsible for covering the repair costs herself.
She either has to pay out of pocket or try to negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company if they are willing to accept liability for the damages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does car insurance cover car doors dinging another car?
If your car door hits another car, contact your own insurance company to process it. The other vehicle’s damages will be covered by your liability insurance. You may need collision and comprehensive to be covered for your own damages, depending on the situation.
If I hit a vehicle with my car door, will car insurance pay?
You must file a claim under your property damage liability coverage if you want to involve your car insurance company. This type of coverage will pay for any damage you cause to another vehicle or property.
What if I live in a no-fault state?
Some people think the situation can vary based on whether you live in a no-fault state or an at-fault state. However, this difference only applies to a claim for bodily injury, where each insurance company will cover the claim on behalf of the client. When it comes to property damage, auto insurance companies handle these claims the traditional way, no matter which state you live in.
What should I do if my car door hit another car?
If you are responsible for damage to another vehicle, you should always try to contact the owner. In shopping mall parking lots where incidents like these often occur, go into the mall and ask the staff to try and locate the owner of the vehicle for you. If this proves impossible, leave a note on the other car’s windshield with your contact details.
How do I process a car insurance liability claim?
If you decide that you want to process a claim through your auto insurance company for the damage that you caused to the other car, gather as much information as you can first. You will want the contact details of the other party, together with information about the vehicle. It would help if you also took photographs of the damage and the general location. Next, call your insurance company and talk to an agent. They will provide you with the relevant forms to fill out so they can process the claim for you.
What if my car door hits another, and I leave?
This is illegal, and you could face a fine if the police decide you are responsible for this type of hit-and-run damage. Always try to locate the other driver if they are not present at the incident and exchange insurance details if you choose to process a claim through your insurer. Otherwise, you can decide to pay for the damage yourself.
What if someone else hits my car with their door — should I claim?
If you are the victim of a parking lot hit-and-run, you need to assess the extent of the damage and decide whether you want to file a claim against your insurance. You’ll probably have to cover the cost of a deductible and may wonder whether it is worth filing. Unless you must have a pristine car, it is probably not worth the effort to pursue an insurance claim. Often, the damage caused by a swinging car door is relatively minor, and it is perhaps not worth the hassle or expense of involving your insurance company.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Joel Ohman
Founder & CFP®
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He has an MBA from the University of South Florida. Jo...
Founder & CFP®
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.