Should I Claim Insurance or Pay for Paintless Dent Repair?

Compare two numbers: your insurance excess and the repair quote. If paintless dent repair costs about the same as your excess or less, paying for it yourself is usually the simpler option, and at Impact Dents in Perth we give you the repair figure first so you can decide which way suits you.

For a typical door ding or small dent, paintless repair usually comes in under a typical insurance excess, and many drivers choose to pay for it themselves to keep a claim off their record. Bigger jobs can be different. Here is how to weigh it up.

This is general information, not insurance or financial advice. Your policy and your insurer have the final say.

How Do I Compare My Excess With the Repair Cost?

Start with the repair figure. Send us photos of the damage and we will give you a free quote, typically within 24 hours. As a guide, paintless dent repair pricing at Impact Dents starts from $250 for a small dent, $350 for a medium dent and $500 for a large dent or complex crease.

Then check the excess on your policy, or ask your insurer what it would be for this type of damage.

If you claim, you still pay your excess, and it could be more than the cost of the repair. If the quote is well above your excess, the gap between the two is what a claim would save you.

What Can a Claim Cost Me Besides the Excess?

The excess is the cost you can see. The others to check are:

• Your no-claim bonus. A claim can cost you your no-claim bonus, depending on your policy.
• Your premium at renewal. Your premium may rise at renewal after a claim.
• Your claims record. Paying for the repair yourself keeps a claim off your record.
• Time. A claim means paperwork and waiting for approval before the repair starts.

How much each of these matters depends on your insurer and your policy. We cannot tell you how yours will treat a claim, so ask them before you decide.

What Should I Ask My Insurer Before I Claim?

1. What is my excess for this type of damage?
2. Will this claim affect my no-claim bonus or my premium at renewal?
3. If I do not know who caused the damage, how is the claim treated?
4. Can I choose my own repairer, and is paintless dent repair covered?
5. If I ask about a claim and decide not to go ahead, is anything recorded on my file?

With those answers and our quote in hand, the decision is usually an easy one.

When Does Claiming on Insurance Make Sense?

A claim is worth a closer look when the repair cost is well above your excess. Common examples are:

• Hail damage across several panels. Whether to claim is your call, and it is worth getting the repair figure first. See hail damage repair in Perth for how we handle hail jobs.
• Damage where the paint is cracked or chipped through to the metal, or a section needs replacing. That is body shop work and not a paintless job.
• Damage caused by another driver. If you have their details, ask your insurer how that is handled.

When Does Paying for the Repair Yourself Make Sense?

Paying directly tends to suit a single door ding or car park dent, where the quote lands close to or under your excess. There is no claim to lodge and no approval to wait on. We agree a time and a place, come to your home or workplace, and small dents typically take 30 to 60 minutes.

It also keeps the repair paintless. Our mobile paintless dent removal service works the dent out from behind the panel, so nothing is filled, sanded or resprayed and your factory paint stays original.

If the damage happened while you were parked, our guide on what to do if someone dents your car in a car park covers the first steps. If the dent has a line or fold through it, see whether a crease dent can be repaired with paintless dent removal.

Get a free quote before you decide. No obligation.

Insurance and Dent Repair FAQs

Will a dent claim affect my no-claim bonus?

It can. It depends on your insurer and your policy, so ask them before you lodge.

Does car insurance cover paintless dent repair?

Not always. It depends on your policy and what caused the damage, so check with your insurer. We give you the repair figure after assessing the damage so you can choose which way suits you.

Can I get a quote before I decide whether to claim?

Yes. Quotes are free. Send photos of the damage with the make, model and year of your car and we typically reply within 24 hours.

How do I pay if I do not claim?

We accept cash, credit and debit cards and bank transfers, with payment taken on the day of the repair.