Someone scratched your car and didn’t leave a note?
While it’s unlikely that you’ll ever catch the scratcher, there are still some things you can and should do if you find a scratch on your car.
In this post we’ll explain the steps you should take, before offering tips on how you can avoid this ever happening again.
Someone Scratched My Car and Didn’t Leave a Note – What to do
Where did this happen? If it happened in a public place, then you just might be able to catch the culprit. It’s probably not worth asking around for witnesses. But you can ask nearby businesses if they have any CCTV. They might have captured the incident on camera.
If they did, and you can read the guilty car’s registration plate, then you should be able to track them down.
Should you manage to get their registration plate, and you have evidence that they hit your car and drove away, then you could contact the police. After all, they broke the law when they hit your car and left the scene. The police may help you get in touch with the culprit, who might eventually offer to cover the cost of damages. You can also provide the information to your insurance company who will be able to raise a claim for you.
If the incident happened on a residential street, unless you can spot any cameras about, then you might be out of luck. At this point, you might make a vow to yourself that, if you ever scratch a car, you’ll always leave a note. After all, you now know how annoying this situation can be. So don’t put any more drivers through it!
How to Fix a Scratch on Your Car
Just how much damage are we looking at? It could be anything from a small dent to a more serious gouge. However much damage there is, you should head to a garage to get it fixed as soon as possible. Your car’s paintwork isn’t just there to look nice. It also protects your car from the elements.
Even the smallest of scratches could eventually get rusty. And once one part of your car gets rusty, it could spread until it becomes a serious (and seriously expensive) problem.
So nip it in the bud. No matter how small the scratch is, fix it before it has the chance to develop into something more critical.
Can You Claim a Scratch on Your Car Insurance?
If you have a comprehensive policy then it should cover the cost of your repairs. But, depending on the damage and the cost to repair it, you may choose to pay for the repairs yourself, particularly if you are a new driver. Why? Because if you claim on your insurance, you may have to pay the excess, and you may lose your no claims bonus.
This means you won’t be able to save on the cost of your insurance in the long-term. So even if your insurer can cover you for damages, it may eventually end up costing you less to simply pay yourself.
In any case, whether you claim on your insurance or not, you should inform your insurer of any damage your car receives.
Further Guidance
We also have a guide to what you should do if someone hits your parked car and drives away having left more damage than a scratch.
Finally, we have a guide on what you should do if you hit a parked car, and the owner’s nowhere around. Long story short: You shouldn’t just drive away! Find it here.
