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I purchased a new black sedan in January of this year.

A few months back, the car was keyed, and therefore I filed an insurance claim and to get it fixed.

Now, today, I find that the door has received as nice white ding on the passenger side door. Should I file another claim?

What are the implications of making a second claim? The deductible on the last claim was $50. I assume it will be the same this time.

I am a young driver with a pretty bad record. Any advice would be appreciated.

The car is just so new... and so it'd be nice to have it repaired..

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Secondary question: How long do I have to file a claim? – user606723 Sep 8 '11 at 16:51
What will the repair cost out of pocket? – MrChrister♦ Sep 8 '11 at 17:19
My guess is a few hundred. I am not completely sure. – user606723 Sep 8 '11 at 17:20
7  
carrying a higher deductable could save you a lot on your annual rates, something you might want to consider. a $50 deductable is generally pretty expensive. And if you are not likely to file for smaller things anyway (to avoid raising the rate) then again, why have a low deductable? – Chuck van der Linden Sep 8 '11 at 17:56
Chuck, Thats not the normal deductible. It's a lower deductible for non-moving claims or something. – user606723 Sep 8 '11 at 19:37
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4 Answers

up vote 10 down vote

Find out what the repair will cost from a couple of ASE certified mechanics or other qualified people. With that, figure that two claims in a short period of time will certainly raise your rates, (by how much isn't something I would know)

If the repair is something you can afford out of pocket, then pay for it out of pocket even if it stings a little bit. Also, consider not repairing something that is strictly cosmetic and won't affect the vehicle down the line.

p.s. A white ding sounds like something you can buff out, but please learn about polishing it out before you make a hole in your paint.

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up vote 7 down vote

Most insurers will think about booting you after 2-3 claims. I'd get it fixed out of pocket or leave it. If you're picky about your car, park in the back of the lot and avoid on-street parking.

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4  
And even if they don't boot you, they will certainly raise the premiums to a significantly higher level. There is no free lunch. – MrChrister♦ Sep 9 '11 at 0:19
+1 for the booting comment. That is the true risk, and then you have to find another insurance company to cover you, and likely pay even higher premiums. – Dilip Sarwate Mar 7 '12 at 23:13
up vote 4 down vote

I think the hike in premiums isn't worth it. Just pay for this one yourself, and save insurance claims for bigger issues.

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up vote 0 down vote

For claims under a certain amount ($1500 sometimes, but this varies) there should not be an uptick in your insurance rate. I imagine this is cumulative, so many of these might result in a premium increase.

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