Get covered for a damaged paint job or paint damage to your car.
Is the paint on your car looking old, rusty or scratched? In some situations, you might be able to claim paint damage under car insurance, and in others you won’t be covered at all. Sometimes you might even have to pay more or less for paint fixes following a claim.
To understand when you might be covered and when you might not, you’ll need to check your policy for exclusions, special conditions and insured events. Compare options for coverage and paying for paint claims on your car insurance.
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When will I be covered for paint damage?
Car insurance will usually only pay for damage that results from an insured event. In the case of paint damage, you’ll generally only be able to claim it with comprehensive car insurance, except in some very specific situations, such as paint damage caused by theft or vandalism.
Claiming it under comprehensive car insurance will still be subject to your policy exclusions.
Will property damage liability insurance cover a paint job?
Since this is primarily liability insurance, it will generally only cover a paint job for the other party if you are at fault, or for your car if another driver ran into you. If this is your only form of insurance and you need a new paint job after an accident that you caused, you’ll likely be footing the bill.
Will collision coverage cover a paint job?
Collision coverage, which provides coverage for your own property if you are at fault, will likely cover a paint job after an accident. However, you’ll likely need to pay a deductible, which could be more expensive than paying for repairs out of pocket. Check your policy details or speak with your insurer to determine if paint jobs are covered by collision coverage.
Will comprehensive car insurance cover a paint job?
Comprehensive coverage might pay for new paint following any insurable event that damaged the paint job. This might be an accident, a storm, theft, vandalism or other incident. However, it’s subject to the policy exclusions and special conditions.
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What exclusions should I be aware of?
Car insurance generally won’t cover damage caused by deterioration, wear and tear or weathering. You typically won’t be able to claim paint damage when it’s the result of ongoing exposure to rain, sand, sun, salt, water or similar.
However, you might still be able to claim it if it was a single event or weather-related incident, such as a sandstorm or hurricane.
Special conditions
Car insurance specifically won’t cover damage from wear and tear or deterioration, but some deterioration of paint is inevitable in older cars. In some cases, the cost of new paint will actually be deducted from a car insurance claim, or you might have to pay for the cost of a new paint job on top of a claim.
For example, if your claim involves brand new panels to replace old and weathered ones, an insurer might ask you to pay the difference in value between brand new and old and weathered. Your insurer wants to avoid inadvertently paying for a new paint job when it’s not covered.
How much does a car paint job cost?
The cost of repainting a car can vary widely depending on how good a job it is, whether you’re getting any additional protective coatings, what kind of paint it is and what kind of car you’re driving.
Generally, you might expect to pay several thousand for an entire repainting, or up to $1,000 for a basic touch up.
- DIY painting. You can often order specialty touch-up paint from your mechanic that matches your car’s current color for less than $50. Touch up small spots and dings yourself in only a few minutes.
- A basic touch up. Mostly cosmetic, up to $1,000. The invisible parts of the car, like under the hood, generally won’t be done, and you’re looking at basic synthetic enamel paint. It’s mostly focused on matching the color as close as possible and isn’t expected to be a long-term fix.
- A full paint job. A full body paint job usually involves sanding the body, removing rust and repainting it for a consistent and clear finish. This is generally far more expensive than a basic touch up, considering the amount of work and materials involved, and could cost several thousand dollars.
What kind of paint job will car insurance cover?
It depends on the type of claim and the cause of damage. If the insurable event caused enough damage to demand a proper paint job, then that’s the kind of quality you can expect. If it’s just covering up a scratch, then it might be a more basic touch up.
Bottom line
You might be able to fix your car’s paint or get a new paint job through your insurance, but be prepared to pay your deductible. Compare your options to find a car insurance company that won’t cheap out on paint coverage.
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