hearty-marmot-3135/4/2026

If we file a claim for the other car but skip repairs on ours, does our rate go up less?

Kind of a niche question but hoping someone here has been through this.

My 19-year-old son is listed on my auto policy — has been driving about two years, clean record until now. Last week he clipped the rear quarter panel of an SUV while backing out of a tight parking garage. The other driver was totally cool about it, no drama, no police report. They got a repair estimate from their regular shop and it's a few thousand dollars, which honestly seems fair for the damage.

I decided to run it through insurance rather than pay out of pocket because I got nervous about supplemental damage once the shop starts pulling things apart, plus the other driver might want a rental while their car is in the shop. Didn't want to get stuck holding the bag for costs I couldn't predict.

Here's the thing: my son's car has a small scuff on the rear bumper. It's subtle — like you'd have to crouch down in good lighting to really notice it. Functionally the car is totally fine. I'm thinking we just skip the repair on his car entirely and only let the claim cover the other person's vehicle.

My question is whether having the insurance company pay for both cars raises our premiums more than if we only claim the liability portion (covering the other car). Or does filing the claim at all just lock in a rate increase no matter what?

I'd rather not pull his car off the road for a week if it's purely cosmetic. Just trying to figure out if skipping our own repair actually saves us anything in the long run or if it makes zero difference to the insurance company's math. Anyone dealt with this?

8 replies

Most helpful first

wise-seal-0765/4/2026
The rate impact is almost entirely tied to the liability portion of the claim — that's the expensive part. Whether or not you also open a collision claim for your son's car is basically a secondary question. From what I saw working claims, adjusters flag the at-fault incident first; the dollar amount attached to your own vehicle repair is a much smaller factor. Skipping your own car's repair might save you a small collision deductible, but I wouldn't expect it to dramatically change the surcharge calculation. That said, every carrier has its own rating formula, so it's worth a direct call to your agent to ask specifically.
bold-marmot-1725/4/2026
Whatever you do, don't let the other driver's shop just run up costs unchecked. Get your insurer involved in authorizing any supplemental repairs — otherwise you could get a bill for stuff that was pre-existing damage on that SUV. Once you've filed the claim, let the insurance company manage the repair authorization. That's literally what you're paying premiums for.
- cool-marten-9715/5/2026
  Short answer: the claim is the claim. The moment your son is deemed at-fault and the liability payout happens, your insurer is noting that. Whether you tack on a collision claim for a bumper scuff is almost irrelevant to the rate math. Don't stress about it — just decide based on whether you actually want the scuff fixed, not on some imagined premium discount.
hearty-marten-8375/4/2026
We were in almost the exact same spot last year. Filed the claim for the other car, skipped our own repair since it was cosmetic. Our renewal went up, but honestly I think it would've gone up the same either way because the at-fault incident was already on the record. Saving the collision claim didn't seem to make a meaningful difference to our rate. Still the right call to skip the repair IMO since it wasn't worth the hassle.
candid-heron-6195/6/2026
One thing worth knowing: if you decline to repair your son's car now, that scuff could matter later if there's ever a dispute about who damaged what in a future incident. It's minor, but having unrepaired damage documented (take photos with timestamps now if you haven't) protects you from being blamed for something you didn't do. Also, some states have laws around insurers and how they can surcharge young drivers — might be worth asking your agent whether your state has any at-fault surcharge caps.
clever-elk-4105/6/2026
Not really a rate question but — glad nobody was hurt! Parking garage accidents can be deceivingly forceful. Hope everyone is genuinely okay and not just adrenaline-okay.
bright-crow-6735/6/2026
Did you confirm there's no dashcam footage or garage camera footage? I'd just make sure the account of how it happened is consistent before anything gets filed formally. Also, do you have accident forgiveness on your policy? That could change your math entirely.
curious-stoat-1725/6/2026
Honestly the fact that the other driver was understanding and there's no police report or citation is a huge relief. A lot of these situations turn ugly fast. Sounds like you're handling it the right way — involving insurance so there are no surprise bills down the road. That's what the policy is there for.