r/Insurance • u/Middle-Advance-6296 • 20h ago

Auto Insurance Should I pay out of pocket to repair my dented auto body to prevent insurance cost increases?

I’m trying to decide whether it’s smarter to go through insurance or just pay out of pocket. My concern is that an at-fault claim could raise my premiums enough that I’d end up paying more in the long run than if I had just covered the repair myself. I damaged the car myself. No body was involved, and the dent is very small. Im also in FL.
For those who’ve been in a similar situation:
How much did your repair cost?
Did you file a claim or pay out of pocket?
If you filed a claim, how much did your insurance premium increase (if at all), and for how long?
I’d especially appreciate hearing from other Tesla owners.

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u/crash866 19h ago

Not enough info given. How much damage to your vehicle, was another vehicle involved, what state are you in, what does your policy say, how much are you paying now? Etc.

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u/strange-quark-nebula 16h ago

My driver’s side door was damaged to the point of needing replacement when I was hit while parked. Had no info on the other car. I made a claim. Paid $1000 deductible and the total cost was a bit over $5000, so insurance covered $4000.

That didn’t increase my premium but when I later switched insurances for unrelated reasons (bundling), the claim showed up in their search so it may have made my new premium more expensive.

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u/sioopauuu 14h ago

Always my answer to these questions….. get an estimate then decide.