It is unfortunately not an uncommon scenario to discover someone has damaged your car in the parking lot. This damage can range from the minor dents and dings that come from car doors being opened against another vehicle to more serious damage from vehicle impacts.
Check the Cameras – All the Cameras
Sometimes people will confess to what they’ve done, but often, they don’t. If the store has video footage of the parking area, it may help you in documenting what you need for your police report and insurance claim. Make sure to ask if this is available. Be aware that more than one business may have security cameras capable of capturing what happened to your vehicle. It’s also a good idea to invest in your own camera system for your car’s security.
Choose an Experienced Local Body Shop
But once the damage has happened, you need to have it fixed. Depending on the scale of the damage, you may opt to pay out of pocket rather than submitting an insurance claim. When making this decision, make sure to choose the local auto body repair shop most capable of repairing your vehicle to like new condition. Auto body work is one profession where expertise really matters. If someone doesn’t know what they’re doing, it shows, and this can negatively impact the value of your vehicle.
In cases where the damage is more severe, you want to choose a local collision center that can handle both body work and mechanical repairs. For example, if a car in a parking lot is hit from behind hard enough to move the car, that can result in damage to the rear end, suspension, brakes, and other critical parts. You want to have an expert technician inspect your car after any type of parking lot accident to ensure that you’re still safe to drive.’
