Someone Hit My Parked Car — Now What Do I Do?
You’re leaving for work one morning and as you come around the driver’s side of your car, you notice a huge scratch across your door. Someone hit your parked car. Regardless of how significant the damage is, if it’s your car, you’re probably going to be upset. When someone hits your parked car, it’s no minor inconvenience. Between dealing with repairs and having your car looking less than its best, fixing a smashed mirror or busted tail light can become a tiresome, frustrating experience that you did nothing to deserve.
So what should you do, what can you do, and when should you do it? To get the best possible outcome for your situation, follow these steps.
Steps to Take After Someone Hits Your Parked Car
1. Report it to the police
The first thing you should do when you find that someone hit your parked car is to notify the police. When the police arrive, they’ll document the scene, plus they’ll record it officially in an incident report. Request the officer provide you with a copy of the report before they leave, as this can be helpful down the line if you pursue an insurance claim.
2. Document the scene
While you’re waiting for the police, you can start on step two and begin documenting the scene exactly as you found it. Unless you must, don’t move your car or leave the area. Fortunately, recording the damage done to your car is much easier today, as we have access to our phone’s camera at all times. Take pictures and videos of your car, the damage, and the overall scene to capture the situation as accurately as possible. When the police come, make sure you also take note of the officer’s name and their badge number.
Additionally, check your surroundings. It’s increasingly common for both residential homes and businesses to have security or doorbell cameras on their properties. If you see any cameras while looking around, document the business or residential address, as you or the police may be able to contact the owners and request access to the footage.
3. Notify your insurance provider
Last, but clearly not least, notify your insurer. Dealing with insurance is probably the last thing you feel like doing after steps one and two, but it’s important to do this as soon as possible. This way, your insurer will be able to inform you of what information they’ll need to file your claim. If you need to document anything else, you’ll have the chance to do so before leaving the scene.
Did You Find a Note?
If someone hit your car while it was parked and they left a note, that’s the second-best case scenario (the best-case scenario being that your car never got hit). A note should have the person’s contact and insurance information. Share the information from the note with your insurer and the police so they can properly handle it.
If your car’s damage isn’t very serious—a scratch or dented fender—you could potentially take a route that doesn’t depend on insurance. Get quotes from repair shops as quickly as possible. The person who hit your car may opt to pay for the repairs out of pocket, as that may cost less than the insurance deductible.
However, if you do pursue this route, be sure to ask the repair shop about potential issues that might not be immediately apparent. If your repairs are covered without your insurance, and issues arise in the future as a result of the initial incident, your insurer could be less willing to cover those costs.
Can my Insurance Cover the Damage?
Damage caused to your parked car will be covered depending on your individual insurance policy. There are two kinds of insurance that are typically used to cover the damage if someone hit your parked car.
Collision insurance will usually be used to cover the necessary service to your car. Even if it was a hit and run and the person who hit your car is never identified, collision insurance can often cover the damages.
However, if there was no note and no other information to go off of, collision insurance may not cover it. Your insurer may be able to cover it under uninsured motorist property damage insurance, although that’s typically a less commonly carried policy.
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If someone hits your parked car, it’s likely going to be a frustrating experience. But having a plan of action and knowing the proper steps to take can be the first step in alleviating the burdensome stress. As the Midwest’s premier driving school, Top Driver makes it our mission to make sure you’re prepared for everything you encounter on or off the roads.
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Frequently asked questions
What should I do if someone hits my parked car?
Take three steps in order. First, call the police and have them document the scene; ask for a copy of the incident report before they leave because you may need it for an insurance claim. Second, document the scene yourself by photographing and videoing the damage, your car's position, and the surroundings, and note the responding officer's name and badge number. Third, notify your insurance company so they can tell you exactly what they will need to open a claim. Do not move your car until the police arrive unless safety requires it.
Should I call the police if someone hits my parked car?
Yes. Even if the damage seems minor, a police report creates an official record of the incident that you can later provide to your insurance company. The officer will document the scene, talk to any witnesses, and note details you might miss. Ask the officer for a copy of the report or the report number before they leave. If you skip this step and damage turns out to be worse than it looked, or if disputes arise later, you will not have a neutral record to back up what happened.
What if the person who hit my parked car left a note?
That is the second-best outcome after no damage at all. The note should include the driver's contact information and insurance details. Share everything on the note with the police and with your insurer so they can verify the information and reach out to the other party's insurance. From there, the process is similar to any other not-at-fault claim. Photograph the note before handing it over so you have a copy in case the original is lost.
Can I avoid an insurance claim if the damage is minor?
Sometimes, yes. If the damage is small, like a scratch or a dented fender, and you know who hit the car, you can get quotes from repair shops. The other driver may prefer to pay out of pocket rather than file a claim that drives their premiums up. Before agreeing, ask the shop whether the visible damage could be hiding deeper issues. If you take the cash route and a related problem shows up months later, your insurer may not cover it because it was never filed.
Will my insurance cover damage from a hit-and-run on a parked car?
It depends on your policy. Collision coverage typically pays for damage to your parked car from another vehicle, even when the other driver is never identified. If you only carry liability insurance, collision damage to your own car is not covered. Some drivers also carry uninsured motorist property damage coverage, which can apply in hit-and-run cases, though it is a less common add-on. Check your policy or call your agent to confirm exactly which coverages you have.
Should I check for nearby cameras when someone hits my parked car?
Yes. Residential doorbell cameras and small-business security cameras are increasingly common, and they often capture parking lot and street incidents. While you wait for police, look around the area for any cameras pointing toward your car. Write down the addresses of homes or businesses with visible cameras so you or the police can ask the owners for footage. Camera evidence can be the difference between identifying the responsible driver and having to absorb the damage as a hit-and-run.
