Report egg-damage to car to my insurance company?

December 17, 2017 12:45 AM

Someone egged my car, and I didn't notice until it had pretty much baked in. It won't come off after much effort, and from what I've read, could cost hundreds of dollars to fix. Should I report this to my insurance?

I have USAA if it makes a difference, comprehensive insurance, $150 deductible. The car is worth around $10-12k, and I might want to sell it in the next couple of years. The damage is ugly enough that it would significantly impair the resale value, and it covers large parts of one door, small portions of another, and very small portions of the frame. So I'm guessing repair would be at least $500? $1000?

I have never had a situation such as this, so I don't really know how it works. If I report it, will it end up costing me significantly more in premiums over the next few years? I had one fender-bender about two years ago that was the other driver's fault and his insurance paid for the damage to my car. Other than that, I have had one speeding ticket in the last five years, nothing else within seven years. So I don't know if my fairly good record makes a difference for this sort of thing. If it's cheaper to just pay for it out of pocket, I don't mind doing that. Will I get a straight answer from my insurance company if I call them up and ask about maybe filing a claim?

posted by skewed to Work & Money (4 answers total)

I have USAA and they’ve always been very helpful. If the repair would be $500-$1000 and your deductible is only $150 then you’re likely to come out ahead. Of course you can call USAA and ask them how this would affect your insurance payments. Like I said, they tend to be informative and communicative and will give you a straight answer to your question. (I’ve been a happy USAA customer for more than 30 years.)
posted by bendy at 1:33 AM on December 17, 2017 [4 favorites]

A 35+ year USAA customer, seconding calling them. I've never ever been disappointed in their service.
posted by Dolley at 5:45 AM on December 17, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yes!
It is a comprehensive claim and should not change your rates.
posted by prk60091 at 6:24 AM on December 17, 2017

You're certainly paying more for such a low deductible. This situation is why you've been doing that.
posted by humboldt32 at 10:18 AM on December 17, 2017 [1 favorite]