Someone Hit My Parked Car Whose Insurance Do I Call
Call the other driver's insurance if you have their information, and your own insurer if you don't or if they're uncooperative.
The at-fault driver's insurer pays, so start there if you can
Car insurance works on the idea that the person who caused the damage pays for it, through their insurer. If you have the other driver's name, insurance company and policy number, you file a claim directly with their insurer as a third party. They investigate, and if their driver is at fault, they pay for your repairs.
The trouble is you often don't get that information cleanly. If the car was parked and unattended, there may be a note, or there may be nothing at all. If there's no note, you may need to involve the police to help identify the driver, especially if there's a witness or camera footage nearby.
This is where your own policy becomes useful even when you weren't at fault. If you carry collision coverage, you can file a claim with your own insurer, get your car repaired, and let your insurer pursue the other driver's insurer for reimbursement afterward. This is called subrogation, and it's standard practice. You may owe your deductible upfront, but you typically get it back once your insurer recovers the cost from the at-fault party.
Some states handle this differently depending on their fault rules, and some insurers have different timelines or requirements for hit-and-run claims. Check your policy or ask your insurer directly what applies in your state, especially if you don't have collision coverage or if the other driver can't be identified.
The short version
Call the other driver's insurer if you have their details from a note or a police report. If you don't, or they're not cooperating, file with your own insurer using collision coverage, then let your insurer recover the cost from the at-fault driver later.
What if the other driver left no note and no one saw it happen?
Then you're dealing with a hit-and-run, and your own insurer is your best path forward. File a police report first, even if there's no suspect, since many insurers require one for hit-and-run claims. Then file a claim with your own insurer under collision coverage if you have it.
Some policies also include specific hit-and-run or uninsured motorist property damage coverage, which may apply here depending on your state and your policy terms. Check what your policy actually includes, since this varies by insurer. Without collision or a similar coverage, you may be responsible for the repair costs yourself, which is worth knowing before you decide what coverage to carry going forward.
Now that you know who to call, compare quotes to make sure your coverage is solid before the next surprise.
Filing a police report when your car was hit while parked
If you do
You create an official record of the damage, the time and location, which strengthens your claim whether you go through the other driver's insurer or your own. If there's a hit-and-run, the report may help identify the driver through witnesses or nearby cameras, and most insurers require it before covering a hit-and-run claim at all.
If you don't
You're relying only on your own account and whatever evidence you gathered yourself, like photos or a note. Insurers may still process your claim, but a hit-and-run claim without a police report is often denied outright. You also lose the chance to have an official timestamp if the other driver later disputes what happened.
Do I have to pay my deductible if someone hit my parked car and it wasn't my fault?
You may have to pay it upfront if you file through your own collision coverage, but you should get it back once your insurer recovers the cost from the at-fault driver's insurer. If you file directly with the other driver's insurer instead, there's typically no deductible involved since you're not using your own policy. Check with your insurer how long reimbursement usually takes in your state.
Will my insurance rates go up if someone hit my parked car and I wasn't at fault?
Usually not, since the accident wasn't your fault and insurers generally don't penalize you for claims where another driver caused the damage. Some insurers note any claim on your record regardless of fault, which could factor into future pricing depending on the company. Ask your insurer directly how they handle not-at-fault claims before you file, especially if you're deciding between your policy and theirs.
What evidence do I need if someone hit my parked car and left a note?
Take photos of the damage, the note itself, and the surrounding area before you move the car, since this supports your claim and confirms the details match. Call the number on the note to verify it's accurate before relying on it. If anything seems off or the note lacks insurance information, file a police report as a backup in case you need it later.
