You’ve walked back to your car to find a fresh dent in the door. Or perhaps you’ve noticed a long scratch down the side that definitely wasn’t there this morning. It’s annoying, but it’s minor—hardly worth the hassle of a claim, right?
This is the thinking that leads thousands of drivers to live with damage they shouldn’t have to accept. Someone bumped my car, what do I do? For many people, the answer is simply nothing. They assume small dents and scratches aren’t worth pursuing, that the process will be too complicated for such minor repairs.
That assumption is often wrong—and ignoring the damage can end up costing far more than addressing it properly in the first place.
Why Minor Damage Matters More Than You Think
A small dent or scratch might seem purely cosmetic, but the reality is more complicated. What looks like surface-level damage can have consequences that only become apparent months or years later.
Paint damage and rust
Modern car paint isn’t just about appearance—it’s a protective barrier. When that barrier is breached, even by a minor scratch, moisture can reach the bare metal underneath. In the UK’s damp climate, this is a recipe for rust.
Corrosion rarely stays localised. What starts as a small bubble around a scratch can spread beneath the surrounding paintwork, causing damage that’s invisible until it becomes serious. By the time rust breaks through the surface, the repair bill has multiplied significantly.
A scratch that might cost £100-200 to fix properly today could require panel replacement costing ten times that if left to deteriorate.
Hidden structural concerns
Dents aren’t always as straightforward as they appear. A bump that leaves a visible crease in a panel may also have affected the structure beneath—particularly around doors, wings, and areas near the car’s crumple zones.
Modern vehicles are engineered with specific impact absorption in mind. Even minor damage in certain areas can compromise how the car would perform in a future collision. What feels like a small knock might have bent a reinforcement bar or stressed a mounting point in ways that aren’t visible from the outside.
Professional assessment isn’t overcaution—it’s how you confirm that a minor bump really is minor.
Resale value implications
Planning to sell or trade in your vehicle at some point? Unrepaired damage affects value, often more than people expect. Buyers and dealers notice dents and scratches, and they factor them into their offers—usually by more than the actual repair would cost.
Worse, damage that’s been left to deteriorate signals neglect. A car with a repaired dent is worth more than one with visible damage, even if the repair cost would have been identical to the value reduction.
The “It’s Not Worth Claiming” Myth
Many drivers dismiss minor damage because they assume the claims process will be disproportionate to the repair. They picture excess payments, premium increases, and weeks of hassle for a small dent.
For at-fault claims through your own insurance, this caution might be justified. But if someone else caused the damage—even minor damage—the calculation changes entirely.
When another driver is responsible, you’re entitled to have your vehicle restored to its pre-accident condition at their insurer’s expense. This applies whether the damage is a crumpled bonnet or a car park scratch. The severity doesn’t change your rights.
Accident claims help exists precisely for situations like this. Rather than writing off minor damage as not worth pursuing, a claims management approach can handle the entire process on your behalf—often with less effort on your part than arranging a repair yourself.
What Happens When You Make a Minor Damage Claim?
The process for claiming minor damage is simpler than many people expect, particularly when handled through an accident management company rather than directly through insurers.
Evidence gathering
Just as with larger accidents, documenting the damage matters. Photographs of the dent or scratch, the location where it happened, and any evidence of the other vehicle (paint transfer, witness accounts, CCTV possibilities) all strengthen your position.
For car park incidents, this often means acting quickly. If you discover damage immediately after it’s happened, checking for witnesses and requesting CCTV preservation can make the difference between a successful claim and an unresolved one.
Assessment and repair
Minor damage often qualifies for paintless dent removal or smart repair techniques—specialist methods that restore panels without the need for full resprays or panel replacement. These approaches are faster, less invasive, and often produce results indistinguishable from factory finish.
A proper assessment determines the most appropriate repair method. Sometimes what looks like minor damage requires more extensive work; occasionally, damage that seems concerning turns out to be simple to fix. Professional evaluation gives you clarity.
Resolution
When the damage was caused by an identifiable third party, recovery of costs follows standard non-fault claim procedures. You shouldn’t face excess payments, and your own insurance record remains unaffected.
The entire process—from initial report to completed repair—can often be resolved in days rather than weeks for straightforward minor damage claims.
When the Other Driver Isn’t Identified
Car park bumps present a particular challenge: often, there’s no note left and no obvious way to identify who caused the damage. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re without options.
CCTV footage, witness accounts, and sometimes forensic paint analysis can help identify responsible vehicles. Success isn’t guaranteed, but it’s worth pursuing—particularly for damage that would be costly to repair out of pocket.
If identification proves impossible, you may need to claim through your own insurance or accept the repair cost yourself. But exploring all avenues first makes sense before reaching that conclusion.
Don’t Let Minor Damage Become Major Problems
The temptation to ignore small dents and scratches is understandable. Life is busy, the damage seems trivial, and dealing with it feels like more hassle than it’s worth.
But minor damage has a habit of becoming major if left unaddressed. Rust spreads, structural concerns go undetected, and resale values drop. The cost of ignoring a small problem often exceeds the effort of fixing it properly.
If someone else caused the damage, you shouldn’t be left to absorb those consequences. Car claims for minor damage work exactly the same way as larger ones—your vehicle gets restored, the at-fault party’s insurer covers the cost, and you’re not left out of pocket.
Noticed a new dent or scratch that wasn’t your fault? Contact Infiniti Motor Group for expert assessment and hassle-free claims handling—even for minor damage.
