Nothing ruins the look of your ride quicker than a nasty scratch. Plus, even tiny scratches can lead to bigger damage and ultimately influence the value of your vehicle.
Here at Old Mutual iWYZE Car Insurance, we often deal with claims for bumper repairs, scratches, dents, auto body work and touch up paint… so we thought it a good idea to share this quick guide on avoiding scratches and minor damage plus how to deal with them should they happen.
Avoiding scratches
Completely avoiding scratches is mission impossible. At some stage your car will pick up a scratch or dent, but there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk.
- Take care when washing your car.
Always hose your car off before going in with the sponge and bucket. Dirt particles are hard and scratch when smeared back and forth across the paintwork. Use high quality washing products, especially cloths. Better yet, have your car cleaned professionally. - Park in low-traffic areas.
Think twice about choosing the closest parking spot at a shopping centre. It’s a numbers game – the more cars and shopping trolleys around you, this higher the risk of picking up a scratch. Also make sure you haven’t parked too close to your neighbour. - Your car isn’t a shelf.
Never put your keys, coffee or cell phone on top of your car. - Brush up on your parallel parking.
Most people avoid parallel parking, but if no-one can park next to you, no one can scratch your car. - Beware the elements.
Nothing will cause scratches as quickly as exposing your paintwork to the elements. Rain, hail or prolonged sunshine can all cause scratches, dents and other blemishes.
To claim or not to claim?
Scratches and dents should be fixed as soon as possible. Even a small scratch will lead to moisture and debris build-up on your car, which leads to rust and ultimately affect your car’s resale value. Besides, the smaller a scratch or dent is, the less expensive it is to fix.
It’s often more cost-effective to fix minor scratches and dents from your own pocket rather than claiming from your insurance. Remember, the more you claim, the more your risk profile will be affected, and your next premium increase might be quite a bit steeper. You also risk losing your no-claim bonus, which might be substantially more than the cost of fixing the scratch yourself.
What’s the wise way of dealing with scratches and dents?
Most insurers nowadays offer a specialised product for minor cosmetic repairs. For example, Old Mutual iWYZE Scratch and Dent cover offers unlimited claims on repairs to chips, dents and scratches for less than R51 per month and it won’t affect your Cash Back Bonus*. Find out if your insurance offers a similar product and if not, we can help.
There might be a million and one ways that your car can be damaged… but there’s only one way to ensure that you can have it dealt with affordably, reliably and with a brand you know and trust. Scratch your old insurance and switch to Old Mutual iWYZE for total peace of mind – get a quick online quote now.
*Terms and conditions apply – please click here to view them.
Sources:
https://www.truckandautobody.com/blog/scratches-dents-tips.html
http://www.godwinmotors.com/blog/how-to-avoid-scratches-and-dents-on-your-car/
https://www.cars.com/articles/-how-to-prevent-scratches-swirls-on-a-black-car-1420681166234/
