This afternoon my car was struck in a parking lot. I'm not real happy about it.

Speaking to an insurance agent they claimed it would be classified as a collision rather than vandalism. I've obtained a repair estimate of about $1100. Is this likely to affect my rates significantly? Are they likely to charge my deductible?

 

Depends on who hit whom and if the other guy has insurance.

 

Well if someone else hit you, you would probably want to go through his/her insurance because it's their fault. However, if you decide to go through your own insurance, most likely your rates would probably go up. ALso, your insurance company would most likely charge you the deductible if you go through them.

 

Was the car parked or moving? Do you know who the other car was? Has a police report been filed? All of these details are important.

If you are not at fault, you do not want this claimed as a collision. If it was hit-and-run, you want it to be charged as "uninsured motorist". If it was a moving incident and the other driver was at fault, you want it charged as a collision to their insurance. If you are at fault or 50% at fault, then collision is where it goes.

 

I don't think your insurance will go up if

-the other person have insurance
-the other person don't have insurance but you are cover by uninsured motorist

 

This is true. They consider it a collision if you or someone else hit you. Even if your car was parked.
Do you know who hit you? If so get their insurance to pay.
If you have to make the claim your insurance most likely will not raise your rates, but they will definitely put it on your record as a claim.

 

He doesnt know who hit him

 

Right.

Sorry if that wasn't clear, but my car was parked and I was not there.

The uninsured motorist bit is interesting; I'd like to know what effect that would have on my insurance in the future.

 

in calif it is not counted against you, it is a nonfault accident if in fact your car appears to have been hit while parked. just put it into your carrier and pay the deductible. you can choose the repair shop. and yes it sucks to have been hit and run. um coverage does not apply, again in calif i am refering to.

 

OK, here's how it works WITH MY POLICY, IN MY STATE. You may have a completely different situation.

When my car was hit in a parking lot, the insurance company was going to charge it as "collision", with my "collision" deductable, and it would have gone on my record as my fault.

But as soon as I filed a police report, automatically it changed to my "uninsured motorist" coverage, with a lower deductable, and it didn't go on my record as my fault.

Obviously, you want that to happen to you. Now you need to find out how to make it that way with your insurance company.