Get exclusive money-saving offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
By signing up, you agree to the Finder
Privacy & Cookies Policy
and
Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy.
Will car insurance cover paint damage?
Paint on your car starting to fade or peel? Discover if your car insurance policy will cover you for paint damage.
Types
Guides
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
In some situations you might be able to claim paint damage under car insurance, in others you won’t be covered at all, and sometimes you might even have to pay more or less for paint fixes following a claim.
If you've got comprehensive car insurance, you'll probably be covered for paint damage. But before you pop that claim in, make sure it makes sense financially, especially if you'll have to pay an excess.
Want cover for paint damage? Compare comprehensive car insurance
When will I be covered for paint damage?
Car insurance will only pay for damage that results from an insured event. In the case of paint damage, you’ll generally only be able to claim it with comprehensive car insurance, except in some very specific situations (such as paint damage caused by theft).
Claiming it under comprehensive car insurance will still be subject to your policy exclusions.
- When will third party car insurance cover a paint job? This is primarily liability insurance. It will generally only cover a paint job with the “uninsured driver extension.” This is when an uninsured driver is responsible for an accident.
- When will third party fire and theft insurance cover a paint job? This policy type will generally only pay for a paint job as above, or in the rare event of damage to the paintwork that’s caused by theft.
- When will comprehensive car insurance cover a paint job? This cover type might pay for new paint following any insurable event that damaged the paintwork. This might be an accident, a storm, hail or others. However, it’s subject to the policy exclusions and special conditions.
What exclusions should I be aware of?
Car insurance generally won’t cover damage caused by deterioration, wear and tear or weathering.
As such, you typically won’t be able to claim paint damage when it’s the result of ongoing exposure to rain, sand, sun, salt, water or similar.
However, you might still be able to claim it if it was a single event, such as a sandstorm or hurricane.
Special conditions
Car insurance specifically won’t cover damage from wear and tear or deterioration, but some deterioration of paint is inevitable in older cars.
In some cases, the cost of new paint will actually be deducted from a car insurance claim, or you might have to pay for the cost of new paintwork on top of a claim.
For example, if your claim involves brand new panels to replace old and weathered ones, an insurer might ask you to pay the difference in value between “brand new” and “old and weathered” so as not to end up inadvertently paying for a new paint job when it’s not covered.
How much does it cost to respray a car?
The cost of repainting a car can vary widely depending on how good a job it is, whether you’re getting any additional protecting coatings, what kind of paint it is and what kind of car you’re driving.
Generally, you might expect several thousand for a job well done, or up to $1,000 for a basic touch up.
- A basic touch up: Mostly cosmetic. The “invisible” parts of the car, like under the hood, generally won’t be done and you’re looking at basic synthetic enamel paint. It’s mostly focused on matching the colour as close as possible, and isn’t expected to be a long term fix.
- A proper paint job: This usually involves sanding the body, removing rust and repainting it for a consistent and clear finish.
What kind of paint job will car insurance cover?
It depends on the type of claim and the cause of damage. If the insurable event caused damage that necessitates a proper paint job, then that’s the kind of quality you can expect. If it’s just covering up a scratch, then it might be a more basic touch up.
Get the latest car insurance news
Car Insurance
Where’s Australia’s priciest fuel?
Even in cheaper cities, you could be wasting over $300 a year.
Read more…
Australian drivers spent $78 million on roadside call-out fees over 2 years
Drivers without roadside assistance cover are spending millions of dollars on call-out fees, according to new research by Finder.
Read more…
Violation nation: Aussies spending $600 million per year on parking fines
Australian drivers are shelling out big bucks on parking fines each year according to new research by Finder.
Read more…
More guides on Finder
-
Mobile plans are now more expensive, but here’s a hack to save $200 a year
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone keep raising their prices even as the rest of the market is more affordable than ever.
-
Prime Day VR gaming deal: $60 off the Oculus Quest 2
Amazon is selling the standalone Oculus Quest 2 virtual-reality headset for $432.12. You can also score $77 off the 256GB version.
-
Scott Pape’s Money Movement: How to watch the docu-series online in Australia
This fresh docu-series features the one and only Barefoot Investor.
-
Prime Day’s best health and fitness deals: Garmin, FitBit, PranaOn
Stocking up on your favourite supplements or adding to your home gym, Amazon has got you covered with these red-hot offers.
-
Amazon Prime Day’s best camera deals: Nikon, Panasonic and more
DSLR, digital, polaroids, lenses and accessories - these are the best camera deals Amazon has to offer this Prime Day.
-
Biggest Amazon Prime Day discounts: 75% off games + heaps more
Top offers so far include 75% off games, 68% off tech and 38% off alcohol.
-
Jetstar sale offers new route to “Australia’s most beautiful coastlines”
You have to be quick, these fares are gone with the strike of midnight.
-
Kobo Elipsa review: An eReader and eNote 2-in-1
The Kobo Elipsa makes a valiant attempt to bridge the gap between eReader and eNote. It doesn’t manage to excel at being one or the other as its big for an eReader, and slow for an eNote.
-
Amazon Prime Day: Best board game offers on Hasbro, MONOPOLY, Jenga
From children to teens and adults, Amazon has got you covered with these awesome board game deals.
Ask an Expert
