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.
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
1 - 8 of 25
Finder Score for car insurance
We analyse over 30 car insurance products and rate each one on price and features. What we get out the other end is a nice round number between 1 and 10 to help you start comparing.
To make sure we're comparing apples with apples, we collect quotes for 6 different personas, then work out the value of 19 different car insurance features. Our team then does some fancy maths to get the Finder Score, taking both price and features into account.
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.
More resources on Finder
Ask a question
More guides on Finder
-
ALDI car insurance review
ALDI car insurance offers comprehensive car insurance with really solid benefit limits.
-
High risk car insurance
Learn the factors that may cause you to be considered a high-risk driver and whether you might be eligible for cover.
-
Do I need car insurance in Australia?
Yes, you need car insurance to protect you from expensive bills following an accident.
-
24/7 Roadservices Roadside Assistance review
Find out what 24/7 Roadside Assistance covers you for and how much policies cost.
-
AAMI Roadside Assistance review
AAMI roadside assistance: Find out what's covered, how much it costs & more.
-
EV insurance
The media always talks about how cheap electric cars are to run, but will you save money when insuring one?
-
Pink slip – An eSafety inspection report
Your guide to Pink Slips.
-
Can I insure a car that is not registered in my name?
Thinking about taking out car insurance under your parent's name? Read on to learn if it really is a good idea.
-
Car insurance for backpackers
Complete guide to getting car insurance as a backpacker travelling in Australia.
-
Car Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) insurance
Car GAP insurance can pay what's owing on your car in the event it's written off.