Insurance Car Insurance Car Insurance Claims What to Do if You Crash Into a Car in a Driveway By Emily Delbridge Updated on October 14, 2021 Reviewed by Samantha Silberstein In This Article View All In This Article Hitting Someone Else's Car Hitting A Car You Own Hitting a Car Illegally Parked Should I Pay for the Claim Myself? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Photo: monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images Most people think of car accidents as happening out on the road in terrible weather conditions or when drivers are distracted, but they often happen close to home. Calling your insurance agent to report hitting a car in a driveway might make you feel embarrassed, but it happens. Here's how the claims typically work. Key Takeaways If you hit a car in your own driveway, the way your insurance company handles it will depend on the specific situation.If you hit a friend's or family member's car, you and your car insurance will be responsible for the damages.If you hit another car that you own, there will be two claims and two deductibles paid, but only one car is considered "at fault."You don't always have to file a claim for vehicle damage—you also have the option of paying the claim yourself. Hitting a Friend or Family Member's Car in Your Driveway As the at-fault driver, you and your car insurance will be responsible for the damages. The claim works the same way, regardless of whether you hit a parked car on the road, in a parking lot, or in your driveway. The property damage coverage provided by the liability portion of your car insurance will cover the damage to the other vehicle. If your vehicle has significant damage, it will only be covered if you have collision coverage. Your deductible will apply, so you'll need to pay that before the insurance starts coverage. That is an at-fault accident, which means that you're considered responsible for it, so a surcharge may be applied when your policy renews. A surcharge is an increase in your insurance premiums. During the repairs, you typically won't be provided with a rental car unless you have added rental car coverage to your insurance. Even if only one vehicle is damaged, you could be surcharged at renewal due to the at-fault claim. It doesn't matter which vehicle is involved in the claim. If you're concerned about a surcharge, talk with your insurance agent or claims adjuster to find out whether your car insurance carrier offers a threshold before surcharging your policy for an at-fault claim. If the damage is minor, it might make more sense to pay for the repairs yourself rather than filing a claim. Note If your insurance is surcharged due to an accident, the increase will remain in place for three years. Hitting a Car You Own in Your Driveway Ownership can make a difference when hitting a car in your driveway. Crashing into a car you own will most likely leave you paying two collision deductibles, assuming that you have collision coverage on both vehicles. Even though two claims are being filed, a single surcharge should be applied. One car was parked and not at fault. The way claims are handled varies, depending on the state where the accident occurred and your insurance carrier, though. Hitting a Car Illegally Blocking Your Driveway Even if a car is parked illegally, as a driver, you're responsible for navigating around the vehicle, and you'll typically be considered at fault. It's going to be tough getting the person who parked illegally (or their insurance) to pay for damages. Drivers are responsible for being aware of their surroundings and driving safely. Even if it's dark, and you couldn't see, hitting a parked car is typically considered an at-fault accident. Hiring a lawyer and trying to go after the owner of the illegally parked car is probably not worth the cost or your time. Let your car insurance adjuster handle it. If there is a way to hold the other vehicle's owner responsible, your car insurance adjuster will find it. Should I Pay for the Claim Myself? You don't always have to file a claim for vehicle damage. You have the option of paying the claim yourself. If you go with that option, keep in mind that if the owner of the car you hit decides to sue, the insurer may have trouble defending you if you didn't file a claim. Keep these questions in mind when determining whether you should file a claim. Is the damage more than the deductible? If the damage is less than your deductible, you'll be paying for it out-of-pocket anyway, so you may not want to file a claim.Do the repair costs exceed the deductible by more than a few hundred dollars? A small claim may not be worth filing. Surcharges for at-fault claims can be expensive, and you might end up paying more due to the surcharge than paying for the repair upfront.Have you filed any other at-fault claims in the last three years? Multiple at-fault claims can come with severe penalties. The penalties can include cancellation from a preferred insurance carrier and a significant rate increase with a non-standard insurance carrier. Nobody wants to pay for repairs out-of-pocket. Take the time to determine whether it may be cheaper to pay out-of-pocket rather than filing a claim. Get an estimate on the damage to your car and the other car, and a ballpark figure of what the surcharge might be. Compare those numbers and determine the best strategy for minimizing your costs. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Does homeowners insurance cover a car damaged in my driveway? Homeowners insurance does not generally cover road vehicles, even if they're parked on your property. To ensure that you have coverage for a collision, fire, or weather event while your car is parked at home, you'll need collision and comprehensive insurance. Who's at fault in collision when backing up? In most cases, the driver who was backing up will be considered at fault in an accident. There may be some exceptions—for instance, if both cars were backing up at the same time, or if the other driver was ignoring traffic signals—but it's usually the responsibility of the driver backing up to ensure that all is clear. What is collision insurance? Collision insurance covers the costs of damage to your vehicle if you hit another car or object, or roll your car in an accident. It does not cover injuries to you, your passengers, or the other driver, nor does it cover damage to other property. For those expenses, you'll likely need additional coverage, such as medical payments, personal injury protection (PIP), and liability insurance. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Insurance Information Institute.. "Do Auto Insurance Premiums Go Up After a Claim?" Insurance Information Institute. "What Is Covered by Collision and Comprehensive Auto Insurance?"