You Were in a Car Accident in Your Garage. Now What?

Having a garage car accident is more common than you think. Mornings on the way to work are particularly treacherous, as folks who are still half asleep get into the car and hit the gas, backing right into their closed garage doors. The crash and crunch of your vehicle’s rear end against wood and metal is an unpleasant way to start your day.
Hitting other vehicles is another common culprit in garage accidents. Many people have reported sliding right into their other car when attempting to make squeeze into their garage.

These are the steps you can take to sort out the issue quickly and efficiently:

Assess the Damage to Your Vehicle

First, check your car for damage. Are there scratches, dents or shattered lights in need of repair? Damage to your vehicle will be covered under two conditions. First, you must have an automobile insurance policy with collision coverage. Second, the damage must exceed the amount of your deductible. If you expect to pay less than the amount of your deductible to repair scratches and dents, you may wish to handle the transaction directly with your body shop.

Assess the Damage to Your Garage Door

Carefully inspect your garage door to determine whether repairs are necessary. If it is stuck partially or completely open, you can gently try to close it. However, you should not force it. Call your garage door repair company right away to correct this issue, as it could be a security concern.
Damage to your garage door is probably not covered by your automobile insurance. However, it may be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy, depending on your level of coverage. Some policies will not cover damage caused by negligence, so your agent may ask you specific questions about how the accident occurred.
Dents or scrapes on your garage door are less urgent, but it is wise to have your garage door repair person take a look as soon as you can. This sort of damage can lead to unsafe operation of your garage door over time.

Your deductible will apply in this situation, so you may wish to speak with your repair person first for an estimate. Repairs that fall under the amount of your deductible are best handled directly.