Yes, you can usually claim for car park damage through your car insurance, either by claiming on your own policy (paying your excess) or, if the other driver is at fault and identified, claiming from their policy (potentially with no excess). You can also claim from the car park operator if their negligence (like a faulty barrier or deep pothole) caused the damage, but this can be harder to prove. Key steps include gathering evidence (photos, dashcam, witness details) and reporting it to your insurer promptly.
It depends on the situation. Usually, the driver who failed to give way, reversed without checking, or moved into another car's path is found at fault. But in some cases, both drivers may share responsibility. The more evidence you can provide, the easier it is to work out the fault.
Private driveways, garages, or car parks tend to be safer than parking on the street, so incidents of damage to parked vehicles are very rare. If any damage does occur, most personal motor insurance policies will cover you—just as they would if you were parked on a public road.
You hit another vehicle.
Many people don't realize that you could be charged with a hit-and-run if you hit another vehicle in a parking lot and leave the scene.
You can claim a deduction for parking fees and tolls you incur when you use your car or other vehicle for work-related purposes. You can't claim a deduction for parking at or near a regular place of work. You also can't claim a deduction for tolls you incur for trips between your home and work.
So if the journey relates directly to your work, the parking, toll or congestion charge can usually be claimed as a travel expense.
The logbook method allows you to claim the work-related portion of your actual car expenses. You can claim running costs such as fuel, oil and servicing, registration, insurance, and the decline in value.
Drivers in main and feeder lanes have the right-of-way over vehicles pulling out of parking spaces. As a result, the driver pulling out of the spot will likely be liable for the accident. A driver may collide into another vehicle waiting at a stop sign.
Will I lose my no-claims bonus if someone hits my parked car? If you make a claim on your insurance for any damage to your car while it was parked, it's likely you'll lose your no-claims bonus, even if you weren't at fault.
Step-by-step Guide to Claim Car Insurance Smoothly
Look to see if a witness can offer any details and follow these steps:
Typically, your personal injury limitation period will start from the date of the accident. This is the date on which you first became injured. You will then have three years to make your claim from that date. There are exceptions to this rule, though, and it is important that you know about these.
If your car has been damaged while it was at the garage, you should negotiate for them to pay for the repair of the damage. It's best to point out the damage as quickly as possible, or you could be seen to have accepted what's happened. The maximum they're obliged to offer you is the cost of of the repair damage.
Public liability insurance: Car park owners typically hold this insurance to cover claims made against them for incidents occurring on their property. After an incident, promptly reporting the damage to your insurance provider is a wise step.
Just because you can file a claim on a scratch or dent doesn't mean you should. Filing a claim may lead to an increase in your premium unless you have accident forgiveness. And if the damage is truly minor, it may not make sense to file because it could cost less to fix than the amount of your deductible.
You should call your insurer and start a claim. Once you have a police report number, you can give this to the insurance provider. If you learn the details of the at-fault driver, their insurance company will have to be called.
What to do when someone hits your parked car UK
Get the driver's licence plate – you can use that information when reporting the incident to the police and collision reporting centre. Try to take pictures of the vehicle and the damage. If there are witnesses, ask them to provide their contact information and a written explanation of what happened.
If you're wondering what type of injury results in the highest car accident settlement, you're not alone.
If you're involved in a hit-and-run accident, here's what you should do right away:
Insurers gather evidence from multiple sources, including driver statements, witness reports, police documentation, dashcam or CCTV footage, telematics data, and independent engineer assessments. Together, these help confirm what happened and who was responsible.
Insurance claims are typically complex so proving who is at fault can be difficult. Here are some common rules of thumb in car park accidents: Drivers approaching the through lane from parking spaces should give way to vehicles in the through lane. The vehicle pulling out of the parking space would be at fault.
Claiming fuel costs without receipts
You can claim the fuel you use for work-related purposes without receipts if you use the cents per kilometre method. With this method, you can claim for up to 5,000 km of work-related trips without receipts for the financial year (the rate for 2025-26 is 88c per km).
Qualifying Vehicles for the Tax Deduction
The 10 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions