How Do Dent Warranties Work?
Anyone who has bought a new car in the past few years knows the drill. After choosing the car and agreeing on a price; you find yourself back into the finance office being offered all sorts of additional warranties, insurances, guarantees, and additional protection packages. These are generally “peace-of-mind” coverages to protect you in case of a frustrating situation.
One of the most common coverages purchased is a Paintless Dent Repair warranty package. Often called a “Dent Warranty” for short.
Whether it’s door dings, shopping cart dents, acorn damage, deer collision, or any number of other causes; dents happen.
What is a Dent Warranty?
A Paintless Dent Repair Warranty, or Dent Warranty for short, is a type of coverage that an owner can buy to cover their vehicle. In the event that the covered vehicle receives any small dents or dings, a claim can be made against the policy. If the claim is approved, the warranty company will typically pay the repair facility to fix the dents and dings.
Is a Dent Warranty the same as Auto Insurance?
No, a Paintless Dent Repair Warranty is supplemental “peace of mind” coverage. A Dent Warranty will cover many small dents and dings that cost less than a typical insurance deductible. Automotive insurance is still required on every vehicle.
Where can you buy a dent warranty?
Typically, Paintless Dent Repair Warranties are purchased at the time of vehicle purchase. They are normally sold through the dealership’s finance department and the cost can usually added to the financing of the vehicle.
How much do Dent Warranties cost?
The cost of a Paintless Dent Warranty can range based on a number of factors but its not uncommon to find packages priced anywhere between $400 – $1400.
The cost of the dent warranty is based on a few factors. The most notable factors being the extent of the coverage, the length of time the vehicle is covered, the make/model of the vehicle being covered, the age of the vehicle, and the actual warranty company providing the coverage.
The longer time a vehicle is covered, the higher the cost associated with the policy. A policy that covers a vehicle for 4 years should obviously cost more than a policy only covering for 12 months.
The extent of the coverage can also vary from policy to policy. Most dent warranties will cover damage up to a certain size. Some policies have limits on the type of damage or the amount of individual dents.
Some policies offer coverage from hail damage or a deductible reimbursement program in the event of hail damage.
It’s important to read the coverage documents carefully to fully understand what is covered on any policy.
Do I have to pay a deductible to file a Dent Warranty claim?
Not normally. Most Paintless Dent Repair Warranties do not require a deductible once the policy is purchased.
However, some damage may cost more to repair than the policy is willing to pay. In that case, a client may find the need to pay out of pocket for the difference on a repair.
How much do dents cost if I pay out of pocket?
Dents and dings start at around $125 and go up from there based on a number of factors. We chat more in depth about pricing on our Paintless Dent Pricing page.
How long do Dent Warranties last?
Paintless Dent Repair Warranties can last anywhere from 6 months up to 10 years, and everything in between. Most companies have a few pre-created “policies” that can be purchased for your vehicle.
Be sure to read the coverage documents carefully to fully understand how long a policy last.
How does an owner file a Paintless Dent Warranty claim?
The policyholder simply needs to call the Dent Warranty company to get the claim started. Usually, the vehicle owner will be asked to upload or email pictures of the damage to the claims department. The warranty company will then assign the dent to a local Paintless Dent Repair company for repair.
If you have a specific Paintless Dent Repair company that you’d prefer to work with, we recommend contacting the PDR company directly. Most Paintless Dent companies have experience working with Dent Warranties and can assist you on the claim and the repair. This assures that your vehicle is fixed by the technician of your choosing.
What dents are covered by a Dent Warranty?
The scope and size of damage covered by Paintless Dent Repair Warranties can vary from policy to policy.
Typically, a warranty company will have a specific size that they will cover per dent. It’s not uncommon to see “up to a credit card size” listed in a policy.
Dent Warranties may also have a specific number of dents that they will approve per claim. Sometimes it’s listed as a specific number of dents per panel.
Is there any damage not covered by a Dent Warranty policy?
Every Paintless Dent Warranty policy is different. This is why it’s so important to read the policy information.
Most dent warranty policies will limit the size of the damage that is covered. Most will not cover dents larger than a credit card. Although some policies cover more and some cover less.
Some policies may be more restrictive. They may only cover dents on side panels (no roofs, hoods, or deck-lids). Some policies will not cover damage on body line, with missing paint, or creased dents.
Many dents require removal and installation (R&I) in order to access the backside of the dent. Some policies will not cover the R&I so the owner of the vehicle may have to pay out of pocket for a portion of the repair.
Some paintless dents require the technician to glue pull the damage from the outside. Some dent warranty policies do not cover glue pull repairs.
Sometimes policyholders also find that the repair facility charges a different rate than the policy is willing to pay. In that case, a client may find the need to pay out of pocket for the difference.
What happens if my dent isn’t covered by the policy?
A vehicle owner may find that some damage is not covered by the policy for whatever reason. They may also find that the policy pays a set amount for a repair and the actual cost is more once looked at by a technician. In both of these cases, an owner would have the option to pay out of pocket for anything not covered by the Dent Warranty.
Is a Dent Warranty only for new cars?
No. Most Paintless Dent Warranties can be purchased for new and used vehicles. The vehicle is supposed to be “dent free” when purchased though for the coverage to be valid.
Can hail damage be repaired using a Dent Warranty Policy?
Not really…but sometimes…kind of…
This one is a little more complex. Dent Warranties will normally not cover hail damage. In fact, most policies have a dent count limit that would disqualify hail from being claimed.
Any hail damage would need to be claimed on your comprehensive auto insurance policy. However, some dent warranties will offer deductible reimbursement up to a certain dollar amount.
Be sure to read the dent warranty coverage documents carefully to fully understand how a policy handles hail damage.
Is a Dent Warranty policy a good idea to buy?
In all honesty, that is completely dependent on the vehicle owner. As a rule, like most insurance policies, the majority of policyholders will pay more for the policy than they will ever file in claims. However, there are always some exceptions. Some Dent Warranty clients will find themselves filing multiple claims and saving money in the long run because of the policy.
A Paintless Dent Repair Warranty is a “peace of mind” type of policy. It honestly depends on you as the owner.
What Dent Warranty Companies Does EZ Auto Spa Work With?
We work with the following Paintless Dent Repair Warranty companies. If you have a policy with a company not listed here, please contact us. We would love to add your policy to our network so that we can better serve you.
