Covering the Cost of Dent Repair on a Car Door

Q: How much does it cost to repair a dent in a car door?

Minor dent repairs on car doors can range from $50 to $125, while larger dents can cost hundreds of dollars depending on the extent of the damage. In the worst case scenario, the full replacement of your car door can cost more than $2,500.

Q: How can you cover the cost of repairing a dent in the car door?

There are many ways you can cover the cost of car dent repair. If the repair is expensive, your car insurance may cover it. Otherwise, you can put the cost on a credit card or take out a personal loan to finance the repair.

Q: Can you use a personal loan to cover the cost of repairing a dent in a car door?

Yes, you can use a personal loan to cover the cost of repairing a dent in a car door. Taking out a personal loan can help you spread the cost of the repair across multiple payments over time making it more affordable.

Covering the Cost of Dent Repair on a Car Door

Kenny ZhuUpdated February 24, 2023

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Editor’s note: Lantern by SoFi seeks to provide content that is objective, independent and accurate. Writers are separate from our business operation and do not receive direct compensation from advertisers or partners. Read more about our Editorial Guidelines and How We Make Money.

Whether another driver bumped your car door in a parking lot, or you accidentally nicked the side of your car, fixing a dent can be expensive.The cost of a dent repair on a car door can range from less than a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the damage. This guide will walk you through the process of car dent repair and your best options for covering the cost.

Average Cost of Dent Repair on a Car Door

The average cost of dent repair on a car door depends on the severity and size of the dent. A small dent can cost about $50 to $125 to fix, while damage that requires a full door replacement can go as high as $2,500. You’ll want to get estimates from a few different body shops.Once you choose a body shop and have a solid cost estimate, the best way to cover dent repair will depend on whether you decide to file a claim with your car insurance or pay for the costs out of pocket.

Does Car Insurance Cover the Cost of Dent Repair on a Car Door?

Your insurance may cover minor damage like a dent in a car door. However, it might not be worth it to file a claim in this instance since the price of most dent repair jobs is fairly low. It depends how much your car insurance deductible is. Compare the cost estimate for the dent repair to the amount of your deductible. If the cost of the repair is lower than your deductible, there’s no point in filing a claim.

Pros of Using Insurance to Cover Repairing a Car Door Dent

Filing an insurance claim may make sense if the cost of your dent repair is excessive or if you have a low deductible on your insurance policy. Car insurance places a cap on how much you have to pay out-of-pocket, minus your deductible. If the damage to your car is significant and dent repair is expensive, insurance can potentially save you a fair amount of money.

Cons of Using Insurance to Cover Repairing a Car Door Dent

The biggest disadvantage of filing an insurance claim is that it may increase the cost of your insurance premium in the future, particularly if you’re deemed to be at-fault for the damage to the vehicle. Unless the repair cost is substantial, you may want to avoid filing a claim to prevent an increase in your premium.

Ways to Cover the Cost of Dent Repair on Car Door

If you choose not to file an insurance claim for your dent repair, there are some financing options that can help you cover the cost, including:

Personal Loans

Personal loans are flexible and you can use them for almost any purpose. There are even personal loans called auto repair loans. With personal loan usage, a bank, online lender, or credit union lends you a lump sum that you repay with interest in installments over time. This allows you to spread out the cost of the car dent repair, which can make it more manageable. The higher your credit score, the lower the interest rate you may get on a personal loan. Once you’re approved for a loan, you may expect to receive funds quickly. When it comes personal loan vs. auto loan you can explore both options to see what is the best choice for your situation.

Credit Cards

If the cost of the dent repair is relatively small, using a credit card to cover it could be easy and convenient. And as long as you pay off the amount before your billing cycle ends, you won’t be charged any interest.Credit cards do tend to have very high interest rates, though, and if you can’t repay the debt right away, you will owe interest.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-peer loans come from multiple private investors rather than from a bank or financial institution. If you’re approved for one of these loans, you can often get the funds within days. Peer-to peer-loans might be an option for those who don’t have good credit. However, they tend to have higher interest rates than personal loans, as well as additional fees.

Using a Personal Loan for Car Repairs

A personal loan can spread out the payments for car repairs over time. One benefit of personal loan usage is that it can preserve your monthly cash flow. The interest rates on personal loans are also relatively modest when compared to the interest rates on credit cards and peer-to-peer loans.The requirements for personal loans include your credit score, proof of your employment and income, and your debt to income ratio, which is the amount of your gross monthly income as compared to your monthly debt. Once you’re approved for a personal loan, you can typically get the funds within one to five days to pay for your car dent repair.

Explore Personal Loans With Lantern

If you’re considering a personal loan for your car dent repair, Lantern by SoFi can help you shop for the best options. In our online marketplace you can quickly and easily explore current personal loan interest rates and terms from multiple lenders to find the loan best suited to your needs. Find and compare personal loan options with Lantern.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to repair a dent in a car door?

How can you cover the cost of repairing a dent in the car door?

Can you use a personal loan to cover the cost of repairing a dent in a car door?

Photo credit: iStock/RealPeopleGroup

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About the Author

Kenny Zhu

Kenny Zhu is an active CFA charterholder and former banking and investments marketing manager, and former investment analyst with over a decade of experience in the financial industry. His work has been featured in a variety of publications including LendingTree, MagnifyMoney, Finance of America Mortgage, LLC, and ValuePenguin.

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