What Happens with Insurance If You Hit a Parked Car?

Last Updated on December 10, 2025

Hitting a parked car is more common than most people realize.

Maybe you’re pulling into a tight parking lot, backing into a space, or misjudging the nose of the vehicle behind you and clip their front bumper. You get out and see your own bumper scratched and the other car dented. Sound familiar?

Hitting a parked car may or may not result in a ticket depending on local law and how police handle the situation—but it’s almost always an insurance event. Whether your insurance rates will increase depends on the insurer, your prior record, and the size of the claim. What matters most is that you handle the situation correctly so your insurance will cover the damage and you don’t end up with a hit-and-run on your record.

Key Takeaways

Hitting a parked car is treated as an at-fault collision claim, and you must stay at the scene, report the accident, and leave your information.
Your liability coverage pays for the other car, and your collision coverage (minus your deductible) can pay for your own car if you carry it.
Failing to report or leaving the scene can turn a minor accident into a serious hit-and-run with major legal and insurance consequences.
Your premiums may increase after the claim, but safe driving going forward and accident forgiveness options can help limit long-term cost.

Table Of Contents

Key Takeaways
Stay at the Scene and Notify the Police
Leave a Note for the Vehicle’s Owner
Take Pictures of the Scene
Look for Witnesses
Notify Your Insurance Company Right Away
The Total Damage and Your Record Affect Future Rates

What to Do If You Hit a Parked Car

If you hit a parked car, there are a few critical steps you should take. Skipping them could result in your insurance company denying coverage—and you could still be penalized with higher premiums or legal trouble.

Stay at the Scene and Notify the Police

In most places, it’s illegal to leave the scene of an accident without making a reasonable effort to notify the other party—even if the owner of the other vehicle is nowhere to be seen.

As soon as it’s safe, contact the local police department and report the accident. Depending on your city or state, an officer may:

Take the report over the phone and allow you to leave, or
Come to the scene and document the damage and circumstances

Either way, it’s usually a misdemeanor to leave without reporting. If you leave without following the proper steps, the incident may be treated as a hit-and-run, which is much more serious than simply being at fault for a parking-lot accident and can increase your insurance premiums dramatically.

Leave a Note for the Vehicle’s Owner

If law enforcement decides the damage is minor and doesn’t require a full report, or if you’re instructed that you don’t have to wait for an officer, you typically still need to leave a note.

Most states require you to leave a written note in a visible place (such as under the windshield wiper) with:

Your name
Your address and phone number
A brief explanation of what happened

In many cases, your state also expects you to provide your vehicle’s registration information and your insurer’s details, or at least be prepared to give that information once the other driver contacts you. For more guidance, see these steps to take after an accident.

Take Pictures of the Scene

Leaving a note on an unattended vehicle can be risky—some people may later claim you caused more damage than you actually did. To protect yourself and help expedite the claims process:

Take photographs of your entire vehicle, not just the damaged area.
Photograph the other vehicle from multiple angles, including close-ups of the damaged area and wider shots showing the full car.
Capture any pre-existing damage on the other vehicle, nearby landmarks, and the parking layout.

These images can help clarify what damage you actually caused and what may have already been there before the accident.

Look for Witnesses

Witnesses can be extremely helpful if there is any dispute later about how the accident happened or the extent of the damage. If anyone saw the incident, politely ask for:

Their name
Phone number and/or email

Provide this information to your insurer and, if applicable, the police so they can follow up during the investigation.

Notify Your Insurance Company Right Away

Finally, report the accident to your insurer as soon as possible. Your policy almost certainly requires you to notify them within a reasonable time frame, and many companies have specific deadlines. As noted in their fine print, some insurers reserve the right to deny coverage and even cancel your policy if you fail to report an accident within a certain number of hours (often 24–72 hours).

When you call, be honest about what happened. It’s better to report a minor at-fault accident than to risk being caught hiding it or having the other driver report it first.

Will Hitting a Parked Car Increase My Insurance Premiums?

Insurance companies generally treat hitting a parked car as a collision claim—just like hitting a moving car. You caused damage to another vehicle, so the claim is considered “at fault” in most situations.

Here’s how coverage usually works:

Collision coverage helps pay for damage to your vehicle, minus your deductible.
Liability coverage helps pay for damage to the other driver’s vehicle, up to your policy limits.

For example, if the total damage is $2,000 and you have a $500 collision deductible, your insurer pays $1,500 for your car (if you decide to repair it) while you cover the $500. Your liability coverage would pay for the other car’s repairs, subject to your policy limits.

It typically doesn’t matter where the parked car was located—on a public street, in a private driveway, or in a parking lot. Your insurer still treats it as a collision and uses your liability and collision coverage accordingly. If you lack adequate liability coverage or don’t carry collision, you may need to pay some or all costs out of pocket.

The Total Damage and Your Record Affect Future Rates

Whether and how much your premium increases after hitting a parked car depends on:

The total amount your insurer pays on the claim
Whether you’ve had prior accidents or claims
Your company’s rating policies and surcharge schedule
Whether you have any form of accident forgiveness

If this is your first claim and the damage is relatively small, you might see a minimal increase or, in some cases, none at all—especially if your policy includes accident forgiveness.

If you already have multiple claims on your record, or if the property damage is substantial (for example, well over $1,000), the chances of a noticeable rate hike are much higher.

Your Premiums Might Go Up—But It’s Not the End of the World

Hitting a parked car is stressful and embarrassing, and yes, it can cause your insurance premiums to go up. But it’s not the end of your driving life or your financial stability.

If you avoid additional accidents and tickets going forward, your record will improve again over time, and many surcharges will eventually drop off. You can also look for a policy with accident forgiveness programs so that a single minor fender bender doesn’t cost you hundreds of extra dollars each year.

The most important thing is to handle the situation properly at the time of the accident—stay, report, document, and notify your insurer. Do that, and a momentary misjudgment will be an unpleasant but manageable bump in the road, not a long-term disaster.

FAQs

What should I do first if I hit a parked car?

Stay at the scene and make sure everyone is safe. Then, contact the local police to report the accident. Leaving without reporting can be treated as a hit-and-run in many states, which is far more serious than simply being at fault for a minor parking lot accident.

Is it illegal to drive away after hitting a parked car?

In most places, yes. You’re legally required to make a reasonable effort to notify the owner, which usually means reporting the incident to the police and leaving your contact information on the vehicle if you can’t locate them. Leaving without doing so can result in a hit-and-run charge and major insurance consequences.

What information should I leave for the owner of the parked car?

If you can’t find the owner, leave a note in a visible place with your name, address, phone number, and a brief explanation of what happened. Be prepared to provide your vehicle and insurance information when the owner or police contact you. For more details, see our guide on what information to exchange after an accident.

Will my insurance pay for damage if I hit a parked car?

In most cases, yes. Your liability coverage helps pay for damage to the other car, and your collision coverage (if you carry it) can help pay for repairs to your own vehicle, minus your deductible. Insurers treat hitting a parked car as a collision claim, just like hitting a moving vehicle.

Will my insurance premiums go up if I hit a parked car?

They might. Hitting a parked car is usually considered an at-fault accident. Whether your rates rise—and by how much—depends on your insurer, your prior claims history, the total payout, and whether your policy includes accident forgiveness. A single small claim may cause only a minor increase, or none at all if it’s forgiven.

Do I have to report hitting a parked car to my insurance company?

Your policy almost certainly requires you to report any accident, even if you think the damage is minor or plan to pay out of pocket. Many insurers give themselves the right to deny coverage or cancel the policy if you don’t report accidents within a set time frame. It’s safer to notify your insurer promptly and let them help you decide how to handle the claim.

What can I do to protect myself from false or exaggerated damage claims?

Take plenty of photos of your vehicle, the other vehicle, and the surrounding scene before you leave. Don’t only photograph the obvious damage—capture the full car to show any pre-existing dents or scratches. If possible, try to find a witness and get their contact information. This documentation can help if someone later claims you caused more damage than you actually did.

Does it matter where the parked car was (street, driveway, or parking lot)?

From your insurer’s perspective, it usually doesn’t matter whether the vehicle was on a public street, in a parking lot, or on private property. Hitting a parked car is still considered a collision, and your liability and collision coverage will be used the same way, subject to your deductibles and policy limits.