There’s a common misconception that scratch and dent insurance might be little more than a vanity purchase. However, if you have just bought a brand new car and you want to retain its good looks for as long as possible it might not be a bad idea at all.

It’s something that a car dealer might try to sell you as a ‘bolt-on’ before you leave the dealership but here, we’ll underline what it is, what it covers and why it might be worthwhile if you regularly find yourself and your car experiencing a few knock and bumps.

What is it?

The clue is very much in the name. Scratch and dent insurance covers the small bits of bodywork damage that might occur during general wear and tear to your car. If you’ve ever scratched door at the car park or accidentally backed up into a lamp post and are left with a nasty dent or scrape, you’ll know exactly what we mean. 

It’s cheaper than conventional car insurance and is often by most major car insurance firms like ALA but doesn’t include the major excess payments typically associated with conventional policies.

Why might it be good for you?

Regular car insurance won’t always cover cosmetic damage – You generic car insurance probably won’t cover smaller cosmetic damages so if you want them fixed you’ll have to pay for them yourself.

Limits keep you in check – Most scratch and dent policies will limit to you a certain number of claims either during the policy life or per year. There might also be a value limit. This should stop you from making frivolous claims but will still provide you with the cover if you really need it.

It’s inexpensive – It depends on your insurance provider but some policies can be as little as a tenner a month or even less. Most scratch and dent policies also either have minor excesses or no excess payment at all. Indeed, it could even be a good bargaining chip when shopping for a car, as the dealer might be willing to throw it in as part of the deal!

Is it right for you?

This depends on two things – what kind of driver you are and what kind of person you are. If you roguery find yourself driving in crowded city centres on your way to work and are very proud of your car and how it looks, scratch and dent insurance is definitely worth it. 

If, however, you only need a car to take you from A – B and you’re not really that bothered about its aesthetics then it’s probably not.