A clear, practical answer
Car Damaged in a Car Park: Who Pays?
Report the damage to an attendant before you leave, photograph it and keep your ticket. If the vehicle that caused it is identified, that driver's insurance pays. If not, the claim falls on your own cover. Whether the car park operator is liable depends on the terms and on local law, and a sign disclaiming responsibility does not always settle it.
CarQR · Last updated: 1 October 2026
Bu rehberi Türkçe okuBefore you leave the car park
If you notice the damage while you are still there, timing is the most valuable thing you have. Once you are through the barrier it is hard to show it happened inside.
Call an attendant or security, show them the damage and ask for a written report. If they do not issue one, note the person's name, the time and what was said, and write to the operator the same day.
Photograph the damage, the bay number, the cars either side and the position of yours. Keep the ticket and payment receipt; they prove the car was there.
CCTV
Most car parks have cameras, but recordings are kept for a limited time. Ask in writing, the same day, for the footage to be preserved. The operator may not give it to you directly, but will release it to the police or an insurer.
If the plate of the vehicle that did it can be identified, report it to the police. From there the process is the same as any hit on an unattended car.
Who pays
If the other vehicle is identified, that driver's liability insurance covers a door dent or a scrape.
If it is not, your own comprehensive cover pays, including deliberate damage such as keying on most policies. Check the excess and the effect on your no-claims discount.
The operator: a business that takes a fee to hold your car may owe a duty to look after it. Courts in several countries have held operators liable and have not treated a no-liability sign as the end of the matter. The outcome turns on whether the car park is paid, what the terms say and how the damage happened.
If the operator refuses
After a written refusal, the route is a consumer complaints body or a small claims court, depending on the amount. The report, photos, ticket and repair invoice are your evidence.
If your insurer paid for the repair, it pursues whoever is responsible itself.
If the other driver could have told you
In tight car parks some drivers who dent a door stop, look round, find no way to reach the owner and leave. Other shoppers who saw it are in the same position.
A QR code on the glass gives them a way. They scan it and send the prepared damage alert, and you are back at the car before the shopping is done, while the plate and the witness are still there.
Want to be reachable without writing your number on the car? Create your free vehicle QR code; it takes two minutes.
Step by step
- 1
Report before leaving
Show an attendant the damage and ask for a written report.
- 2
Document it
Photograph the damage, the bay number and neighbouring cars; keep the ticket.
- 3
Ask for the footage
Request in writing, the same day, that the recording be preserved.
- 4
Claim
Against the other driver's insurance if identified, otherwise your own; write to the operator as well.
Frequently asked questions
Is a shopping centre liable for damage in its car park?
It depends on the case. The duty is clearer where parking is paid, but free car parks with security have also been held responsible. Complain in writing and get the answer in writing.
Does a no-liability sign protect the operator?
Not automatically. Terms imposed on a consumer without negotiation are often limited or set aside by consumer law.
Should I claim on my insurance for a door dent?
You can, but for small damage compare the excess and the effect on your no-claims discount with the repair cost.
I only noticed the damage at home. What now?
Write to the operator the same day, ask for the footage to be preserved and attach your ticket. It is harder to prove, but acting before the recording is overwritten improves your chances.
This guide is general information, not legal, insurance or technical advice. Laws, penalty amounts, time limits and how authorities apply them change, and vary by place and by case. Not everything here has been confirmed against official sources. Before acting, check the current position with the relevant authority, your insurer or a lawyer. CarQR accepts no liability for the consequences of actions taken on the basis of this content.