Understanding Cosmetic Insurance for Cars: Your guide to the best cover

If you’ve just bought a new or nearly new vehicle, the last thing you want is to see it spoiled by scuffs, dents, or scratches. That’s where cosmetic insurance for cars comes in—a cost-effective way to keep your car looking its best while protecting its resale value.

In this guide, we’ll explain what cosmetic car insurance covers, what it doesn’t, how much it costs, and whether it’s worth considering for your vehicle. Car Cosmetic Repair Insurance

What is Cosmetic Insurance for Cars?

Cosmetic insurance is a term covering a number of potential products, including scratch and dent insurance, smart cosmetic repair insurance and alloy wheel insurance. All are designed to cover the cost of repairing minor cosmetic damage to your vehicle bodywork and/or wheels.

Types of damage can include:

Paint scuffs and scratches
Small dents
Chips or scrapes to panels and bumpers
Light alloy wheel damage (depending on the policy)

The key for eligible claims is that the damage must be able to be repaired by SMART (Small and Medium Area Repair Technology) method. These are normally performed by a mobile repairer, although some products may allow for a bodyshop repair.

Why do people not use their car insurance instead of cosmetic car insurance?

There are a couple of reasons, in the main.

Firstly, the cost of repairing scuffs, chips and scrapes may be a few hundred pounds at most. To claim on your motor insurance policy, many insurers will have an excess that you must pay before they will process a claim. This excess amount (your voluntary and compulsory excess combined) may be more than the cost of the claim.

Many claim values to do exceed the motor insurance excess, so you cannot process the claim with your car insurance cover. You can use a cosmetic car repair policy instead.

Also, not claiming on your comprehensive motor policy means you can protect your no claims bonus too. Losing this could costs you hundreds of pounds of your next renewals.

Who would buy Cosmetic Car Insurance?

Cosmetic insurance car is becoming more popular with all kinds of car owners for a number of reasons.

It’s especially popular among:

Drivers of new or nearly new cars
Lease or PCP customers wanting to avoid end-of-contract damage fees for hand backs
Anyone who takes pride in keeping their vehicle in tip top condition

What Does Cosmetic Insurance Cover (and Not Cover)?

Typically Covered:

Surface scratches to paintwork
Small dents and chips
Light scuffs to bumpers or body panels
Alloy wheel scratches (if included)

Not Typically Covered:

Pre-existing damage. You cannot cover damage that was there before you bought the policy
Accident damage requiring body shop repair (some policies will allow for this within policy parameters)
Damage that includes broken parts that need replacing
Rust or corrosion
Multiple panels affected by a single incident
Structural or frame damage

Each insurer will have different limits on the size, depth, and number of claims you can make, so always read the terms carefully.

How Cosmetic Insurance Claims Work

Most cosmetic insurance policies are straightforward to claim on:

Take photos of the damage and submit a claim online, email or via an app.
The insurers team assesses your claim.
A mobile repair technician is sent to your home or workplace to complete the repair.
Most repairs are completed in under two hours.

Some policies may require a small excess (e.g., £10–£25 per claim), but many offer zero-excess cover.

When Can You Buy Cosmetic Insurance?

Cosmetic insurance is typically only available:

Within 30–90 days of buying your car
If your car is under a certain age (e.g., 5–7 years old)
If your mileage is below 70,000–80,000 miles
You have bought the car from a VAT registered motor dealer

This is because insurers want to protect vehicles in good cosmetic condition. You usually won’t be able to buy this type of insurance for older or high-mileage vehicles.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Cosmetic Insurance

The price of cosmetic insurance varies depending on:

The length of cover you require
The maximum number of claims you require (either per annum or for the full term)
The maximum value of each claim
The number of years cover you need (1 to 4 years normally)

Providers of the cosmetic repair insurance products do vary on the parameters they work to. Be careful to check the terms of each to compare cover properly.

How to Save on Cosmetic Insurance

Here are some tips to save money and get the best deal:

Opt for a 'combined' product - get cover for both your car bodywork and alloy wheels by choosing a SMARTCare style policy (minor bodywork, alloy wheels and interior trim damage covered) instead of individual products
Pick a maximum number of claims to suit - some products, like SMARTCare from ourselves, will offer you a choice of the number of claims you can make. Only choose as many as you need.
Pick a maximum number of years cover - multiple year policies are normally better value than if you pay annually

Is Cosmetic Insurance Worth It?

If your car is new or on a lease, cosmetic repair costs can quickly add up. Even a single dent can cost £150–£300 to fix at a body shop.

Cosmetic insurance can pay for itself with just one or two repairs. It’s also a great way to avoid expensive end-of-lease damage charges that can eat into your deposit.

Additional Coverage Options to Consider

Many providers offer bundle deals or additional protection for:

Motor Excess Insurance – get back your excess charges for a motor insurance claim
Tyre insurance – covers punctures and accidental damage to your tyres
GAP insurance – protects against vehicle depreciation if your car is written off or stolen

Often people add these extra levels of cover to a Cosmetic Repair Insurance policy to provide a full '360' level of protection for your car.

Consider these options if you want full peace of mind.

FAQs

Can I buy cosmetic insurance for a used car?
Yes, as long as the vehicle meets the age and mileage criteria and is in good condition at the time of purchase.

Will cosmetic insurance affect my no-claims bonus?
No, it should not. Cosmetic insurance is separate from your main car insurance policy, so claims won’t affect your no-claims discount.

Can I choose my own repairer?
Usually, repairs must be carried out by the insurer’s approved mobile technicians, but check your policy for details. You may be able to nominate your own repairer with prior agreement of the claims team, or insurer.

Does cosmetic insurance cover keyed or vandalised damage?
Generally, yes—intentional damage like vandalism can be covered if it falls within the claims eligibility of the policy and you have a valid crime reference number from the Police.

Conclusion: Is Cosmetic Insurance Right for You?

If you care about keeping your car looking its best—or want to avoid lease return penalties—cosmetic insurance can be a smart car insurance choices. It’s affordable, convenient, and takes the stress out of dealing with minor damage.

Before buying, be sure to:

Check your vehicle’s eligibility
Compare policy terms and claim limits
Consider bundling with other cover for the best value

Get a Cosmetic Insurance Quote for your Car Today

Protect your vehicle’s looks and value with affordable cosmetic insurance. (Get a quote in under 2 minutes) and enjoy peace of mind, wherever the road takes you.