What should I do if someone keyed my car?

Photograph the damage before washing the car, with wide shots showing the vehicle and where it was parked plus close-ups of each panel. Do not attempt to polish the scratch out — a key scratch is almost always deeper than the clear coat, and compounding removes clear coat from the undamaged paint around it, widening the area that must be refinished. File a police report, since most carriers require one for a vandalism claim, and keep the report number. Confirm with your insurer which coverage applies before filing. Then get a free written estimate so you know the actual repair cost.

Why does repairing a keyed car cost so much?

Three reasons. First, a key is dragged with deliberate pressure, so the scratch usually cuts through clear coat and color into primer or bare metal along its entire length, which rules out polishing. Second, the scratch typically crosses multiple body panels, and panels are painted individually, so each one is a separate refinish. Third, paint must be blended into the panels adjacent to the damage so no hard edge is visible in daylight, which means panels next to the scratched ones are also worked. A scratch crossing three panels commonly involves five panels of work.

Does insurance cover a keyed car?

Vandalism generally falls under comprehensive coverage rather than collision. Comprehensive often carries a lower deductible and often has less effect on premiums than an at-fault collision claim, though this varies by carrier and policy. Most insurers require a police report for a vandalism claim. Confirm coverage terms, your deductible, and any premium impact directly with your insurer or agent.

Should I file a claim for a keyed car or pay out of pocket?

It depends on the repair cost relative to your deductible. Most California policies carry a deductible between $500 and $1,000. A key scratch crossing three panels usually exceeds that, while a short scratch on a single door often does not. If the repair costs less than the deductible, filing gains nothing and still records a claim. Regal Repair provides free written estimates so the comparison is based on a real figure, and handles the claim process for customers who decide to file.

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Affordable Car Scratch Repair

Regal Repair provides affordable car scratch repair for minor scratches, scuffs, and deeper paint damage. Our experienced technicians use advanced tools and proven techniques to restore your vehicle’s appearance.

We focus on quality repairs, competitive pricing, and fast service. Whether your car has a shopping cart scratch or deeper damage, our team can recommend the right repair solution.

Need scratch repair in Los Angeles? Contact Regal Repair for a quote and get your vehicle looking its best again.

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process

1. Sand & Prep. Clean the impaired area and sand away the paint surrounding the affected area to get access to the car’s panel – this process helps to get better adhesion.
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2. Restore Body Shape. Depending on how severe the crack is, we’ll use several thinner layers of filler to avoid an uneven finish. The purpose of body filler is to smooth out the surface to prepare the area for paint. Body filler typically takes about 20-30 minutes to dry.
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3. Sand to Smooth. After the filler has dried, we sand down the repaired cracked area to create an extra smooth surface to prepare for the paint primer.
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4. Prime and Paint. Primer helps the paint adhere to the car’s panel, so this application is vital to a seamless paint job. Once the primer has dried, the correct paint color will be applied to the area coat by coat, until the paint is perfectly blended.

5. Clear Coat. A clear coat is applied as a final step in the scratch or dent repair. Clear coat adds a polish and protective coat that preserves the newly applied paint.

Someone keyed your car

It's a frustrating thing to walk out to. Here's what actually happened to the paint, why the estimate is usually higher than people expect, and what to do in the first day or two — in the order that matters.

Before you do anything else

Photograph it before you wash the car. Wide shots showing the whole vehicle and where it was parked, then close-ups of each panel. Insurers want to see the damage in context.
Don't try to polish it out. A key scratch is almost always deeper than clear coat. Compounding it removes clear coat from the undamaged paint around it, widening the area that has to be refinished and raising the cost.
File a police report. Most carriers require one for a vandalism claim, and filing takes far less time than arguing about it later. Keep the report number.
Check which coverage applies before you call it in. Vandalism generally falls under comprehensive rather than collision — often a lower deductible, and often less impact on your premium than an at-fault claim. Your carrier can confirm both.
Get a real number. Our estimates are free. Knowing the actual repair cost is what lets you compare it against your deductible instead of guessing.

Why keying costs more than it looks like it should

A key scratch looks like a thin line. Three things make it a bigger repair than that line suggests.

It goes deep, for its whole length

A shopping cart glances off. A key is dragged with deliberate pressure, so it usually cuts through clear coat and color into primer or bare metal — and not in one spot, but along the entire scratch. There's no polishing that out.

It crosses panels

Whoever did it walked the length of the car. A scratch that runs from the front door to the quarter panel isn't one repair — it's a separate refinish on each panel it touches, because panels are painted individually.

The blend extends past the damage

Paint has to fade into the surrounding panels or you'll see a hard edge in daylight. That means the panels next to the scratched ones get worked too. It's the difference between a repair you can spot and one you can't.

One scratch, three panels, five panels of work

Claim or pay for it yourself?

That's your decision, and it comes down to a comparison we can help you make. Most California policies carry a deductible between $500 and $1,000. A key scratch crossing three panels usually exceeds that; a short scratch on a single door often doesn't. If the repair costs less than your deductible, filing gains you nothing and still puts a claim on your record.

What we can do is give you an exact figure for free, so you're weighing a real number rather than a guess. If you file, we work with every major carrier and handle the claim from there.

We're a body shop, not an insurance advisor. Coverage terms, deductibles, and how a claim affects your premium vary by carrier and policy — confirm those with your insurer or agent.

Send us photos and we'll tell you what it'll take to put right.

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