You Returned to Your Rental Car and Found a Scratch: What Now?

There is no note under the windscreen wiper.

There is no driver waiting beside the vehicle.

There is no witness immediately approaching to explain what happened.

There is only a scratch that was definitely not there when you parked.

Your first reaction may be to run your hand over the damage, check whether it can be wiped away and decide that it is probably too small to report.

That is exactly when you should stop.

When a rental car is damaged while parked, the first question is not how serious the scratch appears. The priority is to preserve the scene, document the damage and notify the rental company immediately.

Do not try to hide it.

Do not wait until the vehicle return appointment.

Do not assume that full coverage automatically applies when the required procedure has not been followed.

The first ten minutes after discovering the damage may be more important than the size of the scratch itself.

1) Parked Rental Car Damage: Do Not Move the Vehicle Immediately

When the vehicle is safely parked and does not obstruct traffic, avoid moving it immediately.

Its position may help explain how the damage occurred. The distance from the next parking space, paint transfer, broken pieces, mirror position, parking lines and nearby obstacles may all be relevant.

Moving the vehicle before taking photographs removes the connection between the damage and the location where it was discovered.

Before touching anything, look at the entire vehicle from a distance. Check whether there is more than a cosmetic scratch, such as a dent, broken light, damaged wheel, loose bumper or a body panel touching the tyre.

When you are uncertain whether the vehicle is safe to drive, do not decide on your own that it is “only cosmetic”. Contact HAS Rent a Car and follow the instructions you receive.

2) Photographing the Damage: Do Not Take Only One Close-Up

A single close-up photograph of the scratch is not sufficient evidence.

Your photographs should show where the vehicle was parked, how it was positioned and what was around it. The Association of Serbian Insurers advises collecting as much evidence as possible, including photographs of the incident location, vehicle damage, registration plates and other relevant details.

During the first few minutes, take:

• photographs of the complete vehicle from every side, close-ups of the damage from several angles, the registration plate, the vehicle’s position within the parking space and any paint transfer or broken pieces on the ground

• photographs of nearby vehicles that are still present, surveillance cameras, garage entrances, the parking-space number, garage level, street name and nearby signs

• a short video showing the wider parking area and moving towards the damage without cleaning, touching or repositioning the vehicle
  

Do not wipe away paint transfer, wash the vehicle or attempt to push a dent back into place.

The evidence should show the condition exactly as you found it.

3) Notify the Rental Company Immediately

Even when the damage appears minor, contact HAS Rent a Car immediately.

Send your location, the vehicle registration number, a short explanation and the photographs. Explain that you discovered the damage after returning to the parked vehicle and that the other driver is not present.

Do not contact a repair shop or arrange a private repair.

The vehicle belongs to the rental company. The company must decide whether it is safe to drive, whether the police should be contacted, which documents are required and how the matter should proceed under the insurance and rental agreement.

Before travelling, review the HAS Rent a Car rental conditions and save the company’s contact details. HAS states that the rental price includes full coverage with zero excess, while the applicable procedure also involves obtaining the required police documentation.

Answers about deposits, insurance and rental procedures are also available in the car rental frequently asked questions.

4) Should You Call the Police for a Scratch?

The correct action depends on the circumstances and the rental company’s instructions.

When the responsible driver is unknown, responsibility is disputed, the damage is substantial or the insurance procedure requires official documentation, a police report may be necessary.

More information about police investigations, minor material damage and the European Accident Statement is available in the guide published by the Association of Serbian Insurers.

The Association of Serbian Insurers recommends requesting a police investigation when there is no clear agreement about responsibility. Police involvement is mandatory when there are injuries or major material damage. For minor incidents between identified and cooperative drivers, a European Accident Statement may sometimes be used.

A parked vehicle damaged by an unknown person is different because there is no second driver available to exchange information or complete the form.

Do not make the decision alone.

Contact HAS Rent a Car first, explain the circumstances and follow the company’s reporting procedure. When instructed to contact the police, remain at the location and do not move the vehicle unless it creates a safety risk or an authorised person tells you to do so.

When there are injuries, fire risk, leaking fluids or an immediate danger to traffic, personal safety always comes first.

5) Full Coverage Does Not Mean the Procedure Can Be Ignored

Many drivers believe that full coverage means they can simply return the car and show the scratch.

That is not how the process works.

Insurance does not remove the obligation to report and document the incident promptly. Coverage can depend on whether the driver followed the rental conditions, notified the company, obtained the required documentation and avoided unauthorised repairs.

The guide explaining what full coverage car rental includes and excludes provides more detail about zero excess, deposits, exclusions and the reporting procedure. HAS explains that full coverage reduces financial risk, but exclusions and required steps still matter.

The safest rule is:

Full coverage protects you when the event is covered and the required procedure has been followed.

Do not allow a small parking scratch to become a larger issue because it was reported only when returning the vehicle.

6) What If the Other Driver Left a Note?

When you find a note under the windscreen wiper, do not assume the matter is already resolved.

Photograph the note where you found it. Keep the original and send a copy to the rental company.

When contacting the person, request their full name, telephone number, vehicle registration number and insurance details.

Do not accept cash, agree privately on repair costs or sign anything you do not understand without the rental company’s approval.

The Association of Serbian Insurers recommends exchanging personal, vehicle and insurance information between identified participants and preserving photographs and other evidence.

The rental company should decide whether a European Accident Statement is sufficient, whether a police report is needed and how the insurance claim should proceed.

7) Parking Cameras: Act Before the Recording Is Deleted

When the vehicle was parked in a garage, shopping centre, hotel or commercial property, check whether the location has surveillance cameras.

Staff may not be permitted to provide the footage directly to you. Due to privacy rules, it may be released only to the police, insurer or vehicle owner through the appropriate procedure.

Your immediate task is to confirm that footage may exist.

Write down the property name, camera position, approximate parking time and the time when the damage was discovered. Ask the responsible person to preserve the recording and inform the rental company and police that video evidence may be available.

Do not delay. Surveillance systems may automatically overwrite older recordings.

8) Is the Car Safe to Drive?

A scratch on a door and damage to a wheel are not the same situation.

Do not continue driving when the wheel appears misaligned, a tyre is losing pressure, the bumper touches the tyre, a light is broken, a body panel is hanging loose or a new warning appears on the dashboard.

Even when the damage looks superficial, send photographs to the rental company and wait for confirmation that you can continue.

Do not tape parts into place, change components or drive to a repair shop without approval. An unauthorised intervention can increase the damage or make the assessment more difficult.

9) Why You Should Never Hide Rental Car Damage

A small scratch may look like something nobody will notice.

Rental vehicles are inspected upon return. When unreported damage is discovered, the company may no longer be able to establish where, when or how it occurred.

By then, parking footage may have been deleted, witnesses may be unavailable and the responsible vehicle may be impossible to identify.

Attempting to polish, paint, conceal or privately repair the damage can further complicate the assessment.

Reporting the incident immediately does not automatically mean that you caused it.

It means that you acted transparently and preserved the available facts.

10) What If You Notice the Scratch Only Before Returning the Car?

Sometimes the damage is not immediately visible.

The vehicle may have been parked in poor lighting, covered with dirt or positioned with the damaged side away from you. When you notice the scratch shortly before returning the car, report it before arriving at the handover location.

Send photographs, explain when you noticed it and list the places where the vehicle had previously been parked.

Do not wait for the rental employee to discover it first.

Prompt communication allows the company to review pickup photographs, inspect the previous damage record and explain the reporting procedure before you arrive.

This is also why photographing the vehicle at pickup is useful. The guide to Meet & Greet car rental pickup in Belgrade explains why the vehicle, agreement and existing damage should be checked before beginning the rental.

11) How to Reduce the Risk of Parking Damage

No parking space can eliminate every risk, but choosing carefully can reduce it.

Use well-lit areas, park fully within the marked lines and avoid spaces directly beside entrances, shopping carts, sharp pillars or delivery routes.

Fold the mirrors when the space is narrow and the vehicle supports that function. In a public garage, photograph the parking-space number and surrounding vehicles before leaving
.

For urban driving, a compact vehicle may also be easier to position in smaller spaces. The current HAS Rent a Car vehicle selection includes compact cars, saloons, automatic vehicles and larger SUVs for different travel requirements.

12) Checklist: The First Ten Minutes After Finding Damage

Before continuing your journey, confirm that:

• you have not moved, cleaned or repaired the vehicle and have photographed the complete car, damage, location, surroundings, registration plates and any note or physical evidence

• you have notified HAS Rent a Car, shared your location and photographs and received instructions about the police and any additional steps

• you have checked for witnesses and cameras, preserved relevant details and avoided private repair agreements or cash settlements

• the rental company has confirmed that the vehicle is safe to drive or arranged the next step
  

This order is more important than trying to estimate the repair cost yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions About Parked Rental Car Damage

What should I do first after finding a scratch?

Do not immediately move or clean the vehicle. Photograph the damage, complete vehicle and parking area, then contact the rental company.

Should I call the police for a minor scratch?

Follow the rental company’s instructions. A police report may be needed when the responsible driver is unknown, circumstances are unclear or the insurance terms require official documentation.

Does full coverage include parking damage?

It depends on the terms, exclusions and whether the reporting procedure was followed. Review the guide to zero-excess full coverage car rental and your rental agreement.

What if I do not know who damaged the car?

Photograph the vehicle and location, check for cameras and witnesses, notify the rental company immediately and follow its instructions regarding a police report.

Can I take the car to a repair shop myself?

Not without the rental company’s permission. An unauthorised repair can affect the damage assessment and insurance procedure.

Should I report a barely visible scratch?

Yes. It is better to document and report a small mark immediately than allow unreported damage to be found only at vehicle return.

What if the damage was already there when I collected the car?

The company can review the agreement, vehicle record and pickup photographs. Taking your own photographs before driving away provides additional clarity.

A Scratch Is Unpleasant, but the Wrong Reaction Creates the Larger Problem

Returning to a parked vehicle and finding new damage is never pleasant.

However, you do not need to decide on your own what happened, how much the repair will cost or whether insurance applies.

Your responsibility is simpler:

Preserve the condition you found.

Take clear photographs.

Notify the rental company immediately.

Follow the instructions.

Do not hide the damage or delay reporting it.

When the incident is reported promptly, there is a much better chance of preserving camera footage, finding witnesses, identifying the responsible vehicle and applying the agreed insurance correctly.

Planning to rent a car in Belgrade and want clear damage and insurance conditions before arrival? Review the HAS rental conditions with full coverage, compare current vehicles and prices in the Belgrade car rental price list, and submit your travel dates through the page for booking a HAS Rent a Car vehicle in Belgrade.