Big or small, you know that getting into a car accident is financially and emotionally frustrating. When you see the damage to your vehicle, you automatically wonder how much it is going to cost to fix your vehicle, if it isn’t declared totaled. 

There are many factors that go into the cost to repair your vehicle after you are involved in an accident. In the case of a fender bender, the damage could be minor or there could be hidden damage that will be more costly to repair. Hidden damage can cause serious issues later on if it is not found and fixed . 

Here are some factors that will determine the cost of a fender bender type accident:

• angle and speed of the impact
• year, make, model, and color (paint cost) of your vehicle
• who is at fault and is the repair covered by insurance
• hidden damage



Fender benders can be tough, as some only sustain minor scratches while others might have more serious damage needing a new fender, bumper, or headlight. Higher speed accidents will most likely result in extensive underlying damage to the structure of your vehicle, and are beyond the scope of this article. Though, it doesn’t take much for a fender bender to cost you upwards of $5,000 or more. Mercedes and BMW headlights are trending over $2000 each these days. For an economical Japanese or American model vehicle, a low speed fender bender might cost you around $600 - $1000. Therefore, it can be difficult to say that there is a “typical” cost for fender benders, as every vehicle is very different.

If your front bumper is damaged in a fender bender, its severity can depend on the angle of the collision which can cause a ripple effect. The front bumper is attached to many smaller parts such as the grill, headlights, and support brackets which will absorb collision energy. Its not uncommon to have hidden damage to the radiator , condenser, or their supports, especially if you rear end a vehicle with a trailer hitch. If the majority of the impact is taken by one of your wheels, alignment issues are certain. This will cause your vehicle to drift in one direction when you are driving straight, which will eventually cause premature wear on the tire requiring replacement.