Valet Damage - Who’s Liable?

A valet driver hit my car while parking a guest vehicle for the hotel he works for. Do I seek compensation through his insurance carrier or through the hotel? And what if he is uninsured?

Liability for various damage types to your car may vary from state to state, but generally speaking the person driving the vehicle at the time it was damaged will be liable for the repairs. In the case of a professional valet that is driving your vehicle and damages it, the responsibility would normally fall to the valet’s employer (normally a contractor employed by the business you were visiting).

But It’s Never That Easy…

If you are visiting a place that offers valet parking and one of the valets damages your vehicle, getting information on the proper insurance company you need to contact for repairs can sometimes be a bit of hard work. The mall, restaurant, theatre or whatever that you were patronizing likely has policies and clear signs stating that they are not responsible for damage to your vehicle. This is probably because they have hired an independent company, such as American Valet, to handle the parking and that company is required to carry its own insurance and insure its employees against such damage to your vehicle. If this is the case, then you will want to speak with the on-site manager of the valet company to get the phone number and address of their corporate office so you can speak to them about the matter.

If You’re Still Stonewalled

Usually you will receive frank, friendly service from the valet company and the company you were patronizing, but if, for some reason, they are less than forthcoming with the information you need, this is not something you should blow a gasket over. Simply collect all of the information you can, such as the name and address of the company you were visiting, the name and address of the valet company and the name and address of the specific driver whom you believe damaged your car. Turn all of this over to your insurance company - without filing a claim - and explain the full story to them. They will take it from there and have many more resources at their disposal to get to the bottom of who is liable and will ultimately pay for the damage to your car.