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Shopping carts in parking lots: Who’s responsible for the dings and dents?

Things like this happen all the time, but you may not know what you can do about it when it does.

DALLAS — Let us know – are you the type to put your shopping cart away when you're done using it? The answer better be "Yes!"

Otherwise, you're setting someone else up to deal with dings and dents for your carelessness. 

The dents and dings from carts happen all the time, but you may not know what to do or who's responsible after it does. 

You may be thinking, "If they're the store's carts and it happens on store property, it should be the store's responsibility." 

But it's usually not.

You'd have to prove the store or its employees were "negligent" in handling shopping carts. And if it was caused by another customer, you can pretty much forget it. 

The good news: According to AutoInsurance.org, your policy will typically cover damage caused by a shopping cart if you have full coverage. 

Comprehensive and collision coverage could come into play, depending on how things happened. Did a rogue cart roll into your car on its own? Or did someone push it?

To make sure you're covered, it's best to have both. 

Shopping carts usually won't cause too much damage other than minor scratches or dents, but repairs may be more extensive if the dent is in a difficult-to-repair spot. 

Remember though, filing a claim for minimal damage is only beneficial if the repair costs exceed your deductible.

If you're worried about avoiding all this mess, try to park away from the door and cart corrals, where it's less likely to be hit by a rogue cart. 

As always, if you have a traffic concern in your area, you can email us here.

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