How underground parking lots impact auto claims

A majority of Ontario drivers report having some sort of parking lot collision, a new survey finds.

The survey finds 59% of surveyed Ontarians have experienced some type of parking lot hit, with 43% saying their car was hit by another vehicle while in the lot. Only 15% of respondents say they hit another vehicle while parking, and 29% admit to having hit a pole, pillar, or similar object while parking in a lot.

Further, it finds 57% of Ontarians say they find parking in underground or indoor parking lots stressful. Among respondents in the greater Toronto area (GTA), a higher percentage of people living inside Toronto’s city limits (17%) were likely to classify parking in underground lots as “very stressful.”

“Even minor vehicle accidents can leave customers feeling shaken,” says a recent survey commissioned by TD Insurance. “Whether it is around the time and cost associated with getting their car repaired or how to tackle their insurance claims and the potential impact to their renewal premium.”

The survey was conducted by Angus Reid, on behalf of TD Insurance, from Feb. 25 to 28, 2025, with 805 online respondents from Ontario who are members of the Angus Reid Forum.

Claims process impacts

While claims submission is stressful, and clients can feel pressure to report parking lot damage as ‘not at fault,’ TD’s commentary on its survey notes, “It’s important for customers to understand that damage appraisers are highly skilled at assessing the cause of damage to ensure accuracy and fairness.” Correct incident reporting also creates a smoother and more supportive claims process for everyone involved, the insurer adds.

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While insurance companies take claims at face value, Jesica Ryzynski, a Claims Specialist at Mitch Insurance notes insurers will closely examine vehicle damage in search of any discrepancies between what adjusters observe and the client’s report.

Related: Why economic worries have some motorists inflating claims

Single-vehicle accidents –– for example, a driver scrapes their vehicle against a parking lot pole or hits their rear bumper while backing into a parking space ––will “sometimes result in costly cosmetic repairs, or an at-fault accident on their record, even if it feels minor in the moment,” says TD commentary.

Clients reporting such single-vehicle accidents sometimes don’t appear to understand that incidents of hitting a pothole or other stationary object do get reported as collisions by the insurer and remain on the driver’s record, Ryzynski said.

Phil Porado

Phil, an award-winning journalist with over 30 years of experience in financial topics, has been managing editor of Canadian Underwriter for more than three years.