Auto Insurance Claims: Single-car auto accident with damage to (rented) garage, to file or not to file

Question
I left the car door open as I was backing out of the garage (my individual rented garage in my apartment complex).  I bent the left guide rail for the garage door,  and damaged the wall a little bit.  This accident occurred a month ago,  and I've already had the car fixed (the door and left front fender together were several thousand dollars).  I've filed another claim for the (rented) garage with my automobile policy (no additional deductible),  since the insurance company has told me that my renter's policy only covers the contents of my apartment.  My agent told me that the additional claim wouldn't make my premium go up any more.  In his words,  "the damage has already been done" because there are a couple of points on my driver's license because of the accident,  although he doesn't know when the insurance company will apply this to my premium.  I just want a second opinion on this,  because it's still possible at this point to just pay for this damage out of pocket,  although the wall's pushed out a little bit and it might cost a considerable amount,   if it goes through insurance.  If we pay out of pocket,  the head maintenance man will just put some extra wood in the wall to support it,  presumably for a lot less money,  but I'm concerned that if that maintenance man is not here when I move out,  an inspection by the apartments might show what's been done,  and I might be charged.

I just want a second opinion as to whether my premium will go up more with the addition of this (damage to rented individual garage) claim to my auto claim,  then if I left the garage claim off the auto claim and just fixed the garage out of pocket.

Answer
My opinion is that the premium is probably tied to the severity of claims history you have had.

I get this question a lot and without seeing the underwriting guidelines at your specific company, I can't truly answer your question.  Here is the best it's gonna get. . . .

1.  Rates can go up because of occurrences, meaning they assign such and such many points per wreck, regardless of damage amount.

2.  Rates can go up because of severity, meaning they only count against you if they cost the company such and such amount, or they could assign a percentage factor based on dollars of damages, so that every $1500 that is paid out because you were at fault will cost you a half risk point increase or something like this.

3.  Rates can go up because of negligence, meaning if you were at fault in an accident, then you get increased a certain risk point/factor for that.

4.  Rates can go up due to any combination of the above three!

Additionally, although these are the main things they look at when determining whether or how much to increase your rate, they are not the only things.  The rate that is charged is determined using complex algorithms and actuarial analysis, and each company has their own way of assigning risk to certain factors and occurrences.

I hope this helps and I'm sorry there's no magic answer.  In your situation, I think I would just let my auto insurance company pay for the damage to the garage and be done with it.  A rate increase due to the damages is basically an interest free loan on the damages, so use it.  Even if they increase your rate, if the damages are $2000K, then there is no way your rate will increase so much that you will pay an extra $2000 in premiums over the next few years.  

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