I'm insured under my parents' car insurance policy. Recently while away from home at college, I rear-ended another car. Nobody was hurt, but the car was damaged. Can I file a car insurance claim without my mom and dad finding out?

Probably not. You would face challenges to keep the secret at a number of junctures in the process. The auto insurance company is under no obligation to keep things under wraps for you, and it's likely to spill the beans about the claim in communication by mail or e-mail.

Don't forget you'll need to write a check for the deductible, and sign over a check from the insurance company to the body shop for repairs. Most likely the check will be made out to the primary driver on the policy.

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The story doesn't end after the claim is paid, either. Most insurance companies send surveys about the claims process to the primary insured's home address or e-mail address. What will your parents think when they receive a survey about a claim they never made?

Your parents might also get a clue the next time the premium on the policy is due. Insurance companies sometimes add a surcharge--a percentage increase in the premium--after a collision claim. Perhaps your parents wouldn't notice a 10 percent or so premium hike, but the insurer typically adds a note saying the insurance rate increased because of an accident.

It's a good idea to come clean now than put a lot of energy into keeping a secret that will probably come to light anyway. For more, see Can you make a 'secret' car insurance claim?