Hi Erin -
Check out our car insurance guides here:

They are full of a bunch of helpful tips. One of them is that you should use your policy for the big stuff....not the little stuff. You can read about it all here:

http://www.filife.com/guides/do-you-need-car-insurance-how-much-do-you-need

This might sound strange comming from an Insurance Agent; but I would suggest that you do what is is YOUR best interest, not what's in the insurance company's.

That said keep in mind, insurance works best when it is used for what it was designed- to protect you from major financial loss.

It is possible that by reporting a small loss collecting a very small payment, can in the long run raise your rates and turn out to have been a poor choice.

If the damages after the deductable are less than $250, I might suggest just eating the total loss. If the damages are in the thousands of dollars; yes that is why you pay for your insurance.
http://urbaninsuranceagency.com/frequently-asked-questions.html

Larry Lubell