Should you file a claim with your car insurance?

That's always a balance between what happened and how much it will cost you versus how much your rates will increase. If it will be a large claim, then almost always you should file a claim. If it was small, then maybe not... but be sure to consider that even with small car accidents, there could be hidden damage, like the alignment being thrown off, etc. You might want to get your car checked out to be sure.