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Dear Bloke:
I can understand why you're red with anger, but this is an open-and-shut case. There is a "repair and replacement" clause in your automobile insurance policy that says the insurer has the choice of repairing, rebuilding, or replacing a damaged part. Naturally, it will opt for the most cost-effective way to return your car to the condition it was in before the accident.
If the part is too badly damaged to be repaired or rebuilt -- like your door -- then the insurance company will replace it. However, it is obligated only to replace the part with one "of like kind and quality." In the case of your three-year-old car, that does not mean a new door, but rather, a used one similar in condition to the one you had. Remember that your insurance is intended to put you back to the way you were before, not to replace older parts with new ones. If that were the case, you would be profiting from your insurance, and we would all have to pay much more for our insurance premiums.
But if you insist on getting a brand new door, that is your option, as long as you pay the difference in cost. The same holds true if you want your entire car repainted.
Should your car be a write-off -- in other words, it's too badly damaged to be repaired at all -- the insurer will pay you actual cash value for it. The value is based on the amount you could have received if you sold the old car the day before the accident.
So, while you may believe you were steered in the wrong direction, your insurer really did come through in the crunch!
Note: Remember, policies vary, so when in doubt, consult your insurance representative.
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