Insurance Claim?

[sinam]

My truck was recently in a fender bender and the insurance agent is asking me to pay for the worn out parts that got damaged. I have 1st class insurance with no deductable but he wants me to go 50/50 on some parts. I find a couple quite questionable particular something to do with the steering (from what I could translate) that is about 25,000 baht to replace. I'm not sure what my options are or even if I have one. Anyone have experience on how this works in Thailand? I have not had this issue before but perhaps that had to do with the newness and warranty still in effect during a previous incident.

[stingray]

Dealing with insurance in Thailans is ...... There was a accident 4 years ago, two cars smashed together on a intersection in Pattaya, so one of this cars jumped into my car wich was parked on my private property. My car, Mitsubishi Galant, was compleately wrecked. They offered me 10'000 Baht for a 300'000 Baht damage. I did not accept the 10'000 Baht, so i never got payd anything. They play with you! If you don't accept theyr offer you can go to the court. But how many years of time and how much money you gonna spend an lawyers to clear out? Just accept and take what they offer to you. Therefore the best solution is: DRIVE A JUNK! Instead of a nice litle plastic car. The car i drive now cost me 35'000 Baht, it is a 30 year old rusty Toyota Crown, heavy and strong like a tank, with beg strong steelbumpers. So if somone crash into me i can't loose much.

[danone]

it definitively depends what insurance company you're with.

[undercover]

Im with the drive a junker brigade.

[Moonfruit]

You paid for the insurance, and whether they were worn or not before the impact is irrelevant. They need to be replaced to make your car functional again.

FULL STOP.

Ive had 2 insurance claims, both not my fault, and both have been dealt with flawlessly by the insurance company. Same cannot be said for the repair garage but thats another story.

Kick up a fuss. Be an A$%hole. Speak to the boss's boss and then his boss. A Thai would let it go, and thats what they are looking for. Just keep on hounding them.

Why resort to driving a banger if you like your car?

[Sulaphat]

If you have "first class" insurance you should insist that the insurance company repair/replace the damaged items with new ones.

If the insurer refuses to do so, you can file a complaint with the Department of Insurance. The DOI will usually force the insurer to honor the terms and conditions of the policy. Just mentioning filing a complaint with the DOI will usually bring the insurer to reason. The DOI is usually very pro-consumer on these issues.

Good luck.

[canopus1969]

But what you have mised out - and is important - is that the parts may be "new" but may only be a copy ! If you have a "Contract" garage and not "Dealer" garage i.e. a lower cost insurance, then this may well be the case.

[Sulaphat]

But what you have mised out - and is important - is that the parts may be "new" but may only be a copy ! If you have a "Contract" garage and not "Dealer" garage i.e. a lower cost insurance, then this may well be the case.

Canopus 1969 is correct. If the OP is requesting dealer's garage or OEM parts and the insurance company's policy does not have the "dealer's garage endorsement", the insurance company is on solid ground to ask for the insured to pay the difference in cost. Standard auto policies leave the choice of how to repair or replace up to the insurer, who in turn will use contract garages and generic replacement parts.

[TBWG]

Hi

One of the basic fundamental principles of insurance is that you should be no better or no worse off after the incident.

Providing you have first class insurance they should be working to this end. There is however the issue of "betterment" say if they replaced a tyre which was half worn they would be right to expect a "contribution" (another basic insurance principle) from yourself.

However if you have anything but the best insurance cover it would be naive to expect a satisfactory outcome in Thailand.

TBWG

[Sulaphat]

Hi

One of the basic fundamental principles of insurance is that you should be no better or no worse off after the incident.

Providing you have first class insurance they should be working to this end. There is however the issue of "betterment" say if they replaced a tyre which was half worn they would be right to expect a "contribution" (another basic insurance principle) from yourself.

However if you have anything but the best insurance cover it would be naive to expect a satisfactory outcome in Thailand.

TBWG

I know that this is how insurers like to spin things, but I would be hesitant to accept that the vehicle's value as a whole, or its expected lifespan, had been materially increased by the addition of some new parts. The parts may be new, but the car would still be worth the same or less than pre-accident.