Auto Insurance Claims: Bumper Dispute on Claim, replate, cosmetic effect

Question
My son was hit by a passing vehicle that pulled into the front left side of his truck.  There was a broken headlight, damaged fender and dented/damaged chrome bumper on his truck. We filed a claim on the other driver's insurance company. They have agreed to fix the truck except for the bumper.  There is some pre-existing minor damage on the front passenger side of the bumper.  Therefore, they don't want to pay anything on the bumper damage.  Should we press the issue?

Answer
Hello,

If the pre-existing damage basically destroyed the cosmetic effect of the bumper, the insurance company would look at it as you lived with it before and any additional damage would not have matter.

The other way to look at it would be if the bumper is now totally destroyed, they owe you something to make you whole.

Since I do not know how it was estimated (if they would have figured a new bumper or a replate), if the bumper is now damaged beyond use, I would suggest that at the very minimum a used bumper with some scratches be figured by the insurance company. That does not better you, but makes you whole.

Rob