Auto Insurance Claims: Fire damage to vehicle, quality body shop, soot damage

Question
My daughter has a bran new Mini Cooper.  She was parked in a garage at work and the car next to her caught fire.  Her car looks o-kay, but is dirty from the soot, and smoke and who knows what else.  I would say her car has about 900 miles on it.  At this point the car next to her would be responsible for the damage through their property damage liability, through AAA?  I suggested to her to get a rental car from them as well.  My question is, How do you evaluate the damage to her car that was subjected to the heat of the fire, and the smoke damage and soot damage. I imagine the plastic in areas she is not aware of could have melted from the heat, wiring problems, computer problems?  She leases the car and now of course the car will have a diminished value because it will have to be reported that it has had fire damage?  Because her car is so new, could she ask for a replacement without the damage and the stigma now attached to her new car?

Answer
Hi Wendy,

Unfortunately, she can not ask for a new car. The insurance company is only responsible for repairing the car.

Your daughter should seek out a quality body shop. She could ask the dealer for a referral. She should ask the body shop to go over the vehicle very carfully and inspect all of the areas that you are concerned about. They will write a repair estimate which she should send to the insurance company. The insurance company may want to send their own appraiser to inspect the car and write their own estimate. You should give a copy of that estimate to the body shop. If there is a difference between the estimates, the body shop and the insurance company will negotiate any differences.

The diminished value of the vehicle can only be determined after the repairs are completed. It will be based on the actual extent and nature of the damage.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh