SA Car accident repairs below standard, seeking rectification

[Sao]

I was involved in a not at fault rear end accident. This resulted in substantial rear damage and minor front damage. I dealt with the person at faults insurance as I have none. I chose to go through their approved repairer as I was told it would take longer to go through my choice of repairer, which turned out to be incorrect as I had to wait a month before it was all approved and repaired anyways.
Their repairer attempted to correct the damage, at a very poor standard. So I had my car inspected independently, with a full report and many images of the damage. I forwarded this to the insurance company and they requested to inspect it themselves. They are trying to justify most of the damage and refuse to let me go to my repairer to rectify the damage they do admit to. I then approached their repairer to be courteous and received horrible attitude, and a “I don’t care” from them when expressing the disappointed and concerns of the work they performed. To my understanding, as I am not a customer of the insurance company and do not pay a policy to them, I am not obligated to abide by their terms and can choose my own repairer for rectification after already giving them the opportunity to complete the repairs the first time. Is this correct? Is the insurance company obligated to pay the fee for the inspection I had carried out independently, as they are admitting to some of the many issues left and further created on my car?
Thank you in advance.

 

[Adam1user]

All I can suggest is send a request to the insurance company in writing (You stated you talked to them but having it in writing is better) and mention in your request that you did talk to them before verbally also request a time frame to receive a response otherwise they will delay and delay.

If no action is done to rectify your vehicle, then go the Insurance ombudsman and make a claim (with your written request and their response), just make sure that they are 100% wrong, you don't want to start the process and then find out that you are wrong. For example, did you buy the car second hand and it had the damage already. I am not doubting you but I am drawing your attention to some issues that can help you not to fall in trouble.

 

[Clancy]

When you or i take a car to a panel beater for repair, the panel beater tells us how much it will cost to repair. But when an insurance company takes a car to a panel beater for repair, the insurance company tells the panel beater how much the repair will cost! (I happen to know this because my brother in law used to own a panel beating shop). More often than not, the insurance company does not pay enough for a proper repair to be done, so a half assed repair is done.

So be warned for future reference.... if you have any choice in the matter, NEVER let the insurance company chose the repairer.