2002 PT Cruiser?

Hi, the car was in a little accident and was hit by a truck from the back. This cause bumper damage and broken tail light and power steering went out.
I went to the claim person today and they told me that they would pay for the bumper and tail light but not the power steering. The guy told me that the hose is leaking or the claps have come undone and it the current hose is not the original hose on the car. I told the guy if it’s not the original hose than it was replace sometime within the 14yr period. If you take a look at the four tires on the car, they have also been replaced within the 14 years. The guy also said I could take it to dealership to get a second opinion about the problem, and he would consider paying for it, but after meeting with the dealership mechanics and showing proof.
Would it do any good for me to take it to get a second opinion, however the progressive claim guy have already made his decision.

The power steering “went out”? What do you mean by this? Did the fluid leak out? Does the pump need to be replaced? The rack?

I agree with the adjuster that it is unlikely your steering failure was caused by a rear impact. You can certainly try to get another mechanic’s opinion but I think you are chasing a unicorn if you are trying to get the insurance company to fix this.

Ok, I just needed a second opinion. I’ve never had any trouble with the car until the accident. The adjuster said the power steering hose may have a hole in it and the clamp may have come undone from the hose. I just know that everything was fine until this accident.

Did someone show you a leaking hose? This sounds like speculation.

The power steering system should be inspected to determine the cause of failure. The power steering pump is located close to the right strut tower and an impact can shift the engine momentarily and damage the pump. Also one of the hoses could have been pulled off of the pump or rack and pinion from engine movement.

The adjuster told me if someone brought in a car that was hit from the side and it had rust all over one side panel, 'they would not fix the entire panel because it was already rusting out.

That is true, you can’t get all your leaks fixed and paid for because of a collision. Did your steering fail at the scene of the accident or did the fluid slowly leak out a month later?

At the accident

The insurance adjuster must believe your power steering wasn’t in working order before the collision. Do you have empty bottles of power steering fluid in the vehicle?

I think you will have to show the insurance adjuster an estimate to repair your steering, this might suggest it was damaged and not just a slow leak.

Did you open the hood and check if the belt came off?