At-fault driver's insurance — do they have to cover my custom bed liner too?

Yes, I went through almost exactly this after someone sideswiped my truck. I had a tonneau cover that got destroyed and the adjuster initially tried to lowball me with some generic replacement cost that didn't come close to what I'd paid. Once I sent them the original invoice and a current quote from the installer, they came around pretty quickly. Keep that receipt handy and get a written estimate from the shop that did the liner — that combo is hard for them to ignore.

The adjuster 'glossing over it' is not an accident. They're trained to let things slide by if you don't push back specifically. Don't let that go. Put it in writing — send an email explicitly asking whether the spray-in liner is included in the claim and ask them to confirm in writing either way. That changes the dynamic fast because now there's a paper trail.

From the inside, the general standard is that the at-fault party's insurance is supposed to restore your vehicle to the condition it was in before the loss — that's called indemnification. If your tailgate had a liner on it before the crash, it should have a liner on it after. The catch is that adjusters work off of estimating software that doesn't always prompt them to add aftermarket items unless someone specifically flags it. You may just need to escalate to a supervisor and use the word 'pre-loss condition' — that tends to get things moving.

Document everything before the repair happens. Photograph the current liner, the damage, and any branding or markings that show it's a professional install. If you have a warranty certificate from the liner shop, include that too. The more you can show what existed pre-accident, the stronger your position when you ask for it to be included in the repair estimate.

Not really my wheelhouse but I'll say this — don't let them rush you into a quick settlement or repair authorization before this is resolved. Once you sign off on the repair scope, it can be really hard to go back and add things later. Make sure everything you want covered is in writing first.

Get a written estimate from your liner installer that clearly states the tailgate panel needs to be refinished to match and gives a price. Hand that to the adjuster. Don't ask if they'll cover it — tell them this is part of restoring the vehicle and here's the cost. Different energy, usually different result.

Honestly the fact that they accepted full liability immediately is huge — a lot of people on here are fighting just to get that far. You're in a pretty solid spot to negotiate the scope of repairs. Use that leverage and don't settle for less than whole.