Is this overkill?

julia94115

Active member
We share a carport with our neighbor. Over the past 8 months they have put many scratches and actual DENTS into our front and rear passenger doors. The neighbor gave me his insurance info to make a claim for the repairs. I just got off the phone with the agent and she also told me that I could get two new seats if I thought it was necessary as it is "law" in California anytime there is any claim damage to a vehicle that the child seats be replaced.
My husbands eyes just about rolled out of his head when I told him this- I also think it's overkill...

Your thoughts?
 
ADS

scatterbunny

New member
Overkill, for sure. :twocents: There is no way that some door dings that happened in a carport caused any damage to the carseats, and making a claim for the carseats just seems dishonest to me.
 

Wiggles

New member
The law is the law. It's hard to make provisions in law for there to be shades of grey. If the law in California says that the seats should be replaced after a vehicle claim, then the insurance company MUST offer it, no matter what. In the 'real world' it's definitely overkill. But written law can't really provide for every eventuality.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
California law requires insurance replacement of carseats that were occupied during a crash. Door dings/scratches from opening and closing doors in a carport don't count as a crash in my normally conservative book (unless maybe your neighbor is routinely slamming into your car with a bulldozer or Mack truck but then you'd have more than door dings if that were the case:eek:).
 
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julia94115

Active member
to scatterbunny- Boy- I had no intention of being dishonest. (Sorry I don't know how to "quote" a post.)
I am only posting what I was told was the "law" from THEIR insurance company and thought maybe there was something I wasn't aware of.

So If they say I "need" to replace the seats, I just tell them "no thanks"?
 

natysr

New member
The law is that the seats must have been occupied at the time of the damage to the car. I doubt that fits this case.

Though, if there were are "real" crash and my seats were not occupied, I would of course fight for them to be replaced.

Under your circumstances, I would not have the seats replaced.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
It is, apparently, law that they must offer. It is not law that you must do it. Just tell them that you won't be putting in a claim for seats. Door dings do not warrant replacement.
 

scatterbunny

New member
I'm sorry if my comment came across harshly, that was not my intent. :sorry!: My understanding of CA law is exactly what Jeanum posted.
 

julia94115

Active member
Got it! Ok thanks all.

Oh no worries scatterbuuny :)---I just didn't want anyone to think I was trying to be a scammer! It totally just caught me by surprise when the agent told me to replace the seats.

off to fix my door dings! Yeehaw!
 

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