Insurance wants more INFO

luvmy2

New member
I got a letter today from the insurance company in regards to replacing my car seats.
They need documentation of the seats I had before the crash. The make, model & receipts for purchase or approximate dates. They also need a copy of the pages from the car seat manual (she spelled manual wrong, btw) or the manufacturor's website which give their recommendations on replacement. :confused:
Do most people NOT replace car seats after an accident?? No one seems to have EVER heard of this before! :mad: It really sucks too b/c I NEED that $ that I spent to replace the seats, & they are just dragging it out.
I did find the receipt for the Britax, and I am still looking for the receipt for the Graco. :rolleyes:
 
ADS

a_js

New member
That's really strange, because ALL carseat manufacturers recommend replacement after an accident. I'm not sure why they would need proof of that. :confused:
 

luvmy2

New member
Sure do! Should I send her some of those? I know that Graco's manual says the seat has to be replaced after an accident of any kind, but Britax's manual doesn't say that..
 

luvmy2

New member
I am guessing they don't want to pay for it. I've called this woman almost daily for 2 weeks and she won't return my calls, and then I got a letter today.

eta: But at the bottom of the letter it says if I have any questions to call her at 800-xxx-xxxx... WHY so I can keep leaving her messages & she won't return my calls?
 

Mama!

New member
I'd send her some clear pictures of the kids in them, plus a stock photo/ad from say, albeebaby, with pics of the seats and the price.

Send her links to the manuals online.

Tell her you'll be glad to call the NHTSA and ask them . Or have them call her.;)
 

luvmy2

New member
She didn't give me an email addy so I guess I will print it all out & mail it to her! Thanks for the idea! :D
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
This article I put together a while back about crashed seats and insurance has links and text from the Britax FAQ about crashed Britax seat replacement criteria, and the link to the Graco FAQ saying to replace Graco seats after any crash: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=9575 The article has some tips for dealing with the insurance company that might be helpful for you, too. Good luck and hope the hassles are minimal for you. :)
 

MsFacetious

New member
Then there is always.... "Okay, I want in writing that you are going to be responsible if my children are hurt in a future accident because the seat fails." If they refuse to replace.

That of course will only work if they don't know you've already replaced them.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
Then there is always.... "Okay, I want in writing that you are going to be responsible if my children are hurt in a future accident because the seat fails." If they refuse to replace.

That of course will only work if they don't know you've already replaced them.
Another mom here tried asking for this letter, and the insurance company said they would not and did not have to provide this type of letter. Even though Evenflo provided a letter saying the seats MUST be replaced, her insurance company said they did NOT have to since the accident met the "minor" crash criteria specified by the NHTSA and thus did not have to be replaced http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ChildRestraints/ReUse/RestraintReUse.htm

I am not sure what came out of her situation in the end, I'll search and see if I can come up with the thread.
 

MsFacetious

New member
Graco says right in the manual "Replace after ANY accident." Of course she won't get a letter from Britax stating that it needs to be replaced if it doesn't.

HOWEVER, NO insurance company is going to give her a letter stating THEY will be responsible if the seat fails in the future. It is just asking for it that is the idea. 99% of the time this has worked when nothing else did to get them to replace the seat. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work but it's worth a shot after everything else has been tried.

Very few insurance companies have any idea about car seats and if the manufacter says it needs to be replaced after ANY accident then that should be more important that NHTSA's guidelines. The manufacter knows the seat better than they do.
 

luvmy2

New member
I mailed her both Graco & Britax's policies on replacing seats. I also included stock photos of the seats from BRU, prices, DOM's of both seats, and pics of my children in the seats.. just for good measure. :) I mailed the stuff on Saturday, so I will give until Wednesday before I start calling her to see if she received my info.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
Asking for the signed statement works best when you also inform the company representative that you will not allow the case to be closed until you have the statement or replacement seats.
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
Asking for the signed statement works best when you also inform the company representative that you will not allow the case to be closed until you have the statement or replacement seats.
Now that makes more sense to me. Otherwise it just doesn't seem useful as insurance companies deal with the legal issues of insurance on a regular basis, so just saying you want a letter is just going to get you, "uh, sorry, we don't have to give you anything". They know better.
 

luvmy2

New member
I guess I gave them all the info needed, b/c I got my reimbursement check yesterday! Yay USAA!:thumbsup:
 

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