Replacing Car Seats after an accident ?

SGTex

New member
Good timing on my part joining the board here, I'm full of questions these last 2 days!

My best friend was in an accident tonight, not her fault - the other driver recieved a ticket for the accident. My friend has State Farm insurance, not sure what the other driver had, but I'm guessing she was well insured, it was a teenager driving a BMW.

My friend had 4 car seats in her car, which now need to be replaced. Does her insurance cover them or the other driver? Does she just purchase new seats and submit the reciepts to the insurance company? Is there any way to make sure ahead of time that they won't give her a hard time replacing the seats? Luckily I have enough "extra" seats that she can use mine - fortunately they are even appropriate seats for her kids.

Does she get to purchase whatever seats she wants? Or do they have to be the same seats? She had crappy seats in her car (no offense if anyone likes the seats she had :cool:), with one exception. One HB Evenflo Booster, 2 Eddie Bauer Convertible seats - one set to expire later this year and the other still had another 2 years left in it and a Britax Husky set to expire in 2/10.

Which leads me to my last question, the Husky is my seat. She had it in her car borrowing it b/c they went for a long drive the other weekend and just kept it in b/c she drives my DD around a lot. So does she buy a new seat, get reimbursed for it and it's mine?

The only plus side to this and it's only a plus b/c no one was hurt in the accident, is that she really needed new seats and will now be able to get them and put her 5 year old back into a harnessed seat full time.
 
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Mama Jo

New member
If it was the other driver's fault, she should check with the other driver's insurance as to their policy for replacing the seats. Some insurance companies are easier to work with than others. Some will let you get whatever seats you want to replace what you had ((Britax, Recaro, Sunsine Kids all around if it was me!!)) and all you have to do is provide them with receipts and they'll reimburse you. Others you might have to fight with. If she has problems with the other driver's insurance company, another option would be to check with her own insurance to determine if it could be covered under her underinsured motorist coverage.

ETA: And yes, if your seat was in the car, it should be replaced as well. I'm sure the insurance company doesn't ask for proof of purchase.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
The other driver's insurance will likely tell her to replace her seats and bring in the receipts at which time they usually will cut a check for the amount on the reciept.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
Don't get rid of the old seats yet though. I had an insurance company tell me they needed to crashed seats to make sure they weren't still in use. Though I was sure to cut all harnesses and straps there in the office, and take them apart as much as I could.
 

Mommy0608

New member
The other ladies answered your insurance questions, but in regard to the question about whether the seat replacing the Husky would be yours, that is probably between you and your friend. I don't think it matters who the seats belonged to in the vehicle, they were in it during the crash and need to be replaced regardless of who technically owns them. However since you let your friend borrow it, it's up to you and your friend to decide what to do with the new seat.
 

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
In my experience, how the seats are handled depends on who is handling the claim for the accident.

If she's filing a claim with her own insurance company then she needs to deal with her own company. Filing with her own company will require her to pay her deductible and then her company will go after the other. Assuming her co is reimbursed, they will then reimburse her for her deductible. If she goes this route then her company should be able to tell her how they handle car seat replacement.

If she is not filing a claim with her own ins co then she will need to file a claim with the other insurance company. She'll likely be assigned an adjustor. Tell her to leave all the seats where they are/were in the accident. The adjustor will be able to tell her how his/her co handles seat replacement.

Some companies tell you to purchase a seat as close as possible to the ones being replaced and submit a copy of the receipt. Some will ask for an original receipt or a print out from a web page showing the cost to replace their seat or a closely comparable one and they'll cut a check. Some will just ask how much and not need any verification. Some require you to turn over to them the old seats, some never even ask about the old seats. It varies greatly depending on insurance co.

If a value for the current seats is agreed upon and they just cut her a check then, of course, she can allocate that money to purchase whatever she wants.
 

SGTex

New member
Thanks for your help!

They are calling the insurance companies this morning to find out how to deal with it all. I do know to save the seats in case they want them.

Their is not driveable though, it had to be towed last night and is at the dealership, so they just leave the seats in the car at the dealer?

Also the other driver has Allstate insurance - anyone have any idea how they typically handle it?

My friend will definitely replace my seat for me, I'm really hoping that they get reimbursed from insurance b/c I'd hate for them to have to pay OOP to replace my seat.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
Thanks for your help!

They are calling the insurance companies this morning to find out how to deal with it all. I do know to save the seats in case they want them.

Their is not driveable though, it had to be towed last night and is at the dealership, so they just leave the seats in the car at the dealer?

Also the other driver has Allstate insurance - anyone have any idea how they typically handle it?

My friend will definitely replace my seat for me, I'm really hoping that they get reimbursed from insurance b/c I'd hate for them to have to pay OOP to replace my seat.

I recently worked with Allstate. I told the adjuster that the manufacturer says the seats need to be replaced. SHe said ok, replace them and bring me the seats and receipts. She issued me a check right away, and made a copy of the receipt. I don't think she even checked to see if it was the same seat. And she let me dismantle the seats before I left (and keep the covers).
 

SGTex

New member
I recently worked with Allstate. I told the adjuster that the manufacturer says the seats need to be replaced. SHe said ok, replace them and bring me the seats and receipts. She issued me a check right away, and made a copy of the receipt. I don't think she even checked to see if it was the same seat. And she let me dismantle the seats before I left (and keep the covers).

Great - good to know! I was wondering about the covers, I'd like to keep my Husky cover. Can I keep any other parts of the seat? The harness, chest clips or HUGS?
 

CTPDMom

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Great - good to know! I was wondering about the covers, I'd like to keep my Husky cover. Can I keep any other parts of the seat? The harness, chest clips or HUGS?

The accident I had 2 summers ago we left ds's ETA in the car. When I picked up the car from the body shop my seat was still in there. The other lady's insurance co (GEICO) could care less what I did with it. I stripped it down of any/all parts and pieces I could perhaps use, destroyed the rest of the seat and discarded it myself.

All depends on the insurance co and the adjustor.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The harness, chest clip, and HUGS all did their job in the crash, so they're garbage. If you want to turn them into a bag or something that'd be fine, but you can't use them to restrain a child anymore.

I've also dealt with Allstate. First they said that the seats would be replaced up to the original value that I spent on them. So since I'd bought my Britax Advantage at $225 I had $225 to play with to buy a new seat, and I upgraded to a Britax Wizard.

Then Allstate gave each of us $100 for our "injuries." We were sore the next day, that was all. So that $300 total bought a second Wizard. ;-)

I had to turn in and cut the straps of the crashed Advantage. The other one I lent out to a friend, and she gave it back when it expired, and I *should* destroy it today, but it was Piper's first seat. So I'm having trouble getting motivated to trash it. It may wait until I come back to empty this house. ;-)

Wendy
 

SGTex

New member
The harness, chest clip, and HUGS all did their job in the crash, so they're garbage. If you want to turn them into a bag or something that'd be fine, but you can't use them to restrain a child anymore.

I've also dealt with Allstate. First they said that the seats would be replaced up to the original value that I spent on them. So since I'd bought my Britax Advantage at $225 I had $225 to play with to buy a new seat, and I upgraded to a Britax Wizard.

Then Allstate gave each of us $100 for our "injuries." We were sore the next day, that was all. So that $300 total bought a second Wizard. ;-)

I had to turn in and cut the straps of the crashed Advantage. The other one I lent out to a friend, and she gave it back when it expired, and I *should* destroy it today, but it was Piper's first seat. So I'm having trouble getting motivated to trash it. It may wait until I come back to empty this house. ;-)

Wendy

There were no kids riding in the car seats, so the harness was not "used" in the accident? Is it still garbage?
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
If the Husky wasn't occupied during the crash, the harness, HUGs, chest clip and buckle could be salvaged as spares for another Husky or probably another Regent if you can verify with Britax that the harness from a Husky is the same as/compatible with a Regent, but I wouldn't use them beyond the Husky's original expiration date next year.
 

SGTex

New member
If the Husky wasn't occupied during the crash, the harness, HUGs, chest clip and buckle could be salvaged as spares for another Husky or probably another Regent if you can verify with Britax that the harness from a Husky is the same as/compatible with a Regent, but I wouldn't use them beyond the Husky's original expiration date next year.

Thanks - that's what I figured, I have another identical Husky so I'd just like to put them aside as spares for that one. Actually I want to change the harness buckle b/c the buckle is sticking a bit on the husky that is in my car and I was going to order a new one and now I won't have to.
 

mom23boys

New member
I had an accident that was not my fault. The other insurance company paid to fix the damage on my MDX. However, they are refusing to replace and carseats. DS2 has a Monterey and DS3 has a Regent.

The air bag did not deploy and the car was drivable when I left the accident. Are my seats OK? If not what do you do? They asked if the seats look OK and the appear to be fine. Our front class 3 towing hitch took the brunt of the abuse. Adjuster claimed there was no frame damage so no new seats.
 

SGTex

New member
I had an accident that was not my fault. The other insurance company paid to fix the damage on my MDX. However, they are refusing to replace and carseats. DS2 has a Monterey and DS3 has a Regent.

The air bag did not deploy and the car was drivable when I left the accident. Are my seats OK? If not what do you do? They asked if the seats look OK and the appear to be fine. Our front class 3 towing hitch took the brunt of the abuse. Adjuster claimed there was no frame damage so no new seats.

That stinks! Can you check with your insurance? My friends were told to replace the seats immediately with comparable seats and to bring in reciepts for a reimbursement. We're off to car seat shop this afternoon.
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
I had an accident that was not my fault. The other insurance company paid to fix the damage on my MDX. However, they are refusing to replace and carseats. DS2 has a Monterey and DS3 has a Regent.

The air bag did not deploy and the car was drivable when I left the accident. Are my seats OK? If not what do you do? They asked if the seats look OK and the appear to be fine. Our front class 3 towing hitch took the brunt of the abuse. Adjuster claimed there was no frame damage so no new seats.

Britax goes by NHTSAs guidelines. Did the airbags deploy? Was anyone injured? Was the car drivable? Was the door closest to the carseat damaged? Those answers will tell you if the Regent should be ok to use. I don't know Sunshine Kids' policy though.
 

mom23boys

New member
I think the regent is fine it's the Monterey I am concerned about. There were no injuries and the air bags did not deploy. Car was crashed in the front and Monterey was in 3rd row driver side.
 

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