Links for replacing car seats after a crash

[njkj]

I need links, good link! A friend rear ended someone and her truck is totaled (mainly bc she hit the guys hitch). She had insurance but she wasn't on the insurance for the truck (it was her husbands truck and they just got married and hadn't added her yet). For some reason her insurance won't cover a replacement seat bc technically it wasn't her truck and the fire dept said bc she was only going 20 miles an hour she doesn't need to replace the seat. She said the classic "the seat looks fine". I said "that's the problem, it looks fine but you really don't know!" She has a Graco infant seat and I'm pretty sure Graco says to replace after any crash PLUS the truck is totaled so even if Graco doesn't say that I'm pretty sure it meets the criteria, right?

So I need some link to send her about why she needs to replace her seat! Please!

 

[nataliem257]

I need links, good link! A friend rear ended someone and her truck is totaled (mainly bc she hit the guys hitch). She had insurance but she wasn't on the insurance for the truck (it was her husbands truck and they just got married and hadn't added her yet). For some reason her insurance won't cover a replacement seat bc technically it wasn't her truck and the fire dept said bc she was only going 20 miles an hour she doesn't need to replace the seat. She said the classic "the seat looks fine". I said "that's the problem, it looks fine but you really don't know!" She has a Graco infant seat and I'm pretty sure Graco says to replace after any crash PLUS the truck is totaled so even if Graco doesn't say that I'm pretty sure it meets the criteria, right?

So I need some link to send her about why she needs to replace her seat! Please!

I'm no expert but it sounds like her agent is giving her the run around. If they're covering the truck they will cover the seats too if she makes enough of a stink. Tell her to call, ask for a supervisor, and politely reference the Graco policy of replacing after any crash and how unfortunate it would be if they were liable in the event of the seat failing in another accident. They'll replace it

 

[LISmama810]

The car being totaled doesn't necessarily have anything to do with replacement, though it could. Here are the NHTSA guidelines for determining a "minor" crash. http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/ChildRestraints/reuse/restraintreuse.htm

That's kind of moot though. The seat needs to be replaced because Graco requires replacement after any crash. That information should be in the manual, or she can call and they'll tell her that, and will likely email her the info for documentation.

That said, the insurance company is not necessarily responsible for replacing the seat. That will depend on the state and the policy. It sounds like she was at-fault, which might also make a difference. If they won't replace it, she'll need to do it herself. You can try raising a stink with the company, but that doesn't always work.

 

[DogznKatz]

She should find Graco's replacement stance in the bullet points in the list of warnings in the first pages of the Graco manual.

 

[carseatcoach]

That said, the insurance company is not necessarily responsible for replacing the seat. That will depend on the state and the policy. It sounds like she was at-fault, which might also make a difference. If they won't replace it, she'll need to do it herself. You can try raising a stink with the company, but that doesn't always work.

I agree. The seat needs to be replaced, full stop. The insurance company may or may not be responsible for the replacement: she seems to have been at fault and she was driving a vehicle for which she was not covered (I think).

 

[njkj]

Thanks, I keep telling her but it's like beating a dead horse. I argued with her husband on Friday, they are close friends so I'm not worried about making her mad or anything, DH simply told him "dude your not gonna win this argument" lol. I told her to look in the manual but I'm not sure she did.

 

[1mommy]

I'm sorry you aren't getting anywhere with the parents- in my mind it's simple. The car is totaled, that means anything in the car is totaled. Would you take out the passengers seatbelt and re-use it in a new car just because no one was in it? If not then why would you do the same for your child? It's a life saving device, I would rather pay for a new one then chance it. But ultimately the choice lays with the parents, and you have done all you can do.

 

[LISmama810]

Feasibly a car could be totaled and still meet the minor crash requirements. Totaling doesn't mean it can't be salvaged--it means the cost of repairs would cost more than the value of the car. Even minor repairs can be really expensive, so it's possible for even minor relatively minor damage to total a car that wasn't worth much to begin with.

But like I said before, Graco requires replacement, so it doesn't really matter why/how the car was totaled.

 

[njkj]

Feasibly a car could be totaled and still meet the minor crash requirements. Totaling doesn't mean it can't be salvaged--it means the cost of repairs would cost more than the value of the car. Even minor repairs can be really expensive, so it's possible for even minor relatively minor damage to total a car that wasn't worth much to begin with.

But like I said before, Graco requires replacement, so it doesn't really matter why/how the car was totaled.

It's totaled not only bc of the cost but bc the frame is bent!

 

[LISmama810]

It's totaled not only bc of the cost but bc the frame is bent!

My point is that totaling/bent frame/etc. doesn't necessarily have any bearing on whether the car seat is safe to use. You can total a car and bend a frame and still meet the definition of minor crash, just like you can have relatively minor, non-totaled damage but meet NHTSA's requirements for needing to replace a seat.

I only threw that out there because people often assume that totaled=horrific crash that SURELY means a seat needs to be replaced, but that's not necessarily true if you have a seat that goes by NHTSA guidelines.

Since that's not the case here, it doesn't matter.