This weekend I went out and purchased another carseat for my soon to be 2 year old.
The carseat took up a good bit of my time this weekend. Between picking it out, unpacking it, setting it up, to installing it in my vehicle. As anyone knows with young kids, carseats are giant pain in the…
When I got into the office Monday morning one of my clients had an auto accident over the weekend. The client wanted to know what to do about the carseat that was in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
I reviewed their policy which provides coverage for the carseat. This little policy review led me on a excursion to look into more information on replacing carseats after an accident and auto insurance.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has guidelines as to when you should replace a carseat after it has been in an accident.
Check it out here… NHTSA Child Restraint Guidelines
My research then led me to another website which is chocked full of more useful information. It provides links to carseat manufacturer information and their recommendation on replacement after an accident.
Go here… Carseats for The Littles
The big pieces of information I got when I initially looked into a carseat when I was waiting for my bundle of joy to arrive was that carseats expire, there are important recalls you should stay on top of, and you should get professional assistance when picking and installing a carseat in your vehicle. The topic of replacing the carseat after an accident never really came up.
It’s good to know that some insurance companies will pay to replace the carseat if your vehicle is involved in an accident. Keep in mind that your policy may have a limitation on how much it will pay for a carseat, and a deductible may apply.
If you do have a carseat in your vehicle make sure you know when to replace it, and make sure you talk to your insurance agent about whether your policy covers the carseat after an accident.
If you do need to replace a carseat after an accident, make sure you take a picture of the carseat before you remove it from the vehicle. Also, make sure to cut the straps on the carseat so someone else does not attempt to use a compromised carseat.
Have a safe drive home with your little one!
P