Does car insurance cover car seats?
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Written by
Chelsey Tucker
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Reviewed by
Daniel Walker
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UPDATED: Mar 19, 2020
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- Car seats can be torn, punctured, or burned during an accident
- Normal wear and tear on car seats isn’t covered by insurance
- It’s important to look at the cost of a deductible versus what the repairs would cost out-of-pocket
Car seats are an important part of your driving experience.
Depending on the make, model, and even trim level of your car, you could have seats made of various materials. Whether you have leather, cloth, or another material, if they are damaged, you want them repaired.
Your car insurance might cover the costs, but it depends on the coverage you have. Insurance companies will also look at how the seats were damaged.
If you are concerned for your car seats’ safety, compare at least three to four policies today to find better auto insurance! Enter your ZIP code above!
Potential Damage and Causes
One of the first things insurance companies is going to ask you when you file a claim is how the car seats were damaged.
Car seat damage might be part of a larger claim, such as if you were involved in an accident. In this case, the car seats will be added into calculating the total damages and repairs.
Depending on the type of accident, your car seats might be:
- Burned
- Torn
- Punctured
- Severely damaged
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If you weren’t involved in a car accident where the seats were damaged, the claim is going to be done on its own. Some reasons why you might have damaged car seats include:
- Eating in the car
- Smoking in the car
- Vandalism
Eating and smoking in the car are both considered “normal wear and tear.”
Although you might have dropped something to cause a stain or a cigarette ember burned a hole, it does not constitute an accident for the car insurance company.
Now vandalism is considered a type of accident. As such, damages would be taken care of by the insurance company if you have sufficient coverage.
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Why isn’t wear and tear covered?
Normal wear and tear is part of owning a car. It’s simply not something that insurance covers because it’s not what insurance is designed to cover.
Instead, car insurance is there to help make repairs after a major incident has taken place.
As for what wear and tear includes, it varies based on the kind of car seats you have and also what’s considered “normal” versus “excessive.”
There might be stains on upholstery, burn holes on the seats, as well as cracks and other damage to leather or vinyl. The older a car is, the more likely there will be more wear and tear on the seats.
When you want to replace the seats, the cost to do so would be your financial responsibility.
Forms of Insurance That Might Apply
You will have what the state requires you to have for car insurance, including bodily injury and property damage liability of a particular level. You can then choose to increase the level to a higher level of financial protection.
Your basic auto insurance will cover car seats if you have been involved in an accident with another car.
Whether your seats were ripped, burned, or otherwise damaged, the insurance company will cover it when they cover the other damages that might have occurred during the accident.
Other coverages to consider are:
- Comprehensive – Protects you against “non-driving” related incidents, such as an act of vandalism. If someone were to cut your seats, comprehensive coverage would take care of the repairs.
- Collision – Provides protection against objects you collide with that ultimately leads to the seats being damaged.
- Uninsured Motorist – If someone without insurance hits you, you would be able to get your repairs taken care of.
When you file a claim, you also have to consider whether it’s going to be best to pay the deductible or not. Especially when you have smaller claims, the deductible might be more than the cost of repairs.
You have to wait to look at the cost of repairs before making a decision.
In the end, car seats are covered by car insurance, but only in certain situations. The car seats have to be damaged as a result of an accident, not because of wear and tear.
To make it easier to get repairs on damaged seats, it’s important to add coverage to a standard policy.
Start comparison shopping today to improve your auto insurance coverage! Enter your ZIP code below to compare rates!