USAA Car Seat Replacement Policy (Coverage, Claims, Cost + More)

Do you know what USAA car seat replacement policy is or will my car insurance pay to replace a car seat? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

When it comes to auto insurance, many are not even sure of how much comes with it, what can be claimed, and what cannot. Car seats are one of those things that can be claimed on most insurance policies, even if the damage to the car seat is nearly negligible.

In most cases, USAA will replace your car seat as a part of your overall claim, and the odds that they will replace it increase if certain parameters are met. USAA comprehensive coverage, which is an additional coverage option under full coverage, is part of your insurance plan with USAA that will cover car seats.

Of course, as is true with nearly everything, USAA does have a few stipulations that you need to be aware of when it comes to getting your car seat replaced under the USAA comprehensive coverage portion of your full coverage auto insurance.

Table of Contents

What Parameters Need to be Met for a Car Seat Replacement with USAA?

One of the most important things that you need to know, if you want to file a claim that includes the replacement of your car seat, is that there are a few caveats that any insurance company will exploit if you are unaware.

If the accident was minor and the impact was not in proximity to the car seat
USAA will not cover a car seat if it is proven that it was used incorrectly
Car Seats are a part of comprehensive coverage, not full coverage alone
They won’t send you more than the market value of the car seat, brand new
The cause of the accident matters as well

Will USAA Replace Your Car Seat for a Fender Bender?

In general, USAA would not replace your child’s car seat in the event of a fender bender, unless you could prove that the nature of the fender bender damaged the car seat in some way.

In the event of a minor accident, there usually has to be visible or otherwise provable damage to the car seat or the crash impact has to be very near to where the car seat is strapped in, such as an impact in the passenger, rear door, directly adjacent to the car seat.

Will an Incorrectly Used Car Seat be Replaced by USAA?

USAA will not replace the car seat if it is obvious or provable that the car seat was not used by state law or in the way that the manufacturer indicates that it should be used.

If your child is too old to have a car seat installed with the backside facing forward, that kind of thing might be enough for USAA to refuse to cover the cost of replacement.

Full Coverage Alone Will Not Cover a Car Seat

It’s easy to mistake full coverage auto insurance for just that, “full” coverage car insurance. However, full coverage is anything but full.

Car seats usually fall under comprehensive or collision coverage options that don’t necessarily come with full coverage auto insurance.

Nothing is automatic with car insurance, and no one would blame you for not knowing all of the fine print.

A lot of that fine print exists precisely because insurance companies assume that most people will probably not read through all of it to understand the whole of their coverage.

Will USAA Pay More for a Car Seat Replacement Than What it’s Worth?

That’s not likely, although there are probably instances out there where it has. If the car seat costs you $150, then the amount that USAA will give you is probably going to be $150.

There would have to be some interesting circumstances for USAA to pay out more than the value of your car seat. The best thing that you can do, keeps the receipts for everything that you put in your car but most especially, receipts for the car seat.

If you don’t have the receipt, you can always pull up an order number, like something from Amazon if the car seat was ordered through them.

If nothing else, look up the market value for the car seat and print it up before you file your claim.

Does the Cause of the Accident Matter?

The cause of the accident definitely matters. If you were driving drunk or were found to be seriously or even moderately negligent, such as traveling at a high rate of speed in a school zone, USAA may not cover the charges for a car seat replacement.

If another person caused the collision, their liability or full coverage insurance is who you would file your claim to. If they have no insurance, then you would have to file a claim through your own USAA coverage.

If the other driver is at fault and the collision takes place on the driver’s side, or front fender, USAA may not replace the car seat, especially if it was entirely undamaged and located well away from the point of impact.

Filing a Claim with USAA

Filing a claim with USAA is relatively easy. All you need to do is contact USAA and speak with a live agent.

They will take all of your information down and it’s likely if you want to have your car seat replaced, that they will send an agent to inspect the damage before the claim can be processed and approved.

If you have checked all of the boxes, documented the damage, and have receipts or a provable market value on the car seat, then there is no reason that USAA shouldn’t cover the cost of the car seat, along with everything else, assuming that you pay your deductible.

Outside of that, almost everything will be taken care of over the phone. When it comes to car seats, however, don’t be surprised if an insurance agent shows up to inspect the damage.

All Things Considered

USAA will cover the cost of replacement for a child’s car seat, so long as the above-listed parameters are met, the accident is not your fault, and there is provable damage or a close proximity impact.

References

https://www.carinsurance101.com/will-my-car-insurance-pay-to-replace-a-car-seat/