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Car Seat Replacement Reimbursement Letter

By Serdar Arslan, editor · Last reviewed · How we research

Use this letter to ask an insurer to pay for a child car seat, booster or seat base that was in your car during a crash. Send it to the other driver's insurer if they caused the crash (as part of your property damage claim), or to your own insurer if you are claiming under your collision coverage.

The letter explains why the seat has to be replaced. NHTSA recommends replacing a seat after any moderate or severe crash, and treats a crash as minor only if the car could be driven away, the door nearest the seat was undamaged, nobody was injured, no air bags deployed and the seat shows no visible damage. Many manufacturers go further and say to replace after any crash. Say which NHTSA condition the crash failed, if any, and quote the line from your seat's manual or the manufacturer's website. Our car seat replacement guide, linked below, lists the manufacturer policies we checked.

Attach photos of the seat and its labels (model, serial number, date of manufacture), the manual page or manufacturer statement, and either the receipt for the replacement or a current price for the same model. Ask the adjuster before you throw the old seat away, in case they want to see it.

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[Your full name]
[Your mailing address]
[Your phone number]
[Your email address]

[Date of this letter]

[Adjuster name]
[Insurance company name]
[Insurance company address]

Re: Child car seat replacement
Claim number: [Claim number]
Policyholder: [Policyholder (the other driver, or you if this is your own insurer)]
Date of accident: [Date of the accident]
Vehicle: [Your vehicle (year, make, model)]

Dear [Adjuster name]:

I am asking for reimbursement for the child car seat that was in my vehicle at the time of the accident. Please add it to the property damage claim as a separate item.

Seat(s): [Seat(s): brand, model, serial number, date of manufacture, where installed]

Why the seat must be replaced:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends replacing a car seat after a moderate or severe crash. It treats a crash as minor only if all of these are true: the vehicle could be driven away, the door nearest the seat was not damaged, no occupant was injured, no air bags deployed, and the seat has no visible damage. In this accident: [Why the crash was not minor under NHTSA's test (or write that the manufacturer requires replacement after any crash)]

The manufacturer's instruction: [Manufacturer's instruction (quote the manual or web page)]

A used seat is not a safe substitute, because its crash history cannot be known. I am therefore claiming the cost of a new seat of the same model or the closest current equivalent.

  Replacement cost claimed:   [Replacement cost claimed (price plus sales tax)]
  Basis:                      [How you got that amount]

Please pay this amount or explain in writing why any part is denied, including any depreciation you intend to apply and the basis for it. If you need to inspect the old seat before it is disposed of, please tell me in writing. I ask for your response by [Requested response date].

This letter concerns the car seat only. It does not settle, release or waive any other part of my claim, including vehicle damage, loss of use or any injury claim.

Enclosures: [Enclosures]

Sincerely,


[Your full name]

Tips

  • Photograph the seat while it is still installed, then photograph every label before you remove or dispose of it.
  • Check the manual for your exact model. Some brands follow NHTSA's minor-crash test and some say to replace after any crash, and the manual is the instruction that applies to your seat.
  • If the insurer asks for proof from the manufacturer, call the manufacturer's customer service and ask for its crash replacement policy in writing.
  • Claim every seat, booster and base that was in the car, even ones that were empty at the time of the crash.
  • If you claim under your own collision coverage, ask whether the deductible applies to the seat separately or only once to the whole vehicle claim.
  • Do not sign a property damage release that also mentions bodily injury unless the injury claims for everyone in the car, including your child, are finished.

Sources

  1. NHTSA: Car seat use after a crash

Sending it and keeping proof

Keep a copy of everything you send. If a deadline or a response time matters, send letters by a method that gives you proof of delivery, such as certified mail with a return receipt, or email with a read receipt, and note the date in your claim file. Many insurers and agencies also accept uploads through an online portal, so save the confirmation screen or email.

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