Car insurer won't replace car seats

[lovelymama]

I managed to smash up the back of my car today as it rolled off the drive in to a stationary lorry. Back end completely wrecked, insurers have taken it to the garage to be sorted out. My buggy was in the boot and the kids car seats have got a bit of glass on from the broken back window. I asked the car insurance company to replace the car seats due to small glass pieces and as a result of the impact of the crash. They are saying that the car seats count as personal effects and there is a limit of 100 quid for personal effects. I can understand the buggy coming under this category but not the car seats.

Maybe I'm expecting too much but does anyone know if I've got a leg to stand on?

Hmmm I wouldn't have thought they were personal effects since you legally have to have them in order to safely carry your children. They would have needed to be replaced anyway I would have expected.

Weren't personal effects even.

I have to say all the car insurance policies we've had have specifically stated that car seats would be replaces no matter how minor the crash.

Which company is your policy with?

I am with Chaucer. It doesn't mention car seats at all in the policy. I think I've just chosen a crap insurance company

Try your household insurance to see if they are covered under the all risks section.

Hi, I might be too late but I worked for an insurance company (not your one) and we would not classify car seats as a personal effect, but rather as a vehicle accessory (like a built in stereo or catalytic converter is). As it's a legal requirement to have a car seat to carry DCs in it should be an accessory. I would go back to your insurance company and say you want to put in a complaint, if their final decision is still no, say you will take it to the Financial Ombudsmen Service. Worth a shot.

This might help although again I suspect I'm too late - I used a similar letter when a garage (who had helpfully crashed my car during an MOT [bshock]) tried to say they wouldn't replace the seat. I sent the letter to both the garage and their insurers and got a cheque for the nearest equivalent seat (Britax one, bought for age 5-12 or whatever and they'd changed models).