Child car seat insurance

If you have young children, you will probably have the requisite car seat so they can travel safely on car journeys. But did you know that if you have a bump in your car, you should really replace all child car seats in case they’ve been damaged or weakened as a result of the impact? Don’t be left out of pocket if you do have to replace child seats. Read our guide to see if child car seat cover is for you.

What is car seat protection cover?

If you’re involved in an accident, having car seat cover can mean that you are partially or fully reimbursed for the money you spend on replacing any child car seats fixed to your car with new ones, whether the original seats had been damaged or not.

Why do I need child car seat insurance?

If you have children, having the right car seat for each of them could set you back a fair amount. But if you have to replace each one of them after an accident, the bill can soon stack up. Having child car seat insurance could save you money and still keep your children safe while travelling by helping towards the cost of replacement car seats.

Does my car insurance cover children’s car seats?

Don’t assume that your comprehensive car insurance policy will include cover for your children’s car seats. An insurer may well cover the replacement of car seats but it’s always worth checking in case this cover isn’t included. With some insurers, you may have the option of enhancing your standard car insurance policy by adding child car seat cover to your policy.

What is covered?

What is actually included with child car seat insurance will very much depend on the insurer offering the cover.

Some insurers may only cover one child car seat while other insurers may cover more than one. There may be other insurers that extend child car seat cover to other items relating to children such as pushchairs or other baby accessories.

When deciding on car insurance, consider the following:

If you have children, you’ll want to keep them safe, whether you’re at home, out and about or in the car. When buying car insurance, it’s worth considering whether the policy satisfies the following elements in relation to children’s car seats:

• Is child car seat cover automatically included in the car insurance policy as standard?
• Will the insurer offer you money or a replacement child car seat?
• Will the money offered by the insurer cover a replacement child car seat?
• Will the insurer offer money or a replacement for a child car seat that has no visible damage after an accident?
• Will the insurer cover only one child car seat or more than one? Up to how many car seats will the insurer cover in total?

Frequently asked questions

• Can children legally travel without a car seat?

  Under British law, children aged under 12 that are less than 135cm in height can only travel in a car using an appropriate child car seat or booster seat. It is the responsibility of the driver whether the child belongs to them or not. The driver must also check that the child’s head is not higher than the back of the seat. Ensure you have the correct car seat for any and all children travelling in your car at all times. Failing to do this could risk their safety and yours.

Written by

Helen Champion

Writer

Helen Champion was an associate editor at Finder. She has worked in communications for over 16 years and currently writes on a range of topics including insurance and money transfers in the hope of empowering people to make better financial decisions. During her broadcast career, she helped to produce hundreds of news and breaking news reports for Associated Press TV and ITV News. And in public relations, she managed several high-profile public relations campaigns for Macmillan Cancer Support, the General Medical Council and overseas for Qatar Foundation on behalf of BLJ Worldwide. Helen has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Lincoln, a passion for practising karate in the dojo and a deep love of making mischief with her sons. See full bio