Do you have any information regarding child safety restraint seats (car seats) and whether they are considered equipment of "your covered auto"? I am interested, as some argue that car seats are equipment (undefined term in personal auto policy) of "your covered auto" and should be covered by the personal auto policy when "your covered auto" is involved in a collision and the car seat is inside.
Kentucky Subscriber
When a term is not defined in a policy, courts turn to a standard desk reference since that is what is accessible to most insureds. Merriam-Webster online defines equipment as:
a: the set of articles or physical resources serving to equip a person or thing: such as (1): the implements used in an operation or activity : APPARATUS
The purpose of a car seat is to allow the parents to transport a child safely in the vehicle. While some may be able to be removed and used in a stroller, the seat's primary function is to protect the child while being transported in a vehicle. Therefore, it is vehicle equipment and should be covered under the auto policy.
The homeowners policy excludes equipment and parts used with motor vehicles, and only allows a small sum for tapes, records, disks or other media that are used with electronic equipment while in or upon a motor vehicle.