Dealer installed lumbar support

You're talking about auto insurance there. I can understand how an auto insurance company, or the manufacturer (in a wrongful death suit) would argue that the victim should be assigned some/all of the responsibility for the injury, and thus the payout should be reduced or eliminated. But when you're in an accident, who typically pays out for medical claims? If you have health insurance, is it primary, and the medical coverage from your auto insurace secondary? I've never been in an accident so I have no direct experience. If your health insurance is paying out the majority of the claim, do they investigate the wreckage for modifications? If they did, it would seem that the only motivation is for them to save money by denying the claim; otherwise what is the difference between a disabled air bag and not having one in the first place? My health insurance didn't give me a discount because all my cars have front/side/side-curtain air bags.

 

The primary issue for me is I do not want to compromise my wife and I's safety by disconnecting or modifing the air bag system as to cause us more harm if we are t-boned at an intersection. I want all the air bag protection I can get. It could be the difference between sustaining a major injury or a minor injury. The insurance coverage is secondary.

 

You still have the curtain bags, I dont believe that side bags are manditory saftey equipment...like say seat belts, they are still optional for the manufacturer to install...that said, you may be better off with them but I dont see how you could get in trouble for disabling them unless someone who could sue you was injured in an accident. Example: if you loaned you car to someone and they got t-boned, no airbag deployment, then they die...

I have found some quality aftermarket lumbar supports/heated seat stuff. I am a mechanic, have changed out factory GM stuff on cadillac. These look equivalent in quality to oem stuff, heres a link
Peak Deluxe Carbon Fiber Dual Temp Waterproof Universal Seat Heater Kit

 

I'm pretty sure that in an accident situation, auto insurance is primary. The discount people talk about is for the auto insurance, not for personal or group health insurance.