Windscreen claim

[Steved55]

Hi - please help an old man!
Had something hit the screen on my shuttle today just to the drivers side of centre - it's made a big bullseye about 20mm dia at moment with several cracks looking ready to propagate.
I'm pretty sure it will need replacing, what I am unclear on is the procedure for getting it repaired. I've had company cars for the last 40 years so this is the first time I've had to pay!
Do I go to the insurers first and log the claim, or get it done and then claim back?
I am fully comp with Adrian flux with 100 window excess - will this affect my no claims?
Thanks

 

[dandan88]

Normally you need to ring the windscreen company who your insurer uses, then arrange and book with them and they claim it back from your insurer. Firstly I would call your insurer and clarify that! But that’s normally the case

 

[PaulR83]

Adrian Flux use Auto Windscreens. Or they did with me. Called AF first and they then sorted it. Think I paid AW though.
Did a good job but didn't recalibrate any sensors. I removed the A pillar trims to avoid the dirty fingerprints

 

[Bav]

A windscreen claim won't affect your NCB - certainly not for the first such claim (if you had several in the same policy period, that might be a different matter). Usually, you'll only need to pay the excess for a replacement screen, not for a repair.

Be aware though, if you have a heated windscreen then your insurer is unlikely to replace on a like-for-like basis without you making a full-blown loss claim - more likely they'll only offer a bog-standard, unheated screen.

 

[huxwar]

Be aware though, if you have a heated windscreen then your insurer is unlikely to replace on a like-for-like basis without you making a full-blown loss claim - more likely they'll only offer a bog-standard, unheated screen.

Really???

 

[Bav]

Really???

Afraid so, but as with all things insurance, it will depend on the small print of your policy .

 

[PaulR83]

Not entirely true. AF and AW replaced mine with a pilko heated one with correct attachments. No effects to policy or increase

 

[Bav]

Not entirely true. AF and AW replaced mine with a pilko heated one with correct attachments. No effects to policy or increase

...if you have a heated windscreen then your insurer is unlikely to replace on a like-for-like basis...

...as with all things insurance, it will depend on the small print of your policy...

 

[Crazymind]

Pilko heated for me as well. Terrible quality, doesn’t heat up as the original and you can see the lines of the heated elements …

 

[Steved55]

Thanks guys

 

[Shaun Witts]

Claiming might not “officially” affect any NCB, but they still want you to declare it (in my experience) and it goes on the record so they know when you don’t. So who knows if it affects your renewal quote?

 

[Bav]

Claiming might not “officially” affect any NCB, but they still want you to declare it (in my experience) and it goes on the record so they know when you don’t. So who knows if it affects your renewal quote?

True, but then every vehicle-related loss event suffered by any insured person in the country will affect everyone's renewal premium. That's just the nature of insurance.

 

[T6Paul]

A windscreen claim won't affect your NCB - certainly not for the first such claim (if you had several in the same policy period, that might be a different matter). Usually, you'll only need to pay the excess for a replacement screen, not for a repair.

Be aware though, if you have a heated windscreen then your insurer is unlikely to replace on a like-for-like basis without you making a full-blown loss claim - more likely they'll only offer a bog-standard, unheated screen.

Who told you that?
They replaced mine like for like! With the heating.
That’s like saying if they replaced a bumper after a crash in a highline they’d only fit a start line unplained bumper?…

 

[BikerPa]

Mine also was replaced for NFU by Autoglass for an OEM VW heated one last year (I stipulated it to be OEM BTW), & my premium did not go up this year.

Yes it is in my insurance claim record but again my NCB was unaffected

 

[RobertO2023]

To be clear you are entitled to a genuine OEM replacement windscreen. Do not accept anything else. I have gone through this on a number of occasions and always had a genuine windscreen fitted. Any insurance company who does not allow genuine parts to be fitted are to be avoided. I cancelled my insurance with Adrian Flux - within the cooling off period- because they specify the use of AutoGlass who unless they have recently changed fit their own products.
Also bear in mind when you come to sell the vehicle a none genuine screen is often picked up by the car dealer.

 

[Bav]

Who told you that?
They replaced mine like for like! With the heating.
That’s like saying if they replaced a bumper after a crash in a highline they’d only fit a start line unplained bumper?…

To be clear you are entitled to a genuine OEM replacement windscreen. Do not accept anything else. I have gone through this on a number of occasions and always had a genuine windscreen fitted. Any insurance company who does not allow genuine parts to be fitted are to be avoided. I cancelled my insurance with Adrian Flux - within the cooling off period- because they specify the use of AutoGlass who unless they have recently changed fit their own products.
Also bear in mind when you come to sell the vehicle a none genuine screen is often picked up by the car dealer.

The "windscreen claim" clause in a policy is a dispensation, with which the insurer sets out the circumstances under which they will not impose their standard Ts&Cs - in effect, the insurer is saying "if you meet these criteria and accept these constraints, then we won't treat your windscreen claim as a standard loss claim and, therefore, that claim won't prejudice your NCB".

The insurer is entitled to set any lawful criteria or constraints they see fit - such as specifying a supplier of their choosing or specifying that replacements parts won't necessarily be EOM - so, under a dispensation, there is no automatic right to OEM replacement.

In my time, I've encountered many a policy that wouldn't replace a heated screens under the terms of their "windscreen claim" clause - you'd get unheated or you'd need to make a standard loss claim - and there were many that would replace with a non-OEM heated screen. As heated screens are more prevalent now, the market may have moved on in the years since I retired or perhaps specialist van/campervan insurers were always better in this regard, but citing a couple of instances where an insurer has replaced a heated screen with an OEM version doesn't invalidate my initial comment.

Ultimately, if you don't like a particular insurer's Ts&Cs, do as @RobertO2023 suggests and take your business elsewhere.

 

[BikerPa]

To add to this my screen has ADAS camera as well as the HBA/Autowiper sensor & both Autoglass & NFU at the time said it would have to be an OEM VW part as there weren't any 'pattern parts' available when mine was done. In fact it was replaced twice within 8wks.

Maybe std 'Pattern' heated ones are more available but although I asked for OEM there wouldn't have been another option.

I suppose you are at the behest of your insurer, tied fitting co. & parts availability

 

[ChrisBell]

Autoglass replaced my heated windscreen like for like.... Or Was it now reading this thread! Was a two person job due to weight and size... No issues with it, can see out and heater came in handy to defrost on these cold mornings. Day of collection from converter some tw*t had taken a dislike and dropped something on window! Thankfully converters insurance covered!

 

[Bav]

Recently had my windscreen damaged - a sizeable double-chip caused by a stone flicked-up by a passing wagon.

Windscreen company confirmed what I'd suspected - can't be repaired (chip too big, plus it's a double-impact). When I asked about replacing with an OEM screen, they called my broker (Comfort Insurance) who said they'd only authorise an OEM screen if I paid £640!!! I left, saying I'd speak to the broker myself.

The call-centre agent kept to her script, constantly repeating "this is our policy - we don't authorise OEM replacements", but when I eventually got passed through to a manager, I got a very different response. He accepted my point that the van was only 11 months old, so I'd lose the remaining 25 months VW warranty for all the screen-related function (heating, rain sensors, etc.) and said "it's not our policy to put out policyholders in a worse position - leave it with me and I'll speak with the underwriter".

He took a few days to get back to me, but today I've had confirmation that an OEM screen has been authorised - I just need to pay the standard windscreen excess (£75).

Only issue now is that VW screens are on back-order with a lead time of "at least 10 working days". Hey-ho.

 

[roadtripper]

The warranty aspect is an interesting point. I wonder if the arguement would have been equally successful if your van was a bit older but with the All In style warranty...

One to keep in mind having just had a very close call on a 2 and but year old one.