Insurance - in the end we pay

[terryW]

Just had an x250 windscreen replaced through Caravan Guards preferred Company, Auto glass. The cost to Caravan Guard was a staggering £899.

 

At the same time the MH up the road had screen damage in the storm and none of the Nationals could replace it before the end of February as he needed to use it his insurance Co. agreed he could use a local firm who completed the work within 48 hours for under £200!

 

The difference in cost is staggering and it's us who pay though high premiums >:-( >:-( >:-(

[Shaun]

I had the same thing last year (again an X250 windscreen) and the insurance company couldn't have been less interested, yet it seemed to be quite a cost to them. A relatively small stone chip in the wrong area of the screen and it was close to a grand to replace. I thought the insurance company might have at least challenged what seemed to be automatic screen replacement rather than at least some attempt to repair, but they just went along with whatever the replacement screen people said.

 

Since then, I've had my insurance renewed, and there was no increase in the premium. At the time of the incident, we had a £100 excess, and when the stone chip from the lorry hit the screen, over in France, with an almighty crack, I said to the wife: "There's another £100 to add to the cost of the holiday."

 

Perhaps insurance companies are simply relieved to absorb any kind of claim which is less than a grand, hence their apparent apathy to replacing windscreens.

 

Shaun

[nowtelse2do]

£899 for a windscreen.

£581-£1200 for catalytic converter.

£1480-£2099 for 2 items (non mechanical)

£14000 for new Fiat x250 to the converters depending on how many they order.

No wonder they are cheap, making up on the spares and repairs side.

Dave

[nuevoboy]

That must have been a helluva storm up in Mid-Wales Terry.

I thought you'd just had rain.

What caused the actual damage to the screens?

[Brian Kirby]

terryW - 2011-02-09 10:05 AM Just had an x250 windscreen replaced through Caravan Guards preferred Company, Auto glass. The cost to Caravan Guard was a staggering £899. At the same time the MH up the road had screen damage in the storm and none of the Nationals could replace it before the end of February as he needed to use it his insurance Co. agreed he could use a local firm who completed the work within 48 hours for under £200! The difference in cost is staggering and it's us who pay though high premiums >:-( >:-( >:-(

Had to have ours done on insurance last year, chip on screen beginning to extend, and too close to edge to repair.  Cost me £75 excess.  Just phoned the same firm for a quote.  £435 if they come to me, and about £420 if I go to them, fitted.  Vehicle is 2007 Transit Mk 7 based, screen is green tinted, not heated, not top banded, with bonded rear view mirror mount.  At a rough guess the screen will be about £200, with the rest labour and profit. 

I'd guess the labour charge for yours would be about about the same, so your actual screen must have been charged at around £600-700!  That seems to me like a bit of a flanker.  I wonder of someone's mate got a free screen on the back of yours?  Why not phone Autoglass, get a quote on a non-insurance basis, and then, if you still have a concern, tell Caravan Guard (ask for Peter Wilby, the MD) what you have been told.  It may be they just agree a flat rate for all screens, it may be an innocent error somewhere, or it just may be fraud.