Pluto Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 We had been away for a couple of weeks and our campervan a Ford Transit Auto sleeper Duetto was left on the road outside our home. On return I found that the windscreen was cracked from the offside windscreen wiper stub to about half way across the screen. I have no idea how this happened. I have been insured with Safeguard for many years and it includes AA breakdown and windscreen cover with £100 excess. Safeguard supply a card with an 0800 number to contact the AA in case of breakdown. I called this number and it was nearly 30 minutes before it was answered. When it was answered I was passed from pillar to post. I was told that because it was a specialist vehicle it could take 3 days to source a windscreen! At one point I was put through to Autoglass who said that they do not do windsreens for Safeguard. Eventually Autowindscreens came out 2 days later and replaced the screen. The fitter was very efficient. I have written a letter of complaint to Safeguard and they have not replied. I am horrified to think that I could be broken down on a busy motorway and have to wait half an hour for the phone to be answered. I have written a letter of complaint to Safeguard and they have not replied. I doubt if I will renew my policy with them, any recommendations for motorhome insurance would be gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 3 hours ago, Pluto said: I am horrified to think that I could be broken down on a busy motorway and have to wait half an hour for the phone to be answered. You do not phone your insurer if broken down on a motorway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiff2110 Posted November 8, 2022 Share Posted November 8, 2022 This year I used the camping and caravan club insurance with my renewal quote beaten by £25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpyman Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Caravan Guard is one of the best and very competitvive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pluto Posted November 12, 2022 Author Share Posted November 12, 2022 Many thanks to wiff2110 & Grumpyman, I shall be getting quotes before renewal. I have, since my last posting, had a letter from Swinton Insurance saying that they are investigating my complaint ! Shows that going public makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pluto Posted December 7, 2022 Author Share Posted December 7, 2022 I have received a reply from Swinton Insurance saying that they have been unable to find any calls relating to my complaint or evidence that I was directed to Autoglass in error and therefore are unable to uphold my complaint and that I have the right to make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. No explanation as to why it took almost 30 minutes for the AA to answer the phone. Not a good responce from Swinton Insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 1 hour ago, Pluto said: I have received a reply from Swinton Insurance saying that they have been unable to find any calls relating to my complaint or evidence that I was directed to Autoglass in error and therefore are unable to uphold my complaint and that I have the right to make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. No explanation as to why it took almost 30 minutes for the AA to answer the phone. Not a good responce from Swinton Insurance. I don't know why you were told "because it was a specialist vehicle it could take 3 days to source a windscreen!" It's a standard Ford Transit screen. Autosleepers simply carry out the internal conversion. I've had two screens replaced on vehicles, both fitted by Autoglass and each time I simply drove to the centre, they took detail of my insurance policy, fitted the screen and charged me the excess. They claim the balance from the insurance company. It was all done and sorted in half an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 On 12/7/2022 at 12:46 PM, Pluto said: I have received a reply from Swinton Insurance saying that they have been unable to find any calls relating to my complaint or evidence that I was directed to Autoglass in error and therefore are unable to uphold my complaint and that I have the right to make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. No explanation as to why it took almost 30 minutes for the AA to answer the phone. Not a good responce from Swinton Insurance. Could you clarify whether your insurer was Safeguard (as your OP of 8/11), or Swinton (who appear not to offer motorhome specific insurance), with whom you seem subsequently (your post of 12 November) to have communicated? Also, I'm a little confused as to why you contacted the AA regarding a cracked windscreen (which is not a breakdown), rather than your insurer. AA breakdown, according to their website, does not deal with windscreen repair/replacement, although AA insurance, (which is a different service) does. Normally, glass breakage insurance is provided by the insurer (be that Swinton or Safeguard - both say their policies include this). Your policy booklet should advise how to claim for glass repair/replacement. The policy booklet should also state whether to contact the insurer, or to go direct to their designated repairer. Which course you should adopt, and how, should also be clear from the claims section of your policy booklet. Who does your policy booklet actually tell you to contact in the event of event of glass breakage? At present, you appear to be publicly complaining about two insurance companies, of which it seems your van can only have been insured with one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Swinton Insurance and Safeguard Insurance are both trading names of Atlanta Insurance Intermediaries Ltd. As shown here, Swinton, Safeguard (and others) are members of the Atlanta Group https://www.atlantagroup.co.uk/about-us/our-company Atlanta Insurance Intermediaries Ltd was formerly known as Swinton Insurance Brokers Ltd. Consequently, although (as you've said) Swinton may not offer motorhome-specific insurance, complaints made to Safeguard may well be processed by Swinton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pluto Posted December 10, 2022 Author Share Posted December 10, 2022 Derek has answered the query as to Safeguard & Swinton. I contacted the AA because Safeguard supply a yellow card with an 0800 number in case of breakdown which I keep in my wallet. My policy booklet gives a 0333 number for glass repair which in hindsight I should have used. However I do not carry the policy booklet in the van and I doubt that many do. Despite all this the reason for my original posting was to highlight the fact that it took the AA nearly 30 minutes to answer the phone, a fact that Swinton has not addressed at all ! I shall now put the policy booklet in the van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 26 minutes ago, Pluto said: Derek has answered the query as to Safeguard & Swinton. I contacted the AA because Safeguard supply a yellow card with an 0800 number in case of breakdown which I keep in my wallet. My policy booklet gives a 0333 number for glass repair which in hindsight I should have used. However I do not carry the policy booklet in the van and I doubt that many do. Despite all this the reason for my original posting was to highlight the fact that it took the AA nearly 30 minutes to answer the phone, a fact that Swinton has not addressed at all ! I shall now put the policy booklet in the van. Thanks. Yes, I was aware that Safeguard and Swinton are parts of the same group, though I have no idea whether they sell identical policies, or whether their call centres etc. are co-located so that phoning the one is the same as phoning the other. So I was just curious as to which of the two your van is insured with. ayes, I do carry the policy booklet when we go away, so as to be able to check contact numbers etc. should the need arise. For simplicity, I also have the various contact numbers on my 'phone. As to the windscreen, although your initial experience with the AA was clearly frustrating, I think you may well have received a more constructive response had you phoned the glass repair number. After all, a cracked windscreen is not really a breakdown, and you were at home at the time. As it seems your insurance is with Safeguard, you may get a more constructive response to your complaint if you deal only with the Safeguard side of the organisation. I assume their name is on the policy, so your contract is with them. However, from various reports on breakdown service response times, it seems waits of 30 minutes are not considered exceptional, especially if one calls at a time, or in weather conditions, when many others were also having trouble. Have you taken up the delay with the AA directly, to see what their explanation is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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