[Finance] Car Ins - windscreen replacement & NCB

[MJsGhost]

A question for the car insurance experts please... (I know there are a few on here)

I have a crack spreading down my windscreen (right into driver's eye-line) after a lorry threw up a stone the other day.

I have a £95 excess for a replacement windscreen on my policy (with Flow which has just become part of Allianz) and my main question is whether a claim will affect next year's renewal amount.
I am reluctant to contact Allianz for clarification in case it will up the renewal quote before I even do anything (policy expires in 1 month). That said, I am unlikely to renew as the quote is currently nearly 50% higher (£600-odd to £900) than last year and I have found alternatives for about £675 already.

Relevant policy wording:
You’re covered for damage to the windscreen or window glass including sun-roofs, ADAS recalibration costs and any resultant scratching of the
bodywork.
We may use a suitable replacement not supplied by the original manufacturer but it will be of a similar quality. Your premium may increase following a claim, but as long as there’s no other loss or damage – your NCD won’t be affected.
You’ll need to pay an excess if the windscreen or window glass is replaced or repaired – your personal details show how much you’ll need to pay and also
the additional excess if you choose a non-recommended repairer to complete the replacement – including recalibrations on cars fitted with ADAS.

Am I being dumb by not really getting the bit around NCD but premium maybe increasing anyway because of a claim?

Should I claim on current insurance, or wait until I've got next year's paid for (genuinely without a claim) and then claim on the new insurance (at least delaying a higher premium)?

Lastly, should I go with Autoglass that says they will handle the whole insurance side for me...?

My usual tactic would be to not claim as I generally think the increase in premiums wipes out the saving made by a claim, but in this instance paying the £95 excess and claiming seems a lot better than the c £1000 for a new windscreen (newish A6 Avant).

Thanks in advance NSC's hive mind!

 

[dazzer6666]

A question for the car insurance experts please... (I know there are a few on here)

I have a crack spreading down my windscreen (right into driver's eye-line) after a lorry threw up a stone the other day.

I have a £95 excess for a replacement windscreen on my policy (with Flow which has just become part of Allianz) and my main question is whether a claim will affect next year's renewal amount.
I am reluctant to contact Allianz for clarification in case it will up the renewal quote before I even do anything (policy expires in 1 month). That said, I am unlikely to renew as the quote is currently nearly 50% higher (£600-odd to £900) than last year and I have found alternatives for about £675 already.

Relevant policy wording:
You’re covered for damage to the windscreen or window glass including sun-roofs, ADAS recalibration costs and any resultant scratching of the
bodywork.
We may use a suitable replacement not supplied by the original manufacturer but it will be of a similar quality. Your premium may increase following a claim, but as long as there’s no other loss or damage – your NCD won’t be affected.
You’ll need to pay an excess if the windscreen or window glass is replaced or repaired – your personal details show how much you’ll need to pay and also
the additional excess if you choose a non-recommended repairer to complete the replacement – including recalibrations on cars fitted with ADAS.

Am I being dumb by not really getting the bit around NCD but premium maybe increasing anyway because of a claim?

Should I claim on current insurance, or wait until I've got next year's paid for (genuinely without a claim) and then claim on the new insurance (at least delaying a higher premium)?

Lastly, should I go with Autoglass that says they will handle the whole insurance side for me...?

My usual tactic would be to not claim as I generally think the increase in premiums wipes out the saving made by a claim, but in this instance paying the £95 excess and claiming seems a lot better than the c £1000 for a new windscreen (newish A6 Avant).

Thanks in advance NSC's hive mind!

Motor insurance is rocketing anyway so you probably won’t specifically notice any small increase directly as a result of the windscreen claim (and if there is one it wouldn’t be obvious anyway). Usually your insurance company will have their preferred repair places so you should arrange it through them. I had mine done last year (X3 so probably similar cost to yours) and they (National Windscreens in Hove) messed up the sensor for the automatic wipers.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Your NCD is not affected.

Your premium will rocket at renewal anyway like everyone else's so I wouldn't worry about that.

Fix it before it cracks completely and shatters, and you are killed in the resulting crash.

 

[MJsGhost]

Your NCD is not affected.

Your premium will rocket at renewal anyway like everyone else's so I wouldn't worry about that.

Fix it before it cracks completely and shatters, and you are killed in the resulting crash.

This is what the missus said

Thank you

 

[Weststander]

Go ahead and claim.

They're referring to potentially future loading the premium if you're perceived a higher risk. This isn't directly connected to NCD or protected NCD. For example, someone may have made a series of no fault claims, indicating a higher risk in general.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Make sure you shop around at renewal obviously

Admiral
- last year £440
- opening renewal £790(18 years NCB)
- said I’m leaving, ok £700

Obtained like for like cover with Esure Flex £480

 

[Easy 10]

Fix it before it cracks completely and shatters, and you are killed in the resulting crash.

Thats a bit of a myth apparently. A few years back I had a windscreen repair guy come round to replace my windscreen after a crack was slowly making its way across. I mentioned to him that I was worried driving home that the whole thing was going to shatter - but he said short of someone taking a hammer to it, a windscreen will not shatter just because of a crack in it.

He seemed quite convincing.

 

[Flounce]

Thats a bit of a myth apparently. A few years back I had a windscreen repair guy come round to replace my windscreen after a crack was slowly making its way across. I mentioned to him that I was worried driving home that the whole thing was going to shatter - but he said short of someone taking a hammer to it, a windscreen will not shatter just because of a crack in it.

He seemed quite convincing.

I think they are laminated so he was right

 

[dazzer6666]

Make sure you shop around at renewal obviously

Admiral
- last year £440
- opening renewal £790(18 years NCB)
- said I’m leaving, ok £700

Obtained like for like cover with Esure Flex £480

Oddly my renewal quote, although up nearly 30% on last year, was £200 less than I could get insurance anywhere else

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Thats a bit of a myth apparently. A few years back I had a windscreen repair guy come round to replace my windscreen after a crack was slowly making its way across. I mentioned to him that I was worried driving home that the whole thing was going to shatter - but he said short of someone taking a hammer to it, a windscreen will not shatter just because of a crack in it.

He seemed quite convincing.

Possibly but I wouldn't fancy the experiment regardless/

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Oddly my renewal quote, although up nearly 30% on last year, was £200 less than I could get insurance anywhere else

Very odd, on the price comparison site I used, there was at least 7 (5 I would say household names) that would do it cheaper than the renewal

Maybe Admiral want to shrink the customer book for a time until prices of parts return to normal?

 

[dazzer6666]

Very odd, on the price comparison site I used, there was at least 7 (5 I would say household names) that would do it cheaper than the renewal

Maybe Admiral want to shrink the customer book for a time until prices of parts return to normal?

It’s the first time I can remember….almost always end up changing companies every year

 

[Affy]

You are obligated to let the insurers know of any incident or potential incident whether claiming or not (it’ll be in the policy wording). That said, I know as an insurance broker that it doesn’t happen. Windscreen claims don’t affect NCD but any cost to the insurer will see an increase in premium. £95 isn’t going to hike it but, as others have said, the market is outrageous, especially for motor.
Also consider MOT as any crack in the drivers eye sight is a failure.

 

[drew]

You will be in breach of policy conditions if you try to claim for damage from the new insurer that occurred prior to them coming on risk. If you claim and they find out they will likely cancel the policy and that is something you will have to declare when ever you take out any insurance, not just motor.

Also, if the crack is 10mm or more and in the drivers eyeline, (ie the sweep of the right hand wiper as a guide) then that's illegal and will fail an MOT.

If I was you I'd be claiming under the current policy then seek alternatives but declare the claim. You are still likely to get cheaper quotes using comparison websites but try Aviva and Red Line separately as they don't usually come up on comparison sites.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Thats a bit of a myth apparently. A few years back I had a windscreen repair guy come round to replace my windscreen after a crack was slowly making its way across. I mentioned to him that I was worried driving home that the whole thing was going to shatter - but he said short of someone taking a hammer to it, a windscreen will not shatter just because of a crack in it.

He seemed quite convincing.

Correct, they don't shatter in to pieces but the whole screen goes crazy-paving effectively meaning you can't see anything out the front. Bit like closing your eyes. If it happens at 40+ MPH you could crash into anything while standing on the brake pedal.

Happened to me and it ain't funny.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

On renewals, Martin Lewis talks about an optimum sweetspot of 21 days prior to expiry to obtain a new quote.

Apparently, insurance companies look favourably upon folk who seek quotes at this 3 week window ...

 

[MJsGhost]

On renewals, Martin Lewis talks about an optimum sweetspot of 21 days prior to expiry to obtain a new quote.

Apparently, insurance companies look favourably upon folk who seek quotes at this 3 week window ...

That's interesting, thanks.

The current policy expires on the 24th of April so I'll start this claim by contacting Flow/Allianz in the morning and run the comparison site searches again in a week's time.
The cheapest quotes today were from a company called Marshmallow, which is a new one in me (though I'd never heard of Flow until a year ago)

Thanks all. The NSC hive mind comes up trumps again.

 

[Affy]

I would always suggest not going with the cheapest quote personally. Always go for a company you recognise.
Premiums are reduced by excluding cover/applying endorsements, conditions and exclusions in the policy wording.
check your quote carefully and make sure that the ultimate insurer is based in the UK and not Gibraltar or Malta.
I personally pay a bit more to stay with Aviva - I’ve been with them for donkeys years (bar a couple where I jumped to save money). I’ve had a few claims over the years and their claims handling service is excellent which is really what you need if you’d had an accident.
If you’d like me to have a look at any quote I’d be happy to.

 

[drew]

I would always suggest not going with the cheapest quote personally. Always go for a company you recognise.
Premiums are reduced by excluding cover/applying endorsements, conditions and exclusions in the policy wording.
check your quote carefully and make sure that the ultimate insurer is based in the UK and not Gibraltar or Malta.
I personally pay a bit more to stay with Aviva - I’ve been with them for donkeys years (bar a couple where I jumped to save money). I’ve had a few claims over the years and their claims handling service is excellent which is really what you need if you’d had an accident.
If you’d like me to have a look at any quote I’d be happy to.

A lot of these new names are just marketing and when you check the actual underwriter it is a well know name. I assume that each year you check on comparison websites even if you are staying with Aviva?

 

[dazzer6666]

I would always suggest not going with the cheapest quote personally. Always go for a company you recognise.
Premiums are reduced by excluding cover/applying endorsements, conditions and exclusions in the policy wording.
check your quote carefully and make sure that the ultimate insurer is based in the UK and not Gibraltar or Malta.
I personally pay a bit more to stay with Aviva - I’ve been with them for donkeys years (bar a couple where I jumped to save money). I’ve had a few claims over the years and their claims handling service is excellent which is really what you need if you’d had an accident.
If you’d like me to have a look at any quote I’d be happy to.

Wouldn’t worry too much about where they are based as long as FCA regulated, but would check review sites for claims experience in particular. Bigger UK firms don’t always fare that well.