# A-class windscreen insurance & stone guard



## wfdTamar (Dec 24, 2018)

Wondered if you can buy insurance that is third party, fire & theft - and windscreen cover. Or just windscreen cover by itself. This is rather than full comprehensive.

Also can you get stone guards for screens? Here in Australia you sometimes see motorhomes with a mesh stone guard on the lower part of the screen (below the drivers line of sight). Probably a custom build job I would think.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Can't help ref the insurance question.

I've had a couple of A class screens replaced and on both occasions the damage was about half way up the screen on the drivers side, don't think the type of guard you suggest would have made much difference

.


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

Many years ago I saved £25 by going TPF instead of Comp.

When my windscreen broke (Renault Trafic) I had to pay £125 for replacement, so not much of a "saving"!

My Aclass screen was replaced 2y ago: £2997.95.

How many years worth of "saving" would I need for TPF to be worthwhile?

Gordon

PS For 2h I was insured via AdrianFlux before discovering that ALL of their policies have a max limit of £1500 for windscreens.

Caveat Emptor


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## wfdTamar (Dec 24, 2018)

That’s exactly why I asked if you can either add windscreen cover to any TPF policy, or get it separately. 

Usually in Australia (for cars at least) you have to get the much more expensive comprehensive to get windscreen cover, but I did find one TPF that covers windscreens for a small additional amount.

and yes of course a partial guard is not going to protect the whole screen but would cover some. They do look pretty ugly and I’m not sure how much they’d cut fuel economy. Maybe comprehensive insurance is not that much more than TPF?


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

You can add a product called Clearplex which sounds ideal until they tell you it will only last 2 or 3 years and it costs 500 quid to put on the windscreen, er no thanks.


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## wfdTamar (Dec 24, 2018)

Might last longer if the vehicle is out of weather (garaged) when not used, but yes expensive. I’ve heard of stuff like that for lights and over painted areas to prevent stone chips. Sounds like cheaper windscreen (not A-class, or insurance is the only option).


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We were insured

Windscreen replaced and the high pitched whistling began 

We blamed the door had that replaced to no avail

Now we have waterproof tape surrouding the window 

That works to prevent the high pitched scream as the wind hits the windscreen 

Wished we had known sooner and could have taken it back to be refitted 

Sandra


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## wfdTamar (Dec 24, 2018)

Reading other threads about this often cheaper brand screens are insurance replacements and they don't fit so well, or some screens need to have new rubber with a new screen. If the fitter reuses the rubber this can happen. Saw another person mention loads of cost cutting and numerous attempts in the UK, then went to Germany where they did a great job (don't shoot the messenger) - proper screen and cheaper.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not sure about in the EU generally but the difference twixt TPFT & fully comp is minimal for a reason, and not worth taking the cheaper option.


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## wfdTamar (Dec 24, 2018)

Maybe because they're not often damaged? More likely stolen or accidentally burnt perhaps?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It applies to all vehicles in the UK, they prefer to sell you the full monty for a few extra shillings, and it also makes a more level playing field to apply knock for knock.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

What I omitted to tell you in my answer to your PM Bill is the German TÜV is every 2 years. I have no idea if the standards are any better than the UK MOT.
Not ever having exported anything to the UK I can't help there either.
Bit of a useless article really.😥


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## phatsounds66 (Sep 1, 2020)

*Help!!! Windscreen insurance..*

Hi all...
After purchasing my insurance for my A class pilote galaxy 24s I made sure that my windscreen cover was unlimited.
I got a crack on the screen only to be informed Autoglass was told by my insurance that it would only cover up to £600!!!
I called my broker only to be informed that this was correct...Highway only covers up to £600.
I specifically asked for glass cover at the time of taking out the insurance..to be assured it was unlimited..I also have it in black and white on my schedule.
It has been escalated with my broker checking recordings of my conversation with the broker back in February.
How do you view this?


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## wfdTamar (Dec 24, 2018)

That's hard. When I got my insurance last year (a cool £1050) it had numerous contradictions about conditions and the amount of excess. The following year was going to be £1090 and a few changes including no cover for the cooking or transport of food - in a motorhome! The screen cover was capped at something like £500. I'm still waiting for them to collect the money from a third party company that admitted liability and agreed to pay for an accident in May 2019 (near £5000)!

I found it incredible the number of companies involved in the industry there (not sure if it's the same here). Broker, insurer, claims company, assessor. It seems every step of the process has a different company, all very slow and buck passing. In the end, after they had given up, it was me that got the third party to agree to pay the full amount (rather than the half they initially offered).

Luckily I found another company that was cheaper and no limit on the screen.

Your problem is you're relying on the brokers being honest (if you did get them to say it was unlimited) and admitting to and honouring it instead of saying 'regardless of what was said, it's what you signed up to in writing that counts'. Maybe it comes down to the consumer law in the UK?

This is one advantage of doing it all via email rather than phone, though emails can be altered so I'm not sure what standing that would have.


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## Gretchibald (Jul 22, 2011)

Can't help with any legal advice but maybe give a vote for using a reputable insurer. When our A Class windscreen got cracked in France a few years ago I was a bit panic stricken as I had previously read how difficult these windscreens were to source and also to fit . I phoned the insurers, ,Saga , they just put me through to their windscreen repairers. They asked me to measure the windscreen and give any code numbers on it , again I wasn't inspired with confidence. About an hour later they said they had sourced a windscreen and made arrangements to send a van with two fitters to meet me in France . They arrived , very professional, in about half an hour they had the old one out and the new one in , just some tidying up to do.. Told me they would be charging Saga about £6500 , cost to me £75 excess. So even though I can get insurance cheaper elsewhere , I stick with Saga.

PS If you do get a crack in your screen don't worry too much . Ours started at only a couple of inches and got just a little bigger each day , but one morning we woke to find that it had gone right across the screen. That's when I panicked and had visions of it shattering whilst driving on a major road in France.. I needn't have worried as when I told my fears to the windscreen fitters they took me over to my old windscreen which was propped against a tree and said "go ahead , shatter it ". I kicked it hard several times , it cracked a lot but it still stayed in one piece , probably not, but it seemed like there was a film of plastic inside it holding it together .


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Laminated screens (two pieces of glass with plastic between) have been used for a very long time now for windscreens.


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