Windscreen damage is one of those things that’s often covered by your car insurance, but the details vary a lot from policy to policy, and it’s not always clear how the claim actually works until you need to make one. Here’s a general rundown of what to check and how the process usually goes.
Check your policy for glass cover
Most comprehensive car insurance policies in the UK include some level of windscreen and glass cover, sometimes as standard and sometimes as an optional extra. It’s worth checking your policy documents or giving your insurer a quick call to confirm what you’re covered for before you book anything in, since third-party-only policies often won’t include it at all.
Repairs and excess
A lot of insurers apply a separate, lower excess to windscreen repairs than they do to the rest of the policy, and some waive it completely for a simple chip repair. The logic is straightforward from their side – a repair is far cheaper than a full replacement, so it’s in everyone’s interest to get it sorted quickly rather than let a chip turn into a crack that needs a new windscreen. Again, this depends entirely on your insurer and policy, so it’s worth asking rather than assuming.
Making a claim
The usual routes are either calling your insurer directly, who may point you to their own approved glass network or ask you to arrange it yourself and claim back, or going through a garage or mobile fitter and letting them deal with the insurance side. We’re happy to talk you through what we’d need from you if you’re planning to claim on insurance for a repair or replacement with us – it’s usually just your policy details and registration.
Whether a windscreen claim affects your no-claims bonus also depends on the insurer. Many treat glass-only claims separately from at-fault claims precisely because they’re so common and low-cost, but it’s not universal, so this is another one worth confirming with your own insurer if it matters to you.
Why the glass and fitting matter for a claim
Insurers generally expect any replacement glass to meet British Standard requirements and the work to be carried out by a properly insured business – both boxes we tick as standard, which is part of why we describe our work as insurance-approved. If you’re ever unsure whether a repair will be accepted for a claim, it’s worth asking us or your insurer before the work goes ahead rather than after.
If you’d like to talk through your specific situation, get in touch and we can advise based on what you tell us about your cover. You can also see our full range of work on the services page or arrange a quote directly.