Windscreen Excess £372.50

[T5R+]

190 miles from home. Jumped in the car and immediately noticed a crack 6 to 8" long from top edge by drivers side.

30 years without an insurance claim and so thought "pay my £50 excess, chap will come out and replace, job done".

Rang insurer who patch me through to Autoglass where I had "to pass security" and " we have to ask further questions". Somewhere along the way establish that I actually have to book and then take my car in to a depot.

Eventually, lose my patience "what is the total figure that I will have to pay"............£372.50.

Anyone else had issues with eg W212/E Class windscreens being "special". Can only assume it is down to the rain sensing system.

 

[whitenemesis]

Well my rain sensor equipped screen on the S203 was only £50 excess

When I discussed about replacing my rain sensor equipped screen on the W219 Autoglass said it would be £50. If I wanted genuine MB screen it would be £800 or £50 if my insurer agreed to cover the cost.

 

[zipdip]

Strange I had my S320 windscreen changed and that had rain sensor,cost £75.

 

[Chrishazle]

I've had my S204 screen changed twice - by AA Windscreens through my insurer Saga, they asked many questions including rain sensor (yes I do!), and all I paid both times was my £75 excess.

Call your insurers and bitch!

 

[flowrider]

I have recently had to replace 2 windscreens on my ML350, both times was only a £75 excess.

 

[AMGeed]

I would strongly consider changing your insurance company if I were you.
Have you since looked at your policy to see what the excess is for windscreen replacement?
Anywhere between £50 - £100 max I could accept, but not the sum you were charged.

As above, contact your company and demand answers as to why it was so high.

Incidentally, I had a new screen last Sept, with a rain sensor and the excess was £65.

 

[Monkeylegend]

The last windscreen I had for my W212 was quoted at £1100 ish for a genuine Mercedes screen with the rain sensor and lane change sensor.

My excess was £70 but with an upper limit of £500 so I would have had to pay the difference of £600 or so.

I opted for a pattern part which happened to be £500 so just had to pay the £70 excess. It is worth checking you policy to see if there is an upper limit, windscreens can be very expensive nowadays with all the sensors, heating elements etc.

 

[T5R+]

Luckily told them not to proceed - need to get home and dig out the paperwork for insurer "Sheilas Wheels". Suspect that something is not right eg ......call handler mentioned "ADAS" - news to me if fitted to a prefacelift W212.

Damn ML's "ESP light" came on at the weekend. All I need now is the wife's C Class to through a fault and I will have a hat trick of poorly Benz's

Appreciate people sharing their experience.

(Screen is £402 from MB)

 

[MrSteve]

I had a windscreen replaced just before Christmas on a new C-class (chip at 300 miles which cracked when being repaired). The screen replacement was ok, but the customer service was terrible.

It involved me making many many chasing phone calls to the automotive glass company. I got the insurance company involved who were excellent at chasing the automotive glass company.

While waiting for automative glass company I contact my local dealer to ask about prices for windscreen and re-calibration. I got an approximate price from them, including a warning that many windscreen companies want you to take the car to them.

One of the (many) things that automotive glass company told me was the rain sensor et al re-calibration would be something over £300. The local dealer price was much less than £100 for the same thing.

During conversations with the insurance company I mentioned this price and they were somewhat shocked. The re-cal normal costs less than £100, they told me to not use the automotive glass company and take it to the dealer instead and email them the invoice.

The dealer did a great job, and it normally take an hour or so. The dealer had it all day in the end as I mentioned a small hiccup that had occurred the night before, the dealer found a solution in 5 mins, but as it would be a software update it would take a while to update so arrange transport for me to and from work.

The insurance company was excellent and I believe without their help the outcome would have been different, I got OEM glass at no additional cost and compensation, along with saving the insurance company a load of money.

Another price point I got was from the automotive glass company was the additional cost of the OEM glass and it was only approx £75 extra, after they repeatedly failed to invoice me the correct amount...

 

[theclass]

With mine, as long as I called insurance company first (and you agree to use their provider) the excess was £75, if I went direct the figures went up a lot.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Replacement windscreen excess has to be one of the biggest scams out there, for example charging £100 "excess" when the actual cost of the job will be £100! Most van windscreens cost me between £80 - £120 brand new fitted.

Phone National Windscreens for a price as a private punter; you'll be amazed how cheap they are...

 

[oldguy57]

^^ Yep a local screen installer told me that the average price he pays for a screen is £50.

 

[Notwen]

When my 18 month old, W204 screen got a juicy crack, it went through Autoglass via the insurer, we insisted on a genuine screen.
We had to pay the £50 excess, plus the VAT amount on the genuine screen, which I think was about £80ish.

When I raced saloon's, I became rather good custom for the local windscreen guy, new windscreens were £130 a time.

 

[leef44]

Luckily told them not to proceed - need to get home and dig out the paperwork for insurer "Sheilas Wheels". Suspect that something is not right eg ......call handler mentioned "ADAS" - news to me if fitted to a prefacelift W212.

Damn ML's "ESP light" came on at the weekend. All I need now is the wife's C Class to through a fault and I will have a hat trick of poorly Benz's

Appreciate people sharing their experience.

(Screen is £402 from MB)

Could this be a simple **** up from the windscreen company.?You say £402 with £50 excess. They are meant to get £50 from you and their screen probably says £372 to pay, meaning the amount they are meant to claim from the insurance company, not you

 

[Wigglesworth]

Wow that sounds like a crazy quote for an insurance replacement screen!

I have had experience of a few windscreen replacements through insurance (fairly unlucky really)... my MG Zt was £50 all in, Lexus LS400 through my dad's insurance £75 (very nearly had to have this done again immediately after collecting when a seagull flew into the screen while traveling at 50mph). And my Peugeot 407 Sw (what was I thinking?) £400 because I forgot to add windscreen cover.

It sounds very much like they are charging the full price of screen - excess .... I would query and ask them wtf?!?

 

[ToeKnee]

I had a screen replaced some years ago on a Mondeo by a well known and advertised national company. After about a week it became obvious that the front heating elements weren't working so I called for a replacement. Once they had replaced the screen I was asked to sign the paperwork to accept that no damage was done, no mention of another excess to pay but when I renewed my insurance later in the year I found out that the windscreen company had charged my insurance co for two screens, saying that I'd damaged both. Although I explained what happened it stayed on my file as having two screens replaced within a week. (I know it doesn't make a difference to my policy or cost but it really pi**ed me off at the time)

 

[zipdip]

I will say that some insurance companies are trying to add certain costs to the windscreen part of the policy,I have just renewed my insurance,but did try and get it cheaper Direct Line had a £20 cost for a windscreen chip,it is best to check you insurance,for the first time in years I have renewed for the third time with Diamond.

 

[T5R+]

Appreciate steer to the independents referred to but they wanted between £695 - 798 for the job.

"Argued" with my insurer that whatever is fitted to the screen from the factory should be covered ie including the recalibration but that the dashcam should be excluded as is down to me. They agreed that recalibration would be sanctioned.

My insurer rang the fitters and we agreed Saturday morning appointment - sadly knew what was coming - fitter turned up "mate I can't fit your screen"......so I asked why........."it will need calibrating and has to go into the workshop for a couple of hours".

In the end he agreed to fit the glass...............so I will be calling insurer again. Paid the excess (£100) and let us see what happens next.

Given the 1000's of people in my circumstance cannot believe that the insurers do not have experience of these scenarios. Cynical me may think that insurers will try and avoid and thereby pass on recalibration costs to naive owners.