Windscreen scratched

[beefbeefbeef]

I bought my motor over the summer but only noticed at night during the winter that the windscreen is covered with tiny scratches which create a blurred view at night especially when there is oncoming traffic. Ideally I'd like a new windscreen but not sure the insurance would pay for this (what do you think?). Alternatively is there a product that would "fill in" the scratches?

cheers

 

[Rungles]

I polished out some scratches on my MR2 with some specialist metal polishing bars I bought in a local hardware store. It was VERY hard work though and I'd take a small hammer to my windscreen before doing it again!

 

[stevehg]

Rule of thumb seems to be that if you can feel the scratches with a finger nail, they will not polish out. Cerium oxide based polish is what you need for polishing out and you definitely need a DA or rotary for this.

If you go this route, frankly it's best to take it to a detailer, as it's easy to get heat build up and damage the glass. It takes some practice to avoid this. I've done this a number of times on side windows of my various land rovers, but not on the windscreen. It also makes a hell of a mess, so you need to mask well and cover everything else in decorator sheet.

cheers, Steve

 

[chrisdean]

£70 policy excess for a new windscreen, why pay for a detailer to play with it when you can get a new one?

 

[mcos864]

£70 policy excess for a new windscreen, why pay for a detailer to play with it when you can get a new one?

perfect answer!!! & does not affect your NO CLAIMS BONUS!!!

 

[beefbeefbeef]

perfect answer!!! & does not affect your NO CLAIMS BONUS!!!

That was my first thought but I wonder if the insurer will refuse to pay as it looks like it was done by an Albanian car washer or similar - as opposed to the usual stone chip damage.

There is obviously the "hammer to the windscreen" option but I'd no doubt **** that up somehow.

 

[J LAD]

I may be wrong here - but i am sure Autoglass and other windscreen repairers wont polish windscreens anymore.
I would pay the excess and get a new one.

 

[sharps]

You could buy a clay bar it will lift the contaminants off it which is most likely causing the issue... £10 bilt hamber will do the trick

 

[MicB]

I do not think any one should be advocating fraud.

Once the windscreen is perfectly clean......clayed as suggested......maintained clean using 0000 grade wire wool and mineralised meths. the imperfections will still be there but much easier to live with.

All windscreens deteriorate from very small grit/stone chips with mileage. Driving into bright sunlight the windscreen of my 107k SL fair glistens......quite pretty in fact but it is a part of the ''patina'' of the car and it is not such a problem to the extent of risking the potential issues of having the screen replaced.

Mic

 

[lxi]

Some years ago I had the same issue with a BMW - first time out driving into a low sun & the screen went almost opaque

I called Autoglass (intentionally on a Saturday) & asked if they had an appropriate screen, to which the answer was yes.

He asked where the screen was cracked - I asked him where he would like it to be cracked. He said to leave as is & he would sort that side out.

Dropped it off with them the next week, they liaised direct with the insurers - sorted.

For any halo wearers among us, my definition of a "broken windscreen" includes one you can't see through - it's not doing is job & also really dangerous.

Insurance companies live by the sword (and the letter of the agreement) and I see no reason why I should differ.

 

[Glassman]

Windscreen cover does not cover vanity, and "taking a hammer to it" is basically fraud. We can all look forward to the continuing rising cost of motor insurance (and BTW, some insurers WILL mark a glass claim against your NCD which incidentally is not to be confused with loading your premium on renewal).

If you would like me to highlight which is better, a scratched windscreen, or a NON-GENUINE part which hasn't been fitted correctly (and was part of the car being damaged, and/or rain sensor issues, dash damage, etc) let me know. I have plenty of examples.

 

[Rungles]

I'm not sure that not being able to see out of a windscreen properly in certain lights counts as vanity! That's fairly high-up on my list of 'must haves' to be honest.

 

[Glassman]

I'm not sure that not being able to see out of a windscreen properly in certain lights counts as vanity! That's fairly high-up on my list of 'must haves' to be honest.

It's what the insurers will accept as damage. Scratches on glass are more of a cosmetic issue.

 

[Sp!ke]

Surely if it is causing visibility issues, it needs to be changed.

I have also had this issue on a previous car and I found it far worse than any stone chip in the swept area of the screen.

I'm interested in your remark about insurers loading your premium for a windscreen claim as I didn't think these even needed to be declared when shopping around for quotes.

 

[Glassman]

Surely if it is causing visibility issues, it needs to be changed.

It's a tricky one. For example, when did the damage occur? One of the details recorded on a claim form is date of damage.

I'm interested in your remark about insurers loading your premium for a windscreen claim as I didn't think these even needed to be declared when shopping around for quotes.

Many ask the question. In any case, all insurance activity (even if you asked a question about claiming) is recorded on CUE (Claims and Underwriters Exchange database). Many question the relevance of this to windscreen claims; the clue is in the second word.

There's quite a lengthy ongoing discussion about this on Pistonheads and a couple of insurance professionals have dismissed the idea that a glass - or windscreen - claim will affect NCD (it does and will with some insurers) but interestingly, when one of them was pushed for an answer to the question, 'will there be clawback on renewal?' and there was a 'no comment' type answer.

 

[Sp!ke]

Don't all Insurance renewals come with an added premium nowadays?

I appreciate the point about what date the damage occurred but wouldn't that also apply to a chip that turned to a crack? The point at which the problem gets to a point that it becomes the problem is the key. There must be a way of to ascertain the safety of the glass and then replace or repair accordingly.

 

[Glassman]

It really depends on what the insurer deems as damage, or how the terms of insurance are interpreted.

The whole idea of a windscreen claim not affecting NCD has now become a selling point for some windscreen firms, but there's not much emphasis on those insurance policies which will strike a glass claim against NCD.

It's a very grey area of insurance and in some examples a very contentious one. Motor insurance is a colossal industry; given policies are sold on price and reliant on volume, insurers will always find a way to hike up a premium. All these suggestions of willfully damaging a windscreen because it's looking a bit tired is something I do not like seeing encouraged on the internet (and there is a lot of it TBF).

Check your policy, or talk to your insurer. Personally, I'd rather leave my insurance intact for when it is genuinely needed.

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

I am with LV insurance and supposedly have windscreen replacement as part of the policy.

When I got a chip and enquired about it with them, they refused to specify whether the chip repair/replacement windscreen would affect my NCD.

Before renewal time I will try again to force them to categorically state one way or another, whether a claim like this would affect my protected NCD. If they refuse to be clear then I will be forced to consider other insurers.

 

[beefbeefbeef]

I'm not sure that not being able to see out of a windscreen properly in certain lights counts as vanity! That's fairly high-up on my list of 'must haves' to be honest.

Correct, it's not a vanity issue for me - indeed, the scratches are not visible until driving at night and, to a lesser extent, driving in bright sun. I just wonder if the insurers will conclude it was "deliberate" damage (if it was due to a gritty sponge under the care of the previous owner) rather than say a stone chip which is obviously accidental.

I'll probably call them and find out.

 

[lxi]

Windscreen cover does not cover vanity, and "taking a hammer to it" is basically fraud. We can all look forward to the continuing rising cost of motor insurance (and BTW, some insurers WILL mark a glass claim against your NCD which incidentally is not to be confused with loading your premium on renewal).

If you would like me to highlight which is better, a scratched windscreen, or a NON-GENUINE part which hasn't been fitted correctly (and was part of the car being damaged, and/or rain sensor issues, dash damage, etc) let me know. I have plenty of examples.

You can try if you wish but assuming the perspective from your question, you will fail.

I had had the car for about 24 hours. I am not referring to the light scratches you expect to see, the path of the wipers, the expected tiny twinkles in sunlight - this was the worst I have ever seen and was quite literally semi-opaque as some lunatic had clearly tried to "treat" it with who only knows what (like wet & dry)