Old windscreen chip, new car insurance policy

Elsterap

Hi. I used to have 3rd party fire and theft car insurance, and when i did, i chipped the windscreen and it is 2 chips v.close to eachother so have been told i will new need a new windscreen.

I am now on a comprehensive insurance policy...am I allowed to use my new policy to replace my windscreen?

Quentin

The claim would be fraudulent. So it's your call.

JPS29

Quentin.

I agree with you but the autoglass adverts are a bit misleading. They go on about someone ignoring their chips for ages and then "bang" temperature/ speed bump etc. If they would have reported it earlier.........

Doesn't say anything about straight away. See where I'm coming from?

bouncydog1

Not really - regardless of what the adverts say you buy insurance cover for a period, say midday 1 Jan 10 to midday 1 Jan 11.

You are covered for accidents that occur during this period for which you have paid the premium. Insurance is not a maintenance contract - it is to cover unexpected events.

So, as Quentin says, it would be a fraudulent claim. If you go ahead and make it and the insurers find out (as they may well do), think about the impact this is going to have on all of your future insurance policies when they cancel cover and you have to declare this going forwards.

minnie123

How would they know when the chip occured?

stator

They wouldn't, but just because noone knows doesn't make it right, or legal.

Go with your local windscreen replacement service and get it done for < £100.

D1649

" i chipped the windscreen and it is 2 chips v.close to eachother so have been told i will new need a new windscreen."

Dear Elserap, the information you have been given is actually incorrect, it is possible to repair such damage, just find a competent windscreen chip company that specialises in repair only. I would assume that this "advice" was given by a company that may have had a vested interest in selling a new screen at more profit that a simple repair would make. Hopefully this will get round the moral dilemma of whether the claim would be ethical or not. I would add that technically although the damage was originally there if it subsequently cracked and then needed a screen then it should be covered but the actual chip repair would not be. Theoretically the insurance company should act to mitigate their loss but they are not normally minded to. This is not meant to be an encoragement to make it crack , merely a demonstration of the liability.