Replacing a windscreen with Admiral

Jakeway

I took delivery of a car two weeks ago but only got my hands on the V5C yesterday. So today is the first day I’ve attempted to drive it and I happened to find a small chip / crack in the windscreen. I really doubt I can prove it arrived like this. After all the car has I’ve had it at my house for 14 odd days and looking back over the auction site I found it on there is a trade plate right over that area.
Oh Well…. I am pretty sure I am going to need to get the windscreen replaced as I don't think a small crack can be fixed.
I am with Admiral and I am worried that if I claim for a new windscreen and I pay the excess, they will just bump up my insurance next year.
I found mixed reports about this matter so can any here advise?
I don’t want to be paying back this windscreen in higher fees over the next few years because I had the audacity to seek the help of my insurance company. I know they look down on that sort of behaviour.

Lincoln_Imp

Have you tried phoning them ?

I had one fitted a few years ago out of my own pocket and the bloke at the windscreen place told me it was nearly half the price of what going through the insurance would have been as they bump up prices for insurance jobs

AdrianC

Don't forget that your insurer won't cover damage that pre-exists their liability...

deanos

If you have a repair/replacement and claim they yes you have to declare it every year on renewal if changing company's , although it shouldn't bump up your premium

Nodding_Donkey

If the crack was there when you bought the car claiming for it would be fraud.

bigjl

I had no issues with Admiral even after a theft claim.

I also had a windscreen from them.

Which could only be sourced from Subaru at the time (2005) and cost over £700 apparently.

Never had an issue after that either.

We had an Admiral MultiCar Policy.

And only went elsewhere as they couldn't do a mixed SD&P and Business Use Policy

bigjl

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

If the crack was there when you bought the car claiming for it would be fraud.

Fraud?

I think that is over egging the pudding.

Especially if the OP bought the vehicle with the damage covered over at the Auction.

If it is that insignificant and out of the swept area I would see if a repair could be done the crack may still be visible but the strength would be returned and it would not get bigger.

Many think a car will automatically failnan MOT with a crack but it is discretionary and based on the opinion of the tester.

Especially if it is small and on the passenger side low down.

AdrianC

bigjl wrote: »

Fraud?

I think that is over egging the pudding.

No, not really.
If the OP tells the truth - that the know or suspect that the damage precedes the insurer's liability, then then insurer won't pay. If they lie about it, then the old wording for fraud - "obtaining pecuniary advantage through deception" describes the situation perfectly.

Especially if the OP bought the vehicle with the damage covered over at the Auction.

So the OP failed in their pre-purchase due diligence. How is that the insurer's problem? Would it make a difference if the OP's complaint was about a dent in the wing?

bigjl

AdrianC wrote: »

No, not really.
If the OP tells the truth - that the know or suspect that the damage precedes the insurer's liability, then then insurer won't pay. If they lie about it, then the old wording for fraud - "obtaining pecuniary advantage through deception" describes the situation perfectly.



So the OP failed in their pre-purchase due diligence. How is that the insurer's problem? Would it make a difference if the OP's complaint was about a dent in the wing?

Are you for real?

Get a life.

How do you know something didn't land in it when parked outside the OPs house.

AdrianC

bigjl wrote: »

How do you know something didn't land in it when parked outside the OPs house.

Then that would be a perfectly legitimate claim. But the OP's already told us that they believe the damage was present when they bought the car.

Jakeway

I will be clear... I didn't see nor can I tell if the small 1cm crack was there before I bought it. Its been at my house for two and its there now and it could very well have happened since buying.


I thought that a crack, unlike a chip means its needs replacing.


I don't mind paying a bit to have it replaced but I dont want my insures to go up and up a nest year.... Ive never made any clime before and I have no idea if it is a good idea to get insurance involved of to try and sort it out myself.


I need some advise.