Car Insurance - Broken Window - 4 weeks and counting

mikesimmons

I'm looking for advice regarding an insurance claim.

On 27th June my car was vandalised and a side window was put through. I reported this to the insurance company the same day. They used Autoglass as an agent to repair the window. So far so good.

A couple of days later, Autoglass came out to repair the window, but had been sent the wrong glass and were missing a bracket. In the process they also broke the electric window switch panel. They made a perspex temporary replacement held in with electrical tape and said they would reorder.

Autoglass have now had 5 attempts at ordering the correct glass and on each occasion have called me to cancel the appointment because the wrong glass and bracket have been delivered. That's 5 times I've had to rearrange my day only to end up disappointed and at least one more to come. The car is fairly common, it's a Hyundai i40. I've seen several of them on the road and see no reason why getting the glass should be an issue. This isn't a rare vehicle.

So far, the window has been broken for 4 weeks and I'm not confident it will be repaired any time soon.

The perspex would do a fine job of keeping the weather out if we were to get any rain but it doesn't do a great job of keeping the road noise out and once the car is approaching 50mph it starts to resonate and buzz and makes driving a quite unpleaseant experience. I'm not confident it would hold on a motorway given the additional rigours of draught from wagons and other heavy traffic while cruising at motorway speeds.

I use the vehicle for work, often requiring to shuttle down the motorway for 50 miles. I've had to postpone an awful lot of work and it just keeps stacking up.

In 10 days time I have a holiday booked which is going to involve around 4 hours of motorway driving. It can't be done with the current state of the window. I would have to take A roads adding several hours onto an already long journey.

I have asked the insurance company if they would be willing to cover the cost of an equivalent hire vehicle should it not be repaired in time for the holiday. They seem to want to keep batting me back to Autoglass and won't commit to providing a solution.

Am I being unreasonable? Is there a terminology I should be using to expedite such a solution? Do I have additional rights that the insurance company are keeping quiet about?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks, Mike.

DCFC79

Id be tempted to get a local firm replace the window.
Speak to your insurer and see what they say.

Quentin

mikesimmons wrote: »

In 10 days time I have a holiday booked which is going to involve around 4 hours of motorway driving. It can't be done with the current state of the window. I would have to take A roads adding several hours onto an already long journey...….

Don't follow your argument - why do you have to take the long route because of the window?


See if you can find a firm to do the job and get someone at your insurer to authorise it for you (if they won't, bill Autoglass for any costs you are put to as their negligence in breaking the switch contributed to the problem)

mikesimmons

Don't follow your argument - why do you have to take the long route because of the window?

Because;
The perspex would do a fine job of keeping the weather out if we were to get any rain but it doesn't do a great job of keeping the road noise out and once the car is approaching 50mph it starts to resonate and buzz and makes driving a quite unpleasant experience. I'm not confident it would hold on a motorway given the additional rigours of draught from wagons and other heavy traffic while cruising at motorway speeds.

Quentin

Still don't follow - you could drive at 50 on a motorway rather than take the long route


But why not try and progress this by seeing if you can get it fixed elsewhere then putting it to your claims department for authorisation? Then take it from their response.

pochisoldi

Is this the front or rear side window?
If it's the front, go to your local MOT place, speak to the tester and ask them
"If I presented this car for test now, would you fail it on the perspex side window"
If they say yes, ring up your insurance company. tell them that you car has been unroadworthy for X weeks, and what you are going to do, and what you expect the insurance company to do.

PochiSoldi

mikesimmons

Quentin wrote: »

Still don't follow - you could drive at 50 on a motorway rather than take the long route


But why not try and progress this by seeing if you can get it fixed elsewhere then putting it to your claims department for authorisation? Then take it from their response.

I think you're focussing on the area where I'm setting the scene and explaining the situation.

I am the driver of the vehicle and I have made the assessment that it is not safe to drive down the motorway. There's no further discussion on this.

I don't pay a fortune in insurance so that I can fix my own vehicle. I expect one phone call and everything else to be arranged on my behalf.

The pertinent questions in all this is after 5 attempted repairs and 4 weeks with a makeshift perspex panel that restricts the vehicle usage am I being unreasonable in asking for a replacement vehicle while Autoglass pull their finger out so that I can complete my backlog of work and take a holiday which has been arranged for several months?

If I am not being unreasonable, is there a way or a turn of phrase to force the insurance company's hand?

Thanks, Mike.

mikesimmons

pochisoldi wrote: »

Is this the front or rear side window?
If it's the front, go to your local MOT place, speak to the tester and ask them
"If I presented this car for test now, would you fail it on the perspex side window"
If they say yes, ring up your insurance company. tell them that you car has been unroadworthy for X weeks, and what you are going to do, and what you expect the insurance company to do.

PochiSoldi

Thanks for your suggestion. It's the front passenger side window.

I will run the vehicle past the local MOT station and ask. Although I have taken a quick look at the MOT guide and there appears to be nothing specific regarding side windows.

I suspect as there is nothing preventing people from driving with the front windows down and that as the perspex is transparent and clear that it would not be considered unsafe.

Thenks, Mike.

ValiantSon

mikesimmons wrote: »

I think you're focussing on the area where I'm setting the scene and explaining the situation.

I am the driver of the vehicle and I have made the assessment that it is not safe to drive down the motorway. There's no further discussion on this.

I don't pay a fortune in insurance so that I can fix my own vehicle. I expect one phone call and everything else to be arranged on my behalf.

The pertinent questions in all this is after 5 attempted repairs and 4 weeks with a makeshift perspex panel that restricts the vehicle usage am I being unreasonable in asking for a replacement vehicle while Autoglass pull their finger out so that I can complete my backlog of work and take a holiday which has been arranged for several months?

If I am not being unreasonable, is there a way or a turn of phrase to force the insurance company's hand?

Thanks, Mike.

I have sympathy for your situation, but you are at risk of digging your heels in to your own detriment. While in an ideal world the insurance company would have handled everything without any further contact and Autoglass wouldn't have completely messed up, we don't live in an ideal world. It is unreasonable to expect an alternative vehicle, yes, but it is not unreasonable to expect for your repair to be carried out in a timely manner and without further damage occurring to your car. The good news is, there is a simple solution! Phone your insurers and explain your complaint, then ask them for authorisation to get the repair done elsewhere.

There really is nothing in it for you to dig your heels in about the insurers getting it fixed; you are just making life harder for yourself.

peterbaker

mikesimmons you are right to feel aggrieved. If it was a half decent insurer and the window had been replaced as part of an accident damaging the door, it'd all have been correctly repaired days and days ago.

You are sort of down the right track in asking for a replacement vehicle but instead of thinking "rental car" it is best to keep it within the bounds of their normal claims operations so they don't have to think too hard.

Tell them that both they and Autoglass have had their chance of doing it their preferred way, and as your car is now further damaged and not just a simple window glass item, you want it immediately booked in to a Hyundai dealer and you want an insurer paid for courtesy car from the dealer until it is fixed whether a courtesy car benefit is part of your cover or not.

These days insurers do not get to tell you what to do if you want them to stay on track. You tell them in the assertive terms which way is up.

You could name them in this thread for further effect. As you say, Autoglass are their agent as approved repairer. That means the insurer is responsible for sorting this mess as much as Autoglass was for c*cking it up in the first place.

Quentin

mikesimmons wrote: »

If I am not being unreasonable, is there a way or a turn of phrase to force the insurance company's hand?

Thanks, Mike.

The quick way would be to find another contractor who can do it and get your insurer to authorize it

Otherwise follow the complaints procedure

No point not naming the insurer

Many of them monitor this forum and get alerted when their name is mentioned and jump in to attempt damage limitation