Car Insurance: windscreen cover

Blue_Parrot

I have a car insurance policy with Sainsbury's. I now have a cracked windscreen. I phoned Sainsbury's whose insurance claims phones are handled by another company whose name I didn't note; they put me through to Autoglass.

Autoglass took all the details and arranged an appointment to come here and replace the windscreen. So far, all very efficient.

Five minutes later Autoglass phoned me to say they could not replace the windscreen, as they are not "the approved company" and they would not get their money back from either Sainsbury's (whom they refer to as The Broker) or the actual insurers, Zurich. Zurich are the company on my certificate of motor insurance.

I phoned Sainsbury's again, they put me straight through to Autoglass again. This is their default action.

Meanwhile Autoglass had emailed me saying that if I use them without insurance, it will cost me £472.39. Out of curiosity I filled in exactly the same details on Autoglass's website and the without-insurance quotation was for £382.41.

But I don't understand why I should pay anything other than the excess, to get my windscreen replaced, when I have a fully comprehensive car insurance policy with Sainsbury's. Surely this is Sainsbury's problem, not mine?

So far I've spent hours on the phone and internet trying to make sense of this and still have a cracked windscreen. Any advice welcomed, thank you.

elsien

Complain to Sainsbury's?
Or you could contact Zurich directly and see what they advise.

custardy

You need to escalate with Sainsburys
Its not for you to chase who and who isnt approved.

superbigal36

Definately Autoglass

Windscreen damage? Trust Sainsbury’s
Our dedicated glass helpline is available 24
hours a day, 365 days a year to arrange to
repair or replace your windscreen as quickly
as possible. If you have comprehensive
cover, all you will have to pay is the excess
shown in the policy schedule.
Call our windscreen partners Autoglass on
0800 36 36 36.

Autoglass concur if you enter sainsburys but not zurich
I though sainsburys used churchill which again is covered by autoglass
https://www.autoglass.co.uk/about-us/faqs/making-a-claim/

Blue_Parrot

custardy wrote: »

You need to escalate with Sainsburys
Its not for you to chase who and who isnt approved.

I completely agree, why should I spend hours on the phone and internet, when one phone call should be all that is required.

How to escalate with Sainsbury's, when all I get is a third-party who just put me through to Autoglass?

Blue_Parrot

superbigal36 wrote: »

Definately Autoglass

Windscreen damage? Trust Sainsbury’s
Our dedicated glass helpline is available 24
hours a day, 365 days a year to arrange to
repair or replace your windscreen as quickly
as possible. If you have comprehensive
cover, all you will have to pay is the excess
shown in the policy schedule.
Call our windscreen partners Autoglass on
0800 36 36 36.

Autoglass concur if you enter sainsburys but not zurich
I though sainsburys used churchill which again is covered by autoglass
https://www.autoglass.co.uk/about-us/faqs/making-a-claim/

You're saying it's Autoglass's problem with Zurich? The fact that Sainsbury's chose Zurich is hardly anything to do with me, all I did was buy a car insurance policy - in good faith, I'd have thought.

It also makes me wonder if this car insurance policy would pay out for ANY claim? I already know that I will not use Sainsbury's next time I need car insurance.

Here's a secondary question. This car is being swopped for a new car in a couple of months. It's contract-hire. Is there any point considering driving round with a cracked windscreen (crack is in zone C) and handing it back with said crack? Not a good idea?

custardy

Blue_Parrot wrote: »

You're saying it's Autoglass's problem with Zurich? The fact that Sainsbury's chose Zurich is hardly anything to do with me, all I did was buy a car insurance policy - in good faith, I'd have thought.

It also makes me wonder if this car insurance policy would pay out for ANY claim? I already know that I will not use Sainsbury's next time I need car insurance.

Here's a secondary question. This car is being swopped for a new car in a couple of months. It's contract-hire. Is there any point considering driving round with a cracked windscreen (crack is in zone C) and handing it back with said crack? Not a good idea?

You would rather be charged for a full screen than your excess?

Blue_Parrot

custardy wrote: »

You would rather be charged for a full screen than your excess?

You're right, and so concise too.

Here's another thing I completely do not understand. Autoglass's two quotations nearly £90 difference for the same job:

Meanwhile Autoglass had emailed me saying that if I use them without insurance, it will cost me £472.39. Out of curiosity I filled in exactly the same details on Autoglass's website and the without-insurance quotation was for £382.41.

That's another thing which has eaten up my time: trying to find out what the going rate is to replace this windscreen. Autoglass without doubt dominate the market, but other firms' websites offer to quote "without delay" or even, "immediately". None of them have replied. Yet.

But this all begs the question: why this muddle and time-wasting, when my car insurance policy "Promises" that "only one phone call will sort it out"?

custardy

Blue_Parrot wrote: »

You're right, and so concise too.

Here's another thing I completely do not understand. Autoglass's two quotations nearly £90 difference for the same job:

That's another thing which has eaten up my time: trying to find out what the going rate is to replace this windscreen. Autoglass without doubt dominate the market, but other firms' websites offer to quote "without delay" or even, "immediately". None of them have replied. Yet.

But this all begs the question: why this muddle and time-wasting, when my car insurance policy "Promises" that "only one phone call will sort it out"?

Well I wouldnt be doing any of that. Why would I.
I have chosen an insurer who offers windscreen cover. Thats the only company I would be chasing

Glassman

What would happen in the event of a claim scenario should be made clear. ICOBS 6.1.5 is a requirement.

"A firm must take reasonable steps to ensure a customer is given appropriate information about a policy in good time and in a comprehensible form so that the customer can make an informed decision about the arrangements proposed".


This. Before inception.

The problem is, nobody takes those steps. Well, they do but a) the bit where it states it isn't easy to find, and b) it's often vague, ambiguous and full of jargon. The emphasis is very much to bag the deal and up-sell some add-ons.

If the insurance companies don't make this clear, the brokers - especially if they're a supermarket - don't understand the implications.

http://www.glasstecpaul.com/motor-insurance-windscreen-cover/

Blue_Parrot

I've read your link, Glassman, and it's fascinating. Thank you for picking up this thread. You're saying that Sainsbury's will flog car insurance policies knowing that they might/will not pay for windscreen replacement? And that sooner or later I'll end up paying either £472 or £382 to replace it myself?

This SUCKS.