The great windscreen rip off.....
Discussion
So I am pretty sure this has been done before on here.
However I got into the office today and one of the guys here was a bit on the hacked off side and it turns out in his home to office hacker a Vauxhaull Agila (which I know is a WHOLE other conversation!) had a cracked windscreen and he was not covered on his TPFT policy.
So he gets a quote from the big three/four and the cheapest is £450 which he haggled down from over £500!
I walk into the conversation and offer to make a call to a friend who owns the local tyre place I use, I do, I get a number of a local firm... The quote £95 +VAT!
However I got into the office today and one of the guys here was a bit on the hacked off side and it turns out in his home to office hacker a Vauxhaull Agila (which I know is a WHOLE other conversation!) had a cracked windscreen and he was not covered on his TPFT policy.
So he gets a quote from the big three/four and the cheapest is £450 which he haggled down from over £500!
I walk into the conversation and offer to make a call to a friend who owns the local tyre place I use, I do, I get a number of a local firm... The quote £95 +VAT!
Big companies usually mean big prices, but not with all.
A one man band will charge considerably less because he doesn't have the overheads, or is desperate for the work. There are cheaper brands of glass on the market now - usually Chinese, so for an everyday production car, you might opt for a glass which might show imperfections, be less durable, or displays a funny name.
Also remember, a lot of the insurance nominated suppliers might be working to an average invoice deal, so when the chance to sell one at retail comes along...
The £95.00 + VAT is a great price from the paying customer's POV; the seller may be retaining a 'difference' of about £50.00. The correct trim - if used - is about 18 quid; bonding material (depending on the quality) will start at around £7.00 for one windscreen. There will be the cost of getting a mobile unit out to the customer's address; admin/consumables/wages etc all factored in to that price.
It's a great price if you're paying.
A one man band will charge considerably less because he doesn't have the overheads, or is desperate for the work. There are cheaper brands of glass on the market now - usually Chinese, so for an everyday production car, you might opt for a glass which might show imperfections, be less durable, or displays a funny name.
Also remember, a lot of the insurance nominated suppliers might be working to an average invoice deal, so when the chance to sell one at retail comes along...
The £95.00 + VAT is a great price from the paying customer's POV; the seller may be retaining a 'difference' of about £50.00. The correct trim - if used - is about 18 quid; bonding material (depending on the quality) will start at around £7.00 for one windscreen. There will be the cost of getting a mobile unit out to the customer's address; admin/consumables/wages etc all factored in to that price.
It's a great price if you're paying.
The Windscreen industry is as pot luck as the car insurance riddule.
A friend who had a 1997 VW Polo was quoted £350 to replace the screen,and he had to drive to Leicester to have it done (10 miles away)..Not only that he would have to take the screen out himself for them to see if the frame was rusted in which case they would not fit..So screen out ,clean out the rust,drive without screen in winter .Pay £350!
Somehow i think they didn't want the job.
I ended up buying the car off him for £100,but thats another story.
My own Transit Connect Tdi with the beautiful heated accessory...I paid £75 towards the insurance excess..Found out the insurance paid £100..How about that for Autoglass.
Not only that i got a forensics report from the guy who fitted ,saying the van had been no doubt damaged on the transporter as my screen was not the first.
Had it from new see!
It doesn't surprise me at all. From my experience, the cost of windscreen replacement from a small independent specialist is often not much more than the excess on an insurance policy and so I've never felt the need to have it included on my policies. I would also much much rather pay a little extra and get the benefits that come with using an indie. Maybe I just have cars with small windscreens? 
The trouble is, most people will automatically go to the big nationals thanks to all their irritating advertising, get a price, and not question it. The more people that avoid the nationals the better imho.
The trouble is, most people will automatically go to the big nationals thanks to all their irritating advertising, get a price, and not question it. The more people that avoid the nationals the better imho.
kaf said:
One day an ins co will cotton on and allow people the option to source their own glass, they will save a bomb.
No they won't, because the insurance companies will be being invoiced with massive discounts. Plus there could be back-end rebates etc - all kinds of deals. They probably make a profit after you've paid the excess.If anyone can buy the screen for £95 the insurance company will be paying way less than that even if £500 appears as the "list" price.
jagnet said:
It doesn't surprise me at all. From my experience, the cost of windscreen replacement from a small independent specialist is often not much more than the excess on an insurance policy and so I've never felt the need to have it included on my policies. I would also much much rather pay a little extra and get the benefits that come with using an indie. Maybe I just have cars with small windscreens?
The trouble is, most people will automatically go to the big nationals thanks to all their irritating advertising, get a price, and not question it. The more people that avoid the nationals the better imho.
+1. The trouble is, most people will automatically go to the big nationals thanks to all their irritating advertising, get a price, and not question it. The more people that avoid the nationals the better imho.
That said, I do have it included on my policy since it could save me a few quid at some point, and I'm left with the choice - I know my current insurer doesn't charge me more premium for a past windscreen claim, my excess is £75 and the cost of getting one replaced myself would be £144. Might as well use the insurance.
The final invoice to an insco will usually be different to the retail price shown on the invoice (commensurate with whatever their agreed average invoice value might be).
Once upon a time, a supplier would invoice the full amount, including trims and mouldings (even if they were not needed). There was also a lot of moody business going on: sunroof replaced but billed as a windscreen, or invoices which could/should have rendered the subject vehicle a total loss.
Once upon a time, a supplier would invoice the full amount, including trims and mouldings (even if they were not needed). There was also a lot of moody business going on: sunroof replaced but billed as a windscreen, or invoices which could/should have rendered the subject vehicle a total loss.
limjamrace said:
The Windscreen industry is as pot luck as the car insurance riddule.
A friend who had a 1997 VW Polo was quoted £350 to replace the screen,and he had to drive to Leicester to have it done (10 miles away).. Not only that he would have to take the screen out himself for them to see if the frame was rusted in which case they would not fit..So screen out ,clean out the rust,drive without screen in winter .Pay £350!
Somehow i think they didn't want the job.
I think you've got that bit slightly wrong. A friend who had a 1997 VW Polo was quoted £350 to replace the screen,and he had to drive to Leicester to have it done (10 miles away).. Not only that he would have to take the screen out himself for them to see if the frame was rusted in which case they would not fit..So screen out ,clean out the rust,drive without screen in winter .Pay £350!
Somehow i think they didn't want the job.
Another reason insurers stick with their nationals, apart from the bulk invoicing/payments & discounts, is that the bill will actually be for glass damage, not MoT work/servicing/beer.
I've seen invoices from garages who don't even fit windscreens not to mention two tier pricing from an independent local to me - insurance job mate, don't worry about the excess I'll look after you.
I've seen invoices from garages who don't even fit windscreens not to mention two tier pricing from an independent local to me - insurance job mate, don't worry about the excess I'll look after you.
graham22 said:
Another reason insurers stick with their nationals, apart from the bulk invoicing/payments & discounts, is that the bill will actually be for glass damage, not MoT work/servicing/beer.
I've seen invoices from garages who don't even fit windscreens not to mention two tier pricing from an independent local to me - insurance job mate, don't worry about the excess I'll look after you.
Accident repair / non fault I've seen invoices from garages who don't even fit windscreens not to mention two tier pricing from an independent local to me - insurance job mate, don't worry about the excess I'll look after you.
/cough
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