Rear demister broken - windscreen cover

[Dracoro]

Struggling to find out if insurers windscreen cover, covers where rear heater elements are broken (I don't mean one, like only one or two lines working).
It's "damaged" and a safety thing (arguably) but I can't find out any T&C that indicates if they cover or not (regardless of insurer - admiral currently).

Anyone know?

[Glassman]

Rule of thumb is that glass cover indemnifies for breakage.

A couple of hotlines not working is a maintenance issue.

[CarCrazyDad]

Dracoro said:

Struggling to find out if insurers windscreen cover, covers where rear heater elements are broken (I don't mean one, like only one or two lines working).
It's "damaged" and a safety thing (arguably) but I can't find out any T&C that indicates if they cover or not (regardless of insurer - admiral currently).

Anyone know?

Crack it / break it

Problem resolved

[Glassman]

CarCrazyDad said:

Crack it / break it

Problem resolved

The reality is, insurance companies - and their approved windscreen companies - will not be bothered about how it broke. If they did they would ask for evidence by way of images etc.

This leaves the system open for abuse and those who cannot take responsibility for what is their problem and not someone else's.

A cracked windscreen however might be recorded (on CUE) differently to how a body glass might be.

[Dracoro]

Glassman said:

Rule of thumb is that glass cover indemnifies for breakage.

A couple of hotlines not working is a maintenance issue.

It's the opposite, only a couple work.

It's not something that can be maintained, it's either live with it or replace rear screen, there's not preventative or fix that can be done..

[Bearings]

Perhaps worth trying a repair kit for a few quid and seeing if you can get the heating circuit reconnnected again?

https://yourcar.co.uk/best-heated-rear-window-repa...

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-and-body-...

[Scrump]

Ask your insurers if it is covered. I doubt it is.

[OutInTheShed]

Back in the day, I broke a windscreen and had TPFT insurance with not windscreen cover.
Phoning around, getting a new screen was amazingly cheap when no insurance companies are involved.
If you can find an indy fitter, it's worth a call?

OTOH, I've had reasonable results with silver-loaded epoxy, I used to get 'past its use by date' stuff from work.

[CarCrazyDad]

Glassman said:

The reality is, insurance companies - and their approved windscreen companies - will not be bothered about how it broke. If they did they would ask for evidence by way of images etc.

This leaves the system open for abuse and those who cannot take responsibility for what is their problem and not someone else's.

A cracked windscreen however might be recorded (on CUE) differently to how a body glass might be.

I can understand - but if all of your demisting lines have failed surely this is exactly why replacement glass is required, I accept it would be technically fraud to break it yourself to facilitate a replacement.

In the grand scheme of things and assuming the OP has been a good boy/girl wrt their insurance and has high no claims etc then about time they are due :-)

[Glassman]

Dracoro said:

Glassman said:

Rule of thumb is that glass cover indemnifies for breakage.

A couple of hotlines not working is a maintenance issue.

It's the opposite, only a couple work.

It's not something that can be maintained, it's either live with it or replace rear screen, there's not preventative or fix that can be done..

Still the same issue: maintenance. It's not covered in the same way as if your window regulator packed up.

By maintenance, it means it falls under your maintenance of the car. Insurance cover does not pay out for faulty items.

[Glassman]

CarCrazyDad said:

I can understand - but if all of your demisting lines have failed surely this is exactly why replacement glass is required

It's a faulty defogging issue, not a broken window.

Some insurers have had the p taken out of them by policyholders and they're quite clear about what is covered and what is not.

It's not a breakage, ergo not covered. Car owner's responsibility.

The system is open to abuse though so nothing stopping anyone vandalising their own car to defraud the insco. At least when the cost of insurance rises we can all feel like we have contributed.

[Pica-Pica]

Check policy. The insurance documents will probably have the word ‘glass’ in the details.
As for it being a rear screen. It would not be a legal issue, as vans usually have no rear screen.

[LightningBlue]

I’ve got a similar problem, the wires are falling off the glass which is really weird. I’ve not gone down the insurance route as the glass isn’t damaged, I’ve been told a few times the only thing that can be done is to replace the windscreen. The screen does demist eventually from cabin airflow so I’m not forking out to replace it just yet

[Glassman]

Dracoro said:

It's "damaged" and a safety thing (arguably)

It's not.