Admiral windscreen cover

[Toilet Duck]

Seasons greetings,

For my sins I am insured with Admiral, fully comp with windscreen cover. For Xmas, I received a large (in excess of 14inchs) crack on my windscreen. Car in question is a boggo 2017 Mazda 3.

Called Autoglass direct (as per Admiral info) and after dealing with someone for a protracted period of time was told he needed to "check something" and would call me back. Get call back, advised that because my car is 5 years old Admiral won't cover me for a new screen and I'll have to pay circa £590 out of my own pocket. Is this correct? I've never heard of this before, a car needs a functioning windscreen regardless of age, and 5 years old hardly means the car is past it's best.

I'm currently on hold with Admiral (been transferred 3 times, currently spent 75mins in total on line to them). Hopefully I'll get to speak to someone who can tell me if my Admiral windscreen cover actually covers me for a windscreen before my MOT runs out sometime in the summer.

Moderator edit: less of the offensive language please

[SteBrown91]

If you do end up needing to sort it yourself, dont use a national company. Find a local independent who will do a better job and likely a cheaper price.

[BetterLoretta]

Surely if your insurance schedule states ‘windscreen cover’, then you’re covered.
They knew how old your car was when you took out the insurance

There’ll be an awful lot of people out there who think they’ll get a new screen, and should get a new one, but actually won’t..

[anonymous-user]

Doesn't sound right. I'm with Admiral and they covered a replacement windscreen on my Discovery 4. Cost me £90 because the crack was too big to repair. Cost me £25 for them to repair a chip in my wife's Focus. Both done this year by Autoglass.

[Shiv_P]

Did you book through the online portal thing?
Old man's car is a 15 plate, 7 years old, just had a replacement with no issues

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Toilet Duck said:

me for a new screen and I'll have to pay circa £590 out of my own pocket. Is this correct?

Only your policy documents will tell you. But, I've never heard of anything like this before!

I smashed the window of my 15 year old car & paid £10. (Not with your insurer...but just as a market place example)

[alscar]

I suppose Admiral is capable of many things given they need to save as much money on claims as possible but I’ve never heard of this.
Maybe a 50 year old classic may be a problem but not a 5 year old Mazda.
If your documents say windscreen cover is included then it is.

[Caddyshack]

I was with them and had windscreens replaced on over 5 yr old cars.

[Terminator X]

I would never use autoglass, total cowboys.

TX.

[CraigyMc]

Toilet Duck said:

Seasons greetings,

For my sins I am insured with Admiral, fully comp with windscreen cover. For Xmas, I received a large (in excess of 14inchs) crack on my windscreen. Car in question is a boggo 2017 Mazda 3.

Called Autoglass direct (as per Admiral info) and after dealing with someone for a protracted period of time was told he needed to "check something" and would call me back. Get call back, advised that because my car is 5 years old Admiral won't cover me for a new screen and I'll have to pay circa £590 out of my own pocket. Is this correct? I've never heard of this before, a car needs a functioning windscreen regardless of age, and 5 years old hardly means the car is past it's best.

I'm currently on hold with Admiral (been transferred 3 times, currently spent 75mins in total on line to them). Hopefully I'll get to speak to someone who can tell me if my Admiral windscreen cover actually covers me for a windscreen before my MOT runs out sometime in the summer.

Moderator edit: less of the offensive language please

Admiral replaced the windscreen on my 3-series with an OE windscreen (because mine was the thermal protection polarised optional type and apparently there isn't a cheap pattern version of it).

The car was definitely more than 5 years old when that happened.

I think you've got caught in a crack (har, har) in the process. I'd suggest calling admiral directly, or calling autoglass back again because what you describe isn't normal in my experience.

Admiral may have changed their policy wording. Have you read your policy?

[LF5335]

Toilet Duck said:

Seasons greetings,

For my sins I am insured with Admiral, fully comp with windscreen cover. For Xmas, I received a large (in excess of 14inchs) crack on my windscreen. Car in question is a boggo 2017 Mazda 3.

Called Autoglass direct (as per Admiral info) and after dealing with someone for a protracted period of time was told he needed to "check something" and would call me back. Get call back, advised that because my car is 5 years old Admiral won't cover me for a new screen and I'll have to pay circa £590 out of my own pocket. Is this correct? I've never heard of this before, a car needs a functioning windscreen regardless of age, and 5 years old hardly means the car is past it's best.

I'm currently on hold with Admiral (been transferred 3 times, currently spent 75mins in total on line to them). Hopefully I'll get to speak to someone who can tell me if my Admiral windscreen cover actually covers me for a windscreen before my MOT runs out sometime in the summer.

Moderator edit: less of the offensive language please

This isn’t right.

When did your policy start, there’s four dates on the link I’ve attached, Windscreen Cover is one page long and around page 12 / Section 3 on all of them and it doesn’t state a 5 year limit anywhere at all. Either you’ve got a level of insurance that doesn’t offer windscreen cover at all, or you’ve got windscreen cover, there is no differentiation at all other than that. There is no small print in there, no hiding place, no nothing, just a simple, clear to read table and a few bullet points telling you what’s covered and what they will pay for.

https://www.admiral.com/existing-customers/policy-...

[Countdown]

That is an odd exclusion. Why would it being over 5 years old be some kind of limit for making windscreen claims?

I think you definitely need to go via Admiral rather than direct to Autoglass. I had a heated windscreen repaired on a Mk1 Focus a few years ago and only paid the £75 excess.

[TarquinMX5]

Nobody on here will know; you need to read your policy and, depending what it says, speak with the insurer. Not all policies from the same company are worded exactly the same.

I'm not saying it's right, nor that it's wrong. Nor am I saying that I agree with it, simply that my view is irrelevant.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

TarquinMX5 said:

I'm not saying it's right, nor that it's wrong. Nor am I saying that I agree with it, simply that my view is irrelevant.

That made me chuckle out loud!

Edited by 2 sMoKiN bArReLs on Thursday 29th December 17:12

[LF5335]

TarquinMX5 said:

Nobody on here will know; you need to read your policy and, depending what it says, speak with the insurer. Not all policies from the same company are worded exactly the same.

I'm not saying it's right, nor that it's wrong. Nor am I saying that I agree with it, simply that my view is irrelevant.

I’ve just posted the only four policy booklets that exist for Admiral policies above. All he has to do is read the one that fits in with the date that his policy started.

For info, the windscreen cover is more or less identical in all of them, insofar as none of them have a 5 year time limit clause.

[595Heaven]

Very strange - I think they've got that wrong. Looking at their Policy documents online. there is nothing to suggest an age restriction:

https://www.admiral.com/existing-customers/policy-...

What is not covered
1. The excess shown on your current Policy Schedule
2. The replacement of the hood/roof structure of a convertible car
3. Any windscreens or windows not made of glass e.g. Perspex
4. We will not pay more than the market value of the vehicle at the time of loss
5. We will not provide a courtesy car.

Did they add any strange exclusion to your Schedule of Insurance?

[Court_S]

Haven’t used Admiral for a long time, but that seems like an odd exclusion.

Will be interesting to hear what they have to say should you managed to get through to them.

[vikingaero]

I imagine the OP has got a rogue call agent who doesn't know arse from elbow.

Ring up again, ask for the new agents name, ask them to confirm to you that the call is recorded, say you wish to make a complaint and will escalate to the FOS if necessary.

[CraigyMc]

vikingaero said:

I imagine the OP has got a rogue call agent who doesn't know arse from elbow.

Never attribute to incompetence that which can be attributed to malice.

[sixor8]

Several insurance companies offer fully comprehensive at a slight discount that does NOT include windscreen cover. Hastings Essentials is one and there are others too. Shouldn't be permitted in my eyes, F/C should mean w/screen included to even be described as such.

The age of the vehicle should be immaterial, I have windscreen cover as part of my cover on a 47 year old car!