Rear Windscreen Smashed by Strimmer!

[Short Grain]

Good Afternoon.

Just had my rear windscreen smashed by an stone thrown up by a strimmer! Gardener for the retirement complex opposite me happily strimming away then 'ping, tinkle tinkle' "Oh Crap!"

Strangely two holes in rear windscreen?! One at each bottom corner. Probably one is a stress fracture when the stone hit, can't see 2 stones hitting exactly opposite! Anyway, windscreen covered, Hastings Direct, 'wont impact premium', according to comprehensive policy, we'll see (cynical head on) Approved screen replacement through National Windscreens, anybody had any dealings with them. Have asked for prices for a 15 plate Golf TDI for a proper VW screen, and an aftermarket screen as well! At least the guy fessed up to it immediately and says he will pay, even for a taxi for me to collect some important drugs (prescription), tomorrow, through his insurance if necessary. He can't really be too awkward about it as a complaint to the complex owners would impact his contract there according to him, so all good in that respect.
Main reason for the post, apart from a frustrated , has anybody had dealings with National Windscreen? Rang at 13:30, Hastings transferred me straight to NW, no return call from them so far 16:50!
Thankfully car is reasonably secure, the gardener and I spent almost 2 hours digging out bits of glass and sealing the car both inside the rear and outside so hopefully little glass will drop inside or out and the dark clouds have passed so hopefully no rain tonight!
Not on a through road so only site traffic and only visitors to retirement home or our flats so not many people will see it! Fitted with a really good Tunart steering lock and alarmed, which went off as we were cleaning up so at least I know it works, and what it actually sounds like! Sorry for War & Peace!!


TLDR - Anybody dealt with National Windscreens through insurance?

Many Thanks, Short Grain

[Ninja59]

I won't lie I have heard nothing positive about them. Additionally I have sometimes seen mside windows and rear windows go down as a claim because they are not a "windscreen", which seems a tad petty, but I suppose true.

If you are concerned then it might be worth a conversation with Paul (Glasstec aka glassman on here). He will ensure it is OEM as well. It might be more costly, but at least it will be done "right".

[Short Grain]

Ninja59 said:

I won't lie I have heard nothing positive about them. Additionally I have sometimes seen mside windows and rear windows go down as a claim because they are not a "windscreen", which seems a tad petty, but I suppose true.

If you are concerned then it might be worth a conversation with Paul (Glasstec aka glassman on here). He will ensure it is OEM as well. It might be more costly, but at least it will be done "right".

Cheers Ninja59, will look him up! Still no reply and if HD try claiming it's not a 'windscreen' you might hear the explosion! It's called a 'rear windscreen' surely! HD did transfer me directly to NW so hopefully have already 'agreed'. It may get expensive for the gardener! I'll be calling HD first thing tomorrow to complain nobody getting back to me. What would they do for someone actually on the road ffs?

[Cold]

Given that the gardener (or at least his insurance company) will be footing the bill, why not just use a replacement service of your choice? You aren't tied in to the company your own insurance company recommends.

[Short Grain]

Cold said:

Given that the gardener (or at least his insurance company) will be footing the bill, why not just use a replacement service of your choice? You aren't tied in to the company your own insurance company recommends.

Yep, already thinking about it. As suggested by Ninja, maybe Glassman would like the business. My choice as far as I'm concerned. Gardener has public liability insurance, he says, and I got the impression he is legit. Has to be, considering the retirement home etc. I just want to be put back in the same position I was before. Just a ball ache I don't really need!

[Short Grain]

Short Grain said:

Cold said:

Given that the gardener (or at least his insurance company) will be footing the bill, why not just use a replacement service of your choice? You aren't tied in to the company your own insurance company recommends.

Yep, already thinking about it. As suggested by Ninja, maybe Glassman would like the business. My choice as far as I'm concerned. Gardener has public liability insurance, he says, and I got the impression he is legit. Has to be, considering the retirement home etc. I just want to be put back in the same position I was before. Just a ball ache I don't really need!

edit to add: Glassman emailed

[TUS373]

I am in the process of waiting for National to replace a front windscreen through Tesco insurance. It is taking an age with distinct lack of communication. I tend to get a text from them to call back. That is then hit and miss.

Been 2 weeks now with expectation of getting replacement done next week.

[sixor8]

Rear windscreens are not, I'd have thought, kept in stock by any of the windscreen companies.

You may have a wait, and it may even be classed as an insurance claim, it not being the front.

[kiethton]

Had this 2 weeks ago.

Local council grass cutters, admitted doing it but claimed not negligent and told me to ps off in more polite legal speak.

Ended up making a glass claim, it was national.

They were booked in for a Friday, after waiting around there is a call at lunchtime saying the fitter is "sick" and to come to the depot - a challenge given it was just my wife with a 5m old baby. She manages to get a sitter and heads to the depot.

When there they have ordered the wrong side window but have a windscreen (thought to get the two done together under the same claim as the windscreen had ~6 large chips). 4 hours later and they are done, with the windscreen.

They come to the house and fit the mis-ordered window a few days later.

They knocked 20% off our excess payable as a sorry.

[Mandat]

Cold said:

Given that the gardener (or at least his insurance company) will be footing the bill, why not just use a replacement service of your choice? You aren't tied in to the company your own insurance company recommends.

Short Grain said:

Yep, already thinking about it. As suggested by Ninja, maybe Glassman would like the business. My choice as far as I'm concerned. Gardener has public liability insurance, he says, and I got the impression he is legit. Has to be, considering the retirement home etc. I just want to be put back in the same position I was before. Just a ball ache I don't really need!

I would check that the gardener's insurance will cover your glass claim.

I suspect that they will say that the gardener was not negligent, and therefore not liable for your damage / cost of repair.

[Sebring440]

Mandat said:

I suspect that they will say that the gardener was not negligent, and therefore not liable for your damage / cost of repair.

You "suspect"? Any actual experience of this happening?

[Sebring440]

sixor8 said:

it may even be classed as an insurance claim, it not being the front.

Do you actually have a car, and an insurance policy? Then have a read. It will explain about glass claims, front windscreens, rear windscreens, side glass, etc, and how they (may) have different excesses.

The OP is claiming from the strimmer-guy anyway.

[jonwm]

My wife was a supervisor in the call centre for about 10 years, its not the best place but generally do a decent job with windows!

[Easternlight]

Avoid National windscreens if at all possible.
It took them six, yes six attempts to change my screen recently every screen was damaged when it got to me .
Check the screen very carefully before letting them fit it.

[Mandat]

Sebring440 said:

You "suspect"? Any actual experience of this happening?

I am not an insurance expert, but I do know that liability is based on negligence. No negligence = no liability.

The insurer may pay out on the glass claim, or alternatively they may challenge the claim on the basis of a lack of negligence.

This is why I qualified my previous post with "suspect", as I don't know which way the insurer will go.

[Its Just Adz]

I had a rear screen replaced by them on a Octavia VRS estate. I rang round getting quotes to do it without insurance and it just wasn't worth doing, so rang insurance and they did it for free.
NW were brilliant, turned up when they said they would ( I left car at home with partner that day ) and they did a great job, even cleaned some bits of glass out that I'd missed.

[Glassman]

Short Grain said:

edit to add: Glassman emailed

Received, and replied.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Mandat said:

Sebring440 said:

You "suspect"? Any actual experience of this happening?

I am not an insurance expert, but I do know that liability is based on negligence. No negligence = no liability.

The insurer may pay out on the glass claim, or alternatively they may challenge the claim on the basis of a lack of negligence.

This is why I qualified my previous post with "suspect", as I don't know which way the insurer will go.

Correct. Personally, I would have thought that a professional gardener using a strimmer in the vicinity of other's property should be checking the area is stone free before starting. But I'm no gardener, I don't know how practical that is, what gardeners usually do, or what constitutes taking reasonable steps to prevent damage occurring in these circumstances.

[sixor8]

Sebring440 said:

sixor8 said:

it may even be classed as an insurance claim, it not being the front.

Do you actually have a car, and an insurance policy? Then have a read. It will explain about glass claims, front windscreens, rear windscreens, side glass, etc, and how they (may) have different excesses.

The OP is claiming from the strimmer-guy anyway.

Er, driving 40 years. I was merely mentioning the possibility, I didn't scurry over to read my policy.

I claimed for a side window thot got broke on a classic policy on a Lotus in the 1990s and although I'd done it, oops... I said it had been 'vandalised' to claim under the glass policy. But that was in the days when the excess on a windscreen was £25 and side glass, perhaps £10 or even nothing? It's over £100 with some companies now.

[Glassman]

It used to be that Fully Comprehensive cover would indemnify for any glass breaking on the car. For side windows that same glass claim would even extend to any damage to the paintwork as a result of the breakage. Exceptions were for cabriolet roof glass, panoramic roofs or polycarb windows.

I had a call two days ago from a distressed lady who managed to lock her keys in the car, and broke a side window to get back in (plus also her two Frenchies were in the car, so she didn't want to long it out in any way). She was told be her insurer that the side glass was not included on her glass cover.