A look at car insurance and glass cover

While car insurance is a legal necessity in the UK it may not pay for your glass repairs unless you have a suitable level of cover in place.

Here we look at how car insurance works and how to ensure you have the cover needed for windscreen claims.

What level of cover do you need?

There are three types of car insurance available in the UK – they are:

- Third party only: This covers liability against injuries to others, damage to their property and also liability while towing a caravan or trailer.

- Third party, fire and theft: ‘Third party only' cover with the addition of protection for your own vehicle against fire damage, theft and theft-related damage.

- Comprehensive cover: Third party, fire and theft cover plus cover for the cost of repairs to your own vehicle in the event of an accident, subject to policy exclusions.

Comprehensive cover actually differs widely between insurers but will typically include features such as medical expenses, personal accident cover and accidental damage cover. Windscreen cover is also normally offered within comprehensive car insurance policies but is not normally covered in third party policies unless it is offered for an additional premium.

Remember too that even if your policy appears to cover windscreen damage as standard you should still read the terms and conditions carefully and see what exclusions apply – exclusions are circumstances in which you will not be covered. For example, you may not be protected against cracks and damages that occur while taking your vehicle off-road.

So how does windscreen cover work?

Car insurance policies can differ widely between companies so you should always read the terms and conditions – but typically, windscreen cover will incorporate the repair or replacement of: broken glass in your car's windscreen or windows; broken glass in sunroofs; and scratches to the bodywork caused by broken glass.

Typically windscreen cover carries a separate excess payment to the rest of the policy. Whereas you will usually agree to pay a compulsory excess (plus a voluntary excess) towards car insurance claims, windscreen claims usually carry a much lower excess often in the region of £50-£60. Indeed with some insurers you may not have to pay an excess at all if the glass can be repaired and does not need to be replaced.

However, because of this separate excess payment, many car insurance companies will stipulate that there should be no other loss or damage to the vehicle when making a windscreen cover claim.

So should you make a claim for windscreen damage?

For relatively minor repairs, there may be no need to involve your insurance company – you may decide it's more cost effective to approach a repair company directly. This is because most insurers do apply an excess to windscreen repairs and yet minor issues – such as replacing wing mirror glass – can often be dealt with at a much cheaper rate.

However, for more expensive repairs or the replacement of glass, you may decide a car insurance claim is your best option. autoscreen.co.uk is able to carry out free chip repairs for customers with fully comprehensive cover subject to the level of cover and terms and conditions of the policy they have in place. Furthermore, Autoscreen.co.uk will also bill directly to insurance companies, so you don't have the hassle of dealing with payments directly.

One of the main concerns many customers have with making a car insurance claim for windscreen damage is the effect it will have on their no-claims discount. A no-claims bonus is a reward for staying claims free and could reduce premiums by as much as 60 per cent after four or more years. However, making a typical car insurance claim will usually wipe out two years' of no-claims bonus.

The good news however, is that many car insurance companies treat windscreen claims separately from other claims and so they don't always affect your no-claims bonus. You should still check with your insurer however, before making a claim.

How to keep premiums in check

If your car insurance premiums have increased as a result of making a claim then consider the following steps to bring costs down:

- Agree to a mileage limit: If you don't use your car too frequently then consider a mileage cap which could lower premiums.

- Boost security: Many insurers offer discounts if you fit approved devices such as car alarms and immobilisers to limit the risk of theft. You may also be able to save by parking in a locked garage overnight.

- Limit named drivers: Don't add drivers to your policy unnecessarily, particularly if they are inexperienced as they may cause your premiums to rise.

- Pay annually: You may be able to avoid interest charges by paying premiums upfront.

- Shop around: Use a comparison website to shop around for cheap car insurance during every renewal period. Just remember to check the terms and conditions of each policy to make sure you're getting the level of cover you need.