Cost of windscreen replacement with rain sensor?

[Smeghead]

Just looking for some ballpark figures for those of you who have already had this done.

I got a chip from a rogue pebble while driving on the motorway, and it's developed into a fairly large crack (~15cm) on the edge of the windscreen. My insurance excess is £85 for a replacement, but then I realised my windscreen has a rain sensor for automatic wipers (2013 Mazda 3). I'm waiting to hear back to get a quote from one place, but is this going to increase the cost massively compared to my expected ~£100 I thought i was going to have to pay?

 

[wedrum]

your insurance will cover it you just pay the excess.
its a mazda not a veyron.

 

[robj20]

Just looking for some ballpark figures for those of you who have already had this done.

I got a chip from a rogue pebble while driving on the motorway, and it's developed into a fairly large crack (~15cm) on the edge of the windscreen. My insurance excess is £85 for a replacement, but then I realised my windscreen has a rain sensor for automatic wipers (2013 Mazda 3). I'm waiting to hear back to get a quote from one place, but is this going to increase the cost massively compared to my expected ~£100 I thought i was going to have to pay?

Why would you have to pay anything but £85.

 

[mjt]

If your excess is £85, then it will cost you £85.

If you don't want to go through insurance, expect to pay north of £500.

 

[Cristian]

Why would you have to pay anything but £85.

Would this not increase insurance quotes next year?
I know that it doesn't affect NCB, but it will be on the policy as a "notification only" which can still have a significant impact on the policy come renewal time.

I was stationary when a bus overturned and scratched my wheel causing insignificant damage to me but a massive damage on its side. I didn't claim but decided to be responsible and let the insurance company know (and also cover my bottom in case the bus driver decided to be funny).

I was absolutely pummeled by 30-40% increases over the next 2-3 years due to this " involvement in a accident" according to the insurance database. Funny enough, I heard plenty people have minimal insurance price changes after a fault claim.

Would a windscreen claim not risk causing the same pain given that it will appear on your record?

 

[rhysduck]

No - it wont be on your record and won't increase premiums for the following year/s.

 

[Phemo]

I was under that impression too, but before I made my windscreen claim back in June last year I ran quotes for with and without a windscreen claim declared. The difference on my premium was only about £3 so it does seem to be treated differently to other types of claim.

I did this because I was wondering whether it would be cheaper to just stump up for the replacement out of my own pocket without dealing with increased premiums for a few years but since it seems to make next to no difference, for me at least, I just did it through insurance. I do of course have to declare a windscreen claim for 5 years which is a minor annoyance but it doesn't seem like I'm being shafted for it.

 

[rhysduck]

But windscreen claims are not a claim you have to declare so there's no reason that the premium will go up because it's a non-declarable claim.

 

[Phemo]

I guess it depends on the insurer. I just ran quotes through a comparison site (Confused) and it does ask if any claims have been made in the last 5 years, one of the options is windscreen. Difference with and without windscreen claim declared was around £3 on the policy with the same insurer.

 

[Cristian]

And this is the problem - it might be a "notification only" type of incident and cost you nothing today, but if it ends up biting you in the proverbial and cause an increase next year then it is an issue. It will make its way in the database and will be taken into account whether you declare it or not. Whether it makes any difference will vary by insurer...

 

[acemastr]

The rain sensor isn't built into the windscreen, the windscreen just has a clear bit for the sensor to see through.

Windscreens are (mostly) ridiculously expensive so it'll always be better go to through insurance