Hells bells, the price of windscreens these days!

Manufacturers keep sticking wires and sensors in them these days - massively more expensive as a result 

Yep, think mine last year would have been about the same. Mine has those tiny filament heating wires in it to defrost which I’m guessing ups the price and the front facing cameras for detecting Road signs (although not part of the windscreen) probably pushes up the installation costs too. Would never get car insurance without it as it’s not even usually a result of crappy driving, just bad luck they get damaged.

Just thank your stars you don't have a motorhome - circa £4k for an A Class screen!

Turns out panoramic sunroofs are also covered under windscreen cover. A workmate managed to crash his model plane onto a car, turned out cheaper than he was expecting.

I was chatting to the mobile mechanic who fixed my wingmirror a few months ago. He was telling me about how all the tech in modern cars was making them uneconomical to repair. Some manufacturers don't even allow the front grill to be repainted due to radars/sensors behind them.

I didn't select windscren cover on mine, but looking at the policy I pay an excess:

Windscreen repair £15.00
Windscreen replacement £100.00
Using your own repairer £200.00

It's not a smart windscreen with built in facebook and all that jazz though.

Doesn't seem too bad... it doesnt specify if that would affect any NCB though, I don't think it does normally.

Would never get car insurance without it as it’s not even usually a result of crappy driving, just bad luck they get damaged.

Dunno what it was about it, but the work transit van was really prone to the windscreen getting chipped/cracked. I worked there on and off for 7 years and I think the screen got replaced 5 times? It didn't even do that many miles, think it only averaged 5k/year. Dunno if it's a van thing getting hit with things that would fly over the car in front? But that was always £600 a go.

Auto glass replacement cost – £769!!!

Inflation 🤷‍♂️

Last time I had my car's done was ~ 2016, it was £450 IIRC (Basic Ford, so heated, but no cameras etc).

Brexit + 10%
Last 2 years inflation + 15%

The other 4 years ~2.5% ^4.

I had a brand new (rental) Mercedes Sprinter camper van when on holiday in Utah. It got a crack in windscreen from a stone chip. 

Cost $315USD to replace (inc labour) so I think someone is ripping you guys off!

Pfft amatures. £26k for some old banger.. https://uk.motor1.com/news/697006/mclaren-f1-windscreen-cost/

i get through a couple a year.
Comes of living somewhere where studded tyres are in use

so I think someone is ripping you guys off!

Depends totally on whats involved in replacing the screen. If it's just the glass getting the screen replaced independently can actually be cheaper than the excess on your windscreen cover from your insurer. If the car has things like heat elements or rain sensors thats going to add cost though. If there are parts of the lane detection system in or behind the screen its not just the cost of the components its getting that whole system recalibrated that adds to the cost

Turns out panoramic sunroofs are also covered under windscreen cover

Nope! Several insurers don't do them. Check your policy wording if you have a big pane of glass as a roof.

Yep, think mine last year would have been about the same. Mine has those tiny filament heating wires in it to defrost which I’m guessing ups the price and the front facing cameras for detecting Road signs (although not part of the windscreen) probably pushes up the installation costs too.

I used to regularly take cars down to Autoglass at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol to have windscreens replaced, because the cameras need to be calibrated, and it takes two and a half hours, so I’d happily adjourn to the Maccy D next door for lunch and a couple of drinks and read a book while they fixed it. Add on the hours drive each way, and that was a big chunk out of my day. Replacing a screen on a Range Rover can cost £1200…
A replacement screen for my 2000 Ford Puma would have cost £750 even back then.

Dunno what it was about it, but the work transit van was really prone to the windscreen getting chipped/cracked. I worked there on and off for 7 years and I think the screen got replaced 5 times? It didn’t even do that many miles, think it only averaged 5k/year. Dunno if it’s a van thing getting hit with things that would fly over the car in front? But that was always £600 a go.

Part of the problem with vans is they’re taller than cars, with a flatter front, and a significantly bigger screen, so the perfect target for flying objects. I was delivering a car to a dealer and saw something coming towards me from the opposite carriageway of the dual carriageway I was on, there was a loud bang and what I later realised was a bolt hit the very edge of the screen and put a 3” crack in the glass. You could see the impact points of the head and end of the bolt. The dealership wasn’t very impressed. But what can you do at 70mph?
Another reason is that windscreens are a lot thinner these days, to save weight - I was told this by an Autoglass fitter.

I managed to cause a big split in my windscreen by bumping into the rearview mirror with my head! The Autoglass repairer said it was not uncommon!

My car is on its 4th screen in the 10 years I've had it.

One of them was the local garage who dropped a tool on it during a service and put a crack right at the very lower edge - almost unnoticeable had they not pointed it out and admitted it. They paid the excess on that occasion.

Everything else has always been covered on insurance thankfully with a minimal excess. The fitter was very relieved when he found out it didn't have cameras and sensors on the front , only took him 15 minutes.

Cool starry bra time...

Back in my claims handling days we got a claim in from the solicitor for a badly injured pedestrian. Got our details from the Police report.

No accident report from our policyholder. But there was an Autoglass claim from the day after.

Guess what had broken the windscreen.....

Do note that a claim for a new windscreen has to be declared when renewing / changing insurer. Also many insurers will only cover so many replacements in a specified timescale. Mine is 2 in 3 years.

The reason i know this is i just had my third windscreen in 3 years installed this week. And even before that my insurance had jumped significantly, at least in part as i duly declared the previous two.

And yes, heated screens with all the sensor attachments are £££££ 😪

I sold my Transit custom back to Ford and on the way to drop it off I got a crack in the screen . Debris from a muck away lorry who hadn’t pulled his cover over the top !
They knocked £200 off the price they gave me as they gave me the trade price for replacement .
Picked up new van the following week from VW and got a chip in the windscreen on the way back 🤦‍♂️
Paid £30 to the local guy to fix that one . You only see it if you look really hard.

Previously had 3 screens replaced in various cars, always had them sorted on the insurance.
They have always meant an increase in premiums for me. It’s not like the insurance company is going to give you a free screen is it ( your excess probably just about covers the paperwork )

I'm on a BMW i4 FB group, and I'm sure I recall someone saying it was north of £2k for a screen for one of those due all the sensors and camera stuff.

Dunno what it was about it, but the work transit van was really prone to the windscreen getting chipped/cracked. I worked there on and off for 7 years and I think the screen got replaced 5 times? It didn’t even do that many miles, think it only averaged 5k/year. Dunno if it’s a van thing getting hit with things that would fly over the car in front? But that was always £600 a go.

Yeah, I've had a few vans and noted the same. I concur with you and the Count about the shape/aerodynamics.

Neighbours large Frankia Moho had a cracked screen last year; quoted £9k for replacement. Trouble was, the policy max payout was capped at £7.5k.

Ouch.

My insurers specifically say that a windscreen replacement does not need to be declared when you are getting quotes with other companies come renewal time.

Had a new screen put in my Fabia back in July and even for one without any sensors (I don't have any of that stuff thankfully) it was £900 for an unbranded one, the proper screen is £1400 fitted! Went through the insurers for it and got a Fuwei branded thing that's really thin and already has chips and scuffs from the wipers on it, looks just as worn after 15k as the original did after 175k.

Also many insurers will only cover so many replacements in a specified timescale. Mine is 2 in 3 years.

My previous Fiesta seemingly ate windscreens, over the 7 years I had that car it had 5! Had to pay for them privately after the third as I'd hit the 2 in 3 years rule and subsequent insurers wouldn't give me windscreen cover. Didn't seem to affect premiums though as I was always sub-£300 every year.

Do you have an £80k BMW M4 or was it a Kia Picanto on the M4 motorway ?

If it is the BMW then just think what a new headlight or discs and pads maybe or a major service 

I'm guessing it was on the M4 motorway 

My insurers specifically say that a windscreen replacement does not need to be declared when you are getting quotes with other companies come renewal time.

Intrigued how they know what other insurers' requirements are.

".....so I think someone is ripping you guys off!"

Back in the early 90s I bought a cheap car (old Astra) as a doer-upper. One of the issues was a cracked screen. I rang round all the windscreen places in SE London and all the quotes were in the region of £140-160. Seemed very expensive to me as a student so eventually settled on the cheapest I could find. I had a moan to the salesman about how expensive it was anyway. He said I shouldn't worry as the insurance would cover it. No insurance mate I told him as I am doing up a car in a shed. Oh, I should have said. If I was paying out of my own pocket it would be £50.!!!

What bugs me is that replacement Ford heated screens are never as good as the original. My Kuga screen has a few thin stripes on a cold morning rather than the perfect demisting the Fiesta had (until it was stolen).
They all have the Ford logo on them, but the factory keeps the good ones for themselves it seems.
Still, thank God for windscreen cover!

Oh, I should have said. If I was paying out of my own pocket it would be £50.!!!

I’ve had that conversation myself.

Whilst screens are getting thinner, the tipper drivers are often culprits. I’ve been passing them more than once to receive high velocity 20mm gravel to the screen. The most annoying was a 2 day old screen fitted for the mot due the following day. Luckily the glass repair kit from Halfords was enough to get it through.

We only bother to get screens done when it starts to get silly. I think my 6 month old Connect has a handful of large chips. I repair them when I spot them.

My record is 5 screens in a year. I’ve never seen a Connect screen fitted without damage either. It’s a big job that takes longer than the fitters want it to.

I get through a couple a year, it's what comes of living somewhere with studded tyres. The discarded studs can give the screen a nasty crack or chip.

Last one was actually a babies head sized rock that bounced off the back of a lorry coming from the roadworks, saw it approaching and took it slap bang in the middle off the screen, cracked inside and out in three places.

Glad they're nice solid screens. (They aren't actually getting thinner, the optics are getting better though, less distortion)

Unfortunately the last couple of cars have had the full array of sensors up to and including ACC/range finding and pilot assist/lane keeping aid. Cars before that had half of them in the grill, so a minor car park bump could have been north of 2k, and when it snows or rains nothing works properly.

My former C8 had a crack in the screen just out the prescribed area the whole time I had it, at the bottom so wasn't worried as the rake meant anything hitting that bit would have to be travelling near light speed to hit anything beyond the pool table sized dash.

Mondeo heated screen is knackered, it annoys me but meh.

Civic before all that was quite prone to cracking, I think it really depends on the shape which would make sense I guess.

I can't comment on cost but a couple of years ago had a windscreen chip repaired on an A8; soon after that it was in the dealership to check out a problem with a scuttle panel but the technician was a little careless and cracked the windscreen so...full replacement screen - at their cost.
Thanks JCT600!

I get through a couple a year, it’s what comes of living somewhere with studded tyres. The discarded studs can give the screen a nasty crack or chip.

I saw a car wrap guy on Facey was offering a film (think PPF but stronger) for windscreens. Think it was something like £400 to have it fitted.
Might be worth checking out if you get through that many screens.

Pretty sure screens already have such films built in.

Simple - they don't record a windscreen claim on any database.

What Welsh farmer said. Last week, replacement screen on 15 plate Vito on insurance was three times cost to do it privately without insurance. 

Simple – they don’t record a windscreen claim on any database.

Thanks that makes sense, but not why my insurer asks, or the previous one. YMMV.

Might be worth checking out if you get through that many screens.

Nah, they fog, degrade quicker than glass, once they do get some damage they tear and look awful (and restrict view). They also don't play nice with wiper blades...

I'll stick with getting new screens on the (sort of) insurance.

They paid the excess on that occasion.

They've done you there - they should be paying for a full replacement without involving your insurers, claiming off their own business insurance if needed.  As noted above: many insurers require you to declare windscreen claims, and your current one will certainly know about it at renewal time (though price impacts are probably pretty limited unless you've had loads of replacements).

I had a Toyota dealer break mine whilst replacing the windscreen motor the other week.  Replaced by them without question.  The windscreen motor and control stalk were covered under warranty on a 7.5 year old car too... though that probably still doesn't offset the added cost of main dealer servicing though!