Toshiba Car Insurance - Windscreen Damage.

Tony1452 · March 14, 2023

Afternoon all. I’ve discovered a 10” scratch on my front windscreen. It’s low down on the screen, just below the blades. It’s likely to develop into a crack.I can’t live with that on my windscreen, it’s staring at me. I’ve no idea how it happened but it’s there and it happened on my driveway during the snow period last week. I know it wasn’t there on Wednesday, as it is not showing up on my dashcam. I only discovered it on the Saturday when the snow had well cleared.

My car is insured with Toyota insurance. I’ve been given a bit of a runaround since I reported it. Initially, I was told that Autoglass carry out their repairs and then this afternoon I received a call to tell me that they don’t do repairs for Toyota, instead it’s Auto Windscreens. I’ve asked for an OEM replacement, that’s if it is considered suitable for a replacement. My excess is £100 only. However, I’ve not been asked to pay that until my insurers approve an OEM replacement. The Auto Windscreens operator told me that I might have to pay extra, depending on the insurance company’s attitude.

Toyota claim that they only entertain the correct replacements for Toyota/Lexus cars, so I’m hoping that I won’t be charged anything more than my excess. Has anybody had experience with Toyota insurance and replacement screen glass? Cheers!

PaulWhitt20 · March 14, 2023

Check the rain sensing wipers still work after they have replaced the screen.

Do you use an ice scraper to clear the frost, this can cause scratches.

Mr_Groundhog · March 14, 2023

if it's a thin, simple crack, a CarGlass type of repair will leave it like new and without the bother of changing the whole windscreen

cdmaskell · March 14, 2023

Will they repair a 10 inch “scratch”.? I doubt it. As previously stated make sure everything works, if it is not OEM. If it was scratch would this be considered as cracked screen then be void of a claim?

mikejt · March 14, 2023

My insurance company required a quote for a OEM windscreen from Lexus and I paid a bit more as I didn't want the Autoglass one. The dealer got their local glass people to fit it. It took the dealer three days as first screen damaged on delivery so had to wait for another. The dealer online survey didn't go well.

mikejt · March 14, 2023

Incidentally my screen cracked in the winter too.

Tony1452 · March 14, 2023

Evening all and thanks for your replies. I checked out Toyota Insurance UK, with Trustpilot. They don’t have a single review in there that gives them the thumbs up. In fact not a single reviewer gives them anything more than the lowest (one star). In fact if zero was the lowest, I’m sure that’s what the reviewers, or most of them, would give.

I decided to call Auto Windscreens and ask them to hold back on my claim to Toyota Insurance, asking for the damage to be checked by a fitter first for a possible repair, before Toyota become involved. Well, the claim has been emailed to them, but the Auto Windscreens operator advised me that it was unlikely that the damage would be suitable for repair. I was given an email address (for the first time) for a fitter to check it out via an image I’ve sent them..

Hopefully, the next time I come back to the board it will be with good news. Hopefully!

I'm quite shocked about the Toyota insurance review though. They really are awful.

Tony1452 · March 14, 2023

2 hours ago, mikejt said:

My insurance company required a quote for a OEM windscreen from Lexus and I paid a bit more as I didn't want the Autoglass one. The dealer got their local glass people to fit it. It took the dealer three days as first screen damaged on delivery so had to wait for another. The dealer online survey didn't go well.

Mike, i think my screen may have been caused by the very cold weather too. But I thought that a Lexus screen would be tougher than that.

NemesisUK · March 14, 2023

4 minutes ago, Tony1452 said:

Mike, i think my screen may have been caused by the very cold weather too. But I thought that a Lexus screen would be tougher than that.

Pretty sure any screen would be tougher than that. Cars (and their screens) go through far greater extremes of temperature than we owners are ever likely to experience. I'd suggest there was a flaw or damage existing prior to the cold weather.

Tony1452 · March 14, 2023

4 hours ago, PaulWhitt20 said:

Check the rain sensing wipers still work after they have replaced the screen.

Do you use an ice scraper to clear the frost, this can cause scratches.

Thanks Paul, but I haven’t scraped the windows to remove frost ever. I don’t bother going out if it’s frosted up. The years have caught up with me, I’m afraid.

mikejt · March 14, 2023

Yes my screen cracked and 12v Battery failed the same, very frosty, weekend. I wasn't a Lexus fan then. At least the screens are laminated these days so you don't have a pile of glass bits all over you as when they were only zone toughened.

mikejt · March 14, 2023

Also I believe the bonded in screens add to the cars rigidity too.

Mr_Groundhog · March 15, 2023

12 hours ago, Tony1452 said:

I'm quite shocked about the Toyota insurance review though. They really are awful.

I'm not saying this is the case (I dunno) but more often than not, we expect services to work. That means a majority of the people who actually bother taking the time and leave a (bad) review are the ones who had a bad experience with something.

For instance: I always had positive experiences renting cars with Hertz or Avis (touch wood), but when you go online you see lots of horror stories in the reviews.

wharfhouse · March 15, 2023

I've had two replacement windscreens on my IS 300h, both non-OEM and IMHO both were as good as the OEM so I wouldn't worry unduly about that. However, the issue you do have to take care over is the fitters (regardless of OEM of non-OEM screen). The first screen I had replaced all seemed to go well, but after a few months I noticed that the windscreen at the passenger side was starting to mist overnight as it got colder. Then realised the the passenger side carpet was becoming damp. After much hunting traced it to drips coming from behind the dashboard near the glovebox. Didn't at that time equate this to the windscreen replacement and so asked Lexus to check what was going on. The tech removed the panel at the end of the dashboard and said that the leak was coming from the windscreen (they didn't charge me for this for which I was very grateful). So went back to the windscreen fitters and showed them the Lexus report. The windscreen fitters ordered another screen and took the old one out and found that there was some fitment that should have been put in the top of the windscreen but wasn't done and hence the leak at that point - so they took full responsibility and fitted the new screen which has been fine since. The only thing I did notice was that the passenger wiper blade was sat higher than before the screen was replaced and so after checking where is should sit on some other IS 300hs I took it off and put it back in the correct position.

ikeja · March 15, 2023

I had a non OEM windscreen replaced by Autoglass and have not had any problems.

Tony1452 · March 15, 2023

Afternoon all and thanks again for your very useful replies. I had a call from Auto Windscreens this morning. My insurance company (Toyota) have approved an OEM screen. Also, the image I sent to Auto Windscreens has been looked at and the damage is not suitable for repair. Apparently the work will be carried out next week, on my driveway.

I had a Nextbase dashcam fitted a few months after purchase, so I asked Auto windscreens if their fitter will be removing it and putting it back in place. The answer was a definite no. I was told that the screen will automatically connect to the auto windscreen wipers. We’ll see. All these things are sent to try us. Thanks all.

NemesisUK · March 15, 2023

Make sure they recalibrate any ADAS systems associated with the windscreen. Don't assume the wipers will operate correctly as every screen has a different transparency, get them to demonstrate correct operation

Tony1452 · March 15, 2023

2 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

Make sure they recalibrate any ADAS systems associated with the windscreen. Don't assume the wipers will operate correctly as every screen has a different transparency, get them to demonstrate correct operation

Thanks, will do. They don’t remove the next base dash cam either. Hopefully I have the spare suction pad that came with the original dashcam.

Mikey B · March 15, 2023

Had a non OEM screen fitted by autoglass a few months ago - no issue and very easy to organise - just gave them my insurance details, paid the excess and they did it on my drive - auto wipers/lights work just as before

Tony1452 · March 28, 2023

Well, the windscreen was finally fitted yesterday, Auto Windscreens had cancelled my first appointment one week ago. The fitter, who knew his stuff, thought a small stone had caused it as there was a tiny point of impact at the bottom of the crack. Probably from a gritting vehicle during all that snow. I had my car on the drive, facing the road for a few days. No matter all seems to be ok now. The Lexus logo being displayed on the screen has cheered me up.

Thanks all for replying.