So, the other day on my afternoon off I popped into one of our local towns and had a look around and on my way to Jakes early that evening, I was on a back road and was met by three very large trucks - the first one threw a load of water at my car, the second thought some mud was needed and the third decided that that wasn’t enough and some stones were needed as well… one of which caught the windscreen at just the wrong angle and chipped the windscreen.
Of course, I carried on and drove to Jakes, and only managed to assess the damage when I got there. It wasn’t a huge chip so I wasn’t hugely concerned as I don’t ever pour hot water over the windscreen, nor were we due a frost. However, I did go straight online to try and book a repair with a well-known windscreen repair company. After trying to navigate the website and answer their very specific measurement questions that led to myself and Jakes mum having to get a tape measure out to specifically measure just how big the chip actually was because it is quite literally a millimetres difference as to whether you can have to have your windscreen repaired or replaced…. I must say, this wasn’t the best website experience and nowhere did they ever tell you how much money you actually had to spend, so right up until they phoned me to book my appointment (which I thought I had already chosen and booked, but oh well) I didn’t know that I would have to pay £198 (and a bit) if I didn’t go through my insurance. I know I could have quite easily gone through my insurance without any problems however I just didn’t get a very good feeling from the whole experience. So, although I did keep the appointment for a few days, I must say I did cancel it (although that was a chore in itself) with the hope of finding a better experience elsewhere.
I thought the next best option was to instead go directly through my insurance making what I can only think to call a ‘minor claim’ as it won’t affect my no claims bonus, however you have to click on the ‘make a claim’ button on the app. I insure my car through Hastings direct and they have a very easy to use app that made the claim process very easy for this first-timer! The whole experience was entirely different from the original process, although the questions were mostly the same, the approach was entirely different and there seemed to be an additional level of reassurance at every stage. Hastings are associated with National Windscreens and they were in contact with me the same day to confirm my appointment, not just through email but also over the phone as well. The whole process was just so much easier, and I felt much more confident in the process. Right from the get go, I was aware and fully informed of the costs (for me £25 to repair and £85 to replace) which allowed me to be fully ready to pay on the day and factor it into my spending for this month, £25 isn’t necessarily so hard to come by, but £85 is a lot of money for some people and having the transparency of cost allowed for that. I still had to wait more than a week, although I did get the offer of a cancellation appointment but unfortunately, I was busy.
I selected a morning slot on the 26th January, I only did this so that I didn’t have to wait in all day and also so that I had a better idea of when they might turn up so I could do other things. Just before 11 o’clock there was a knock on the door (and I’ll be honest, I have completely no idea what the date is so at first I was confused as I was expecting them the next day, luckily I was in!) The guy quickly explained the process of what he was going to do and the risks involved of him repairing the windscreen (it was pretty much, there was the smallest chance of the process breaking the windscreen, however he had one in his van and it would cost the same as if it was just going to be replaced) and how long it would take. I agreed, gave him the car key as requested and then left him to it. Once he had completed the job he knocked the door again and I checked the windscreen, see below for a before and after, signed some documents to say he had completed the job and I was happy with it and then paid the £25 with my card. He was approximately half an hour, give or take from knocking on the door when he got here, to when he left. The whole process was so smooth and I could get straight in the car and drive away if I wanted or needed to! Couldn’t have asked for a better service!
Obviously, I can only speak from my experience, but if you are in the Southampton area, I would highly recommend National Windscreens. And if you are anywhere else in the country, I would say it’s worth a shot! I now have a completely safe windscreen that will allow the car to pass its MOT with no issues, which is fantastic as amazing as they were, I don’t want to be seeing them again in a hurry!
Thanks again to National Windscreens and to those of you who have read this blog post, thank you, speak soon!
Genevieve
Not an AD for Hastings or National Windscreens, just an honest experience, all views are mine and mine alone.
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