Monday, 22 September 2014

New technology eliminates free windscreen replacement With new te

With new technology such as head-up display becoming more popular, windscreens are more expensive to replace

This in turn has an impact on the ‘free’ replacement windscreen element in many insurance policies.

Many motorists have taken the ‘free’ extra for granted for some years now, but with the invention of panoramic screens, eye trackers and augmented reality GPS, replacing windscreens at no extra cost to the policyholider is unlikely to remain viable for much longer.

While the new additions should make driving safer, the cost of replacement has risen dramatically (a panoramic screen could cost upwards of £1,000), with not only the parts being more expensive, but they are more likely to require specialist fitters.

Dr Chris Davies, head of technical research and innovation at Autoglass said, ‘More sophisticated technologies may require different fitting procedures and a higher level of expertise to perform additional actions such as the calibration of sensors. All of these factors can mean that the cost of replacement may be higher.’

Some insurers refuse to cover panoramic screens or have added them to the main policy, meaning a new screen would be a claim in itself, therefore impacting no-claims discounts and future premiums.

The advent of these new technologies could see premiums rise to account for the extra costs.