According to Siim Siimer, Product Manager of Vehicle and Machinery Insurance at Seesam, it looks like this year is going to be a record-breaking year for glass damage – the winter that left early left plenty of stone chips and potholes behind, which started to give rise to chips, scratches and cracks on car windows even before the end of February.

He says that the following months will bring a lot of work for insurance companies who help customers fix damage that has become more and more frequent due to the spring weather. The representative of Seesam states that almost every second comprehensive insurance claim in spring involves glass damage – 97% of them constitute namely windscreen damage.

“Given how quickly spring has begun, it is very likely that this season will result in more glass repairs than usual. Insurance generally provides cover for glass damage with either no deductible or a 10% deductible, but it is worth bearing in mind that not all glass damage is subject to indemnification,” he said.

According to him, claims handlers come across a few claims every year where a car owner wants the insurance company to replace the windscreen of a car that had already been so damaged, worn-out or faded before the chip arose that it would have had to be replaced.

“Insurance is meant for coping with unexpected situations, for example if the glass damage is caused by an unexpected impact or collision with another vehicle or other object. The insurance may refuse to indemnify the damage if it can be seen that the driver has not taken care of the windscreen. This is why the insurance does not cover the damage arisen, for example, in the course of cleaning the glass from ice or snow, or due to little stones or fine dust stuck between the windscreen wipers,” the insurance expert explained.

He says that driving with worn-out or scratched glass is extremely dangerous because the bright spring sun makes the damaged glass virtually opaque. “To prevent this, it is worth making sure that no dirt has accumulated between the windscreen wipers, and they must also be washed and replaced regularly,” he said.

The representative of Seesam states that the most frequent comprehensive insurance claims involve chips caused by stones flying onto the windscreen and cracks arisen as a result of driving through a pothole. In the event of these, it is also possible for the car owner to mitigate the risks, Siimer confirmed.

“The smaller the distance you keep with other road users, the more likely it is that the flight path of a stone from under the wheels of the car ahead of you will also land onto the windscreen, bumper, bonnet, grille, etc., of your car. Sufficient distance, attention similar to that in slippery season and a speed that allows safe overtaking also help avoid potholes which, when driven through, can lead to cracks in the windscreen or much worse damage as a result of any older chip or due to the stress transmitted to the body of the car as a result of a shock,” Siimer said.

According to him, if a chip has arisen in the glass of a car, it must be dealt with immediately. “You should certainly not put off repairing the chip until the future – by then, it may have already become a crack that restricts your view and may also be more time-consuming to repair. Contact your insurance company immediately, most insurance companies handle glass damage very quickly,” the insurer advised.