Windscreen replacement on GT3, insurance attitude - Page 3 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Hi , my windscreen has cracked and Admiral want to replace with a non OEM part that looks very different . Anyone had experience of this ?

this crops up a lot, sometime the insurers relent. Do you have a warranty? If you can use that as an argument to get a Porsche original.

Speak to Glassman on here. I’ve used him for both insurance work and directly invoiced work.

Yep Glassman will no doubt be along shortly. Lots of dodgy replacement screens available even some which say Porsche on but actually aren't. The ramifications for warranty and ongoing issues are obvious. Admiral may want you to use one of their 'approved' Companies but stand your ground you must insist on oem but they may try and hit you with excessive costs. When taking out insurance it is always advisable to get the insurer to confirm in writing that in the event of a claim (for repairs including glass replacement) that you a free to chose your own repaiter at no extra cost/penalty to yourself.

Jan 2022 I had my screen replaced on my 991.2 GT3 by my OPC, total cost was - 2,100, for labour and screen. Locktons arranged reimbursement via the underwriter, Aviva, no qualms at all. I had a chat with the Admiral claims department a few week back to confirm where a vehicle goes when an accident arises. The bottom line - stick to your guns, insist you want take it where you want the work done because Admiral stated, ''yes, we have our approved repairers but, you can take it to the one you want to use'' Admiral said they will want to see all quotations from your OPC before the work is started, so they know the cost to them but, I suppose this is the case with all insurers. As I say, do insist.

FriedMarsBar said: this crops up a lot, sometime the insurers relent. Do you have a warranty? If you can use that as an argument to get a Porsche original. This is a good point to use, non oem product could affect your future warranty claims.

Another vote for Paul: https://glasstecpaul.com/ Your insurance provider I think has to allow you to choose your own (“non approved”) repairer for replacement. You will have to pay the total invoice and send them the receipt. I’m doing the same right now through Glasstec for our Golf, and my insurer has told me they will cover the total cost of replacement (minus excess) as long as the screen used is in line with the value of the car (their words). Have had an OE GT3 screen replacement through Glasstec previously and installation was excellent.

Thanks everyone . I did stipulate at the time of inception , I wanted the option of choosing the repairer . So will stick to my guns and let you know how Admiral behave .

From my experience thus far with Admiral (my son is going through a no fault claim with them) they have been pretty good. They would rather you use their approved repairers as they have automatic approval to do the work, but you can use your own repair centre should you wish. It just takes a little longer as their estimators need to agree that the repair cost is reasonable. I'd like to say it would be the same with a windscreen but who know? Keep us posted on your result.

Had the same. Explained that if they were willing to honour any other warranty claims that Porsche refused due to none OEM screen, such as electrics due to leaks for example, then they could sort it. If they wouldn’t put that in writing then OEM would be required. Had to jump through hoops to speak to a manager. Made me get a quote and then agreed it- their contract with you is highly unlikely to say you can only use their provider- it didn’t when mine was sorted. They’re just being difficult.

Interesting and worth bearing in mind thanks.

I'm going to start claim in the new year with Admiral for a new windscreen for my car P17 of the policy booklet states: "If we need to replace any glass, we may use glass which is not provided by the vehicle’s manufacturer but is of a similar standard and quality" I assume the way through that is to insist on using a different 'repairer' vs their standard service provider as that's permitted on P15 which covers the broader area of damage to the car Would be useful to know if anyone has any other info re how to insist on OEM though. Thanks

First Sea Lord said: I'm going to start claim in the new year with Admiral for a new windscreen for my car P17 of the policy booklet states: "If we need to replace any glass, we may use glass which is not provided by the vehicle’s manufacturer but is of a similar standard and quality" I assume the way through that is to insist on using a different 'repairer' vs their standard service provider as that's permitted on P15 which covers the broader area of damage to the car Would be useful to know if anyone has any other info re how to insist on OEM though. Thanks See above from Ellroy - this seems a sensible approach: "Explained that if they were willing to honour any other warranty claims that Porsche refused due to none OEM screen, such as electrics due to leaks for example, then they could sort it. If they wouldn’t put that in writing then OEM would be required. "

NDA said: First Sea Lord said: I'm going to start claim in the new year with Admiral for a new windscreen for my car P17 of the policy booklet states: "If we need to replace any glass, we may use glass which is not provided by the vehicle’s manufacturer but is of a similar standard and quality" I assume the way through that is to insist on using a different 'repairer' vs their standard service provider as that's permitted on P15 which covers the broader area of damage to the car Would be useful to know if anyone has any other info re how to insist on OEM though. Thanks See above from Ellroy - this seems a sensible approach: "Explained that if they were willing to honour any other warranty claims that Porsche refused due to none OEM screen, such as electrics due to leaks for example, then they could sort it. If they wouldn’t put that in writing then OEM would be required. " Ah yes. Didn't see that. Thank you - very useful

By all means try with Admiral. However my own experience with Direct Line is as follows. My windscreen got it hit by a stone on a road trip to Scandinavia and cracked. On arriving home I phoned Direct Line and the call got routed through to their dedicated fitter, Autoglass, which was telling in itself. Having scanned PH on the subject I decided rapidly not to deal with Autoglass, for all the reasons discussed here. So I escalated the issue within Direct Line with a view to having a Porsche OEM screen fitted by my own choice of fitter. Direct Line went through a (professional, I must say) dispute resolution process but the bottom line is that I got nowhere, reflecting the fact that the policy was worded pretty tightly. So I paid out of my own pocket for Glasstec Paul, who I will also say is absolutely excellent. Much will depend on the wording of your policy so check that carefully. Paul made the very good point to me that if you total the front end of your car including the screen then they will likely authorise a Porsche repairer for everything. But if it's just the screen they won't, which is anomalous. Good luck!

Cheib said: Speak to Glassman on here. I’ve used him for both insurance work and directly invoiced work. He replaced a screen for my GT3 a while ago, when Admiral wouldn’t provide an OEM screen. That said, more recently I insisted on a Porsche-approved repairer for my Taycan, which Admiral agreed to. They just wouldn’t provide a courtesy car, although of course the repairers did. Edited by Sport_Turismo_GTS on Sunday 29th December 19:09

Please do report back. I am with admiral !

The following was my experience with my GT4 - insurance company put me me in contact with a fairly large window replacement company my part of the world. When I spoke to them directly I said it must be OEM screen which I had to lay an extra 4 £30 for which I did.

If you want a decent claims experience with a higher end car like a Porsche and want OEM replacement parts... Forget "low" cost insurers like Admiral, they're low for a reason. And not low at all when you claim. Much better to use a decent broker.

I'm insured with Admiral and had my 2024 992 Targa 4S windscreen replaced by Autoglass with an OEM (pilkington) screen. I requested OEM screen when reporting to autoglass, they had to get authorisation from admiral which must have been straightforward as I had a call a few days later from an autoglass manager to confirm they had authorisation, though a short delay while the screen was ordered (also explained I had to go to a centre, not mobile fit). When I took the car into autoglass (Darlington) the manager said they made sure their best fitter was assigned and fitter explained the process in detail. Left my car with them and returned few hours later to perfect job by a guy who clearly too pride in his job. Screen is indistinguishable from original and no sign of any work having been done We had a very similar experience in 2023 with my wife’s 2022 Macan. I could be wrong but vaguely remember autoglass saying admiral will pay for OEM on request if car is (I think) <3 years old. I know my local OPC very well and they’re excellent but I’d prefer a windscreen specialist to do this work Maybe I just got lucky, twice, but I can’t fault admiral & autoglass on their process and quality of work.

GT3ZZZ said: If you want a decent claims experience with a higher end car like a Porsche and want OEM replacement parts... Forget "low" cost insurers like Admiral, they're low for a reason. And not low at all when you claim. Much better to use a decent broker. My experience - as per post above - was complete opposite to this, excellent on two separate occasions

This is the main issue with PH - it's actually technically against the rules to post anything other than positive feedback. I had a similar problem years ago with a PHer who's recommended here regularly for mortgages - when I contacted him I was sent an on-boarding form that already contained another customer's full details and financial info. When I replied querying the data breach, he lied to me and said it was 'example' data for 'how to fill in the form'. 10 seconds on linkedin allowed me to find the customer and his wife's profiles - they were very much real people. Fortunately I'd never do anything with the data but every time I see the broker recommended it pisses me off that I can't let fellow PHers know about that company's attitude to a severe breach of data protection. I rarely take company recommendations from PH as a result - you're most likely only getting half the story.

GT3ZZZ said: If you want a decent claims experience with a higher end car like a Porsche and want OEM replacement parts... Forget "low" cost insurers like Admiral, they're low for a reason. And not low at all when you claim. Much better to use a decent broker. Lower cost Insurers can be ok ( and often are ) but there is usually a degree more hassle on some things -like windscreens - which implies on life post accident or theft damage that hassle can potentially be magnified greatly. Fwiw , I had to claim for new windscreens on both a Defender and an Aston and in both cases ( ZPC and then Chubb who both used Autoglass ) a chap arrived at the house and did a great job on both using OEM replacements obviously, with zero hassle.

It’s Revelation Day: No-one’s perfect - someone will have a bad experience with even the best service provider. All testimonies on here are anecdotal at the end of the day.

Fl0pp3r said: It’s Revelation Day: No-one’s perfect - someone will have a bad experience with even the best service provider. All testimonies on here are anecdotal at the end of the day. Indeed so. It’s how they deal with said bad experience that matters. In my case, it was poorly to say the least.

Glassman never worked on my cars so I've never paid him anything. He's really helped me out twice though. Once finding an OEM windscreen for my GT3 when everyone else was saying none in the country, and also diagnosing a badly fitted windscreen that instantly solved a rattle in my 718 that the supplying OPC had taken 6 months and 3 attempts to unsuccessfully fix

I had the windscreen on my old 718 Cayman twice. During that p

I had the windscreen replaced twice on my departed 718 Cayman. During that time I had a policy set up by First Point with L&V. First time was down to being hit by debris from an unsecured truck passing by, which ultimately required a new bonnet, front respray and the new windscreen. L&V did try and send me to some random place initially until I pointed out that I had stipulated OEM, OPC and Porsche approved body shops in the policy. In the end I took to Elite Motors, Northampton one of the dozen or so Porsche approved body shops in the country. Did take a few weeks for them to source the screen. Second time was for an MOT failure, just a tiny crack. My OPC wouldn’t change it so went the Autoglass route. Had a bit of a wait for the screen and it was £200 rather than £100 for the excess. The guy they sent round was apparently the area Porsche specialist and the work was fine. Perhaps it’s luck if the draw with the skill of the technician. Didn’t have any issues when I traded the car in 6 months later at my OPC and they had a good look at the screen. I think you do get what you pay for on insurance policies when it comes to claiming, although I’m now with Locktons as L&V won’t cover a car with PPF on and First point couldn’t come close to the price I got at Locktons.

I am with LV. In 2022 I needed a new windscreen for my 991 as a stone chip had quickly become a crack. There was an additional £200 excess for not using their preferred windscreen company. On the day of the incident I met someone I know from a Porsche Approved bodyshop. He advised me that, as the bonded screen contributed a not insignificant amount to the rigidity of the car, I should only use an OPC or Approved bodyshop and, obviously, a genuine Porsche part. The screen cost £702, Adhesive set (?) £112 and Adhesive film £28, fitting £150, all plus VAT. Labour was contracted out by the OPC although the work was done at the OPC. Total after 10% discount on parts was £1,089 and I paid the OPC. The job had to be done twice as the first screen fitted was not up to standard. In the end, LV did not apply the additional excess to the refund.

I wish I thought of that when I was changing the screen for the MOT in advance. Makes a lot more sense to have it done at the time at the OPC so they can do a bit of quality control. I’ll remember that for the future. Thanks.

I got the windowscreen on my (now departed) GTS 4.0 replaced in July 2024 due to a bad stone chip. I was with Porsche Insurance (Carbon Insurance Brokers, underwritten by Chubb) - not even a question that everything will be OEM, that's why I went with them (I wanted no quibbles in case I needed to claim). Total cost was £1,678.52 (inc VAT) composed of (all excluding VAT) £532 labour, £689.40 windscreen, £36.78 adhesive film, £140.59 adhesive set window, total excl VAT £1,398.77 + £279.75 VAT = £1,678.52. A bit more expensive than I would have expected but I only paid £75 excess. I left the car with the OPC, they contracted out the work to their regular person (apparently multiple windscreens getting replaced each week).

Powerful Peanut said: Hi , my windscreen has cracked and Admiral want to replace with a non OEM part that looks very different . Anyone had experience of this ? Admiral will be a tough nut to crack. Happy to talk you through the process over the phone. For the benefit of others subscribed: The pre-disclosure should indicate what the process would be in the event of a glass claim scenario, for example, any exclusions or limits applicable. This should be understood before policy inception, in other words, you are entering that agreement. There's no renegotiating afterwards although there may be reproach if you feel the proposal did not warn you of the facts (although it's supposed to be easy to find and comprehensible within the 'click here to conform you have read and understood the terms and conditions' bit before you get to the checkout). There may also be other ways which I'm reticent to discuss online as Admiral have been known to amend their policies from time to time... ahem.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread . After much discussion and Admiral refusing to budge . I am having an OEM screen fitted and I am paying the additional cost over the Admiral preferred option . Total extra cost to me is £550 . The bit I really struggle with is that their policy says they can replace with similar … my question is that a new screen from Porsche is £1,000 inc vat for the part . Which suggests the Admiral screen is circa £500 . How can that be similar . Surely if similar the price can not be double . Best advice on the thread was , if you have a higher value car , get specialist insurance and understand the Policy .

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread . After much discussion and Admiral refusing to budge . I am having an OEM screen fitted and I am paying the additional cost over the Admiral preferred option . Total extra cost to me is £550 . The bit I really struggle with is that their policy says they can replace with similar … my question is that a new screen from Porsche is £1,000 inc vat for the part . Which suggests the Admiral screen is circa £500 . How can that be similar . Surely if similar the price can not be double . Best advice on the thread was , if you have a higher value car , get specialist insurance and understand the Policy .

Powerful Peanut said: Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread . After much discussion and Admiral refusing to budge . I am having an OEM screen fitted and I am paying the additional cost over the Admiral preferred option . Total extra cost to me is £550 . The bit I really struggle with is that their policy says they can replace with similar … my question is that a new screen from Porsche is £1,000 inc vat for the part . Which suggests the Admiral screen is circa £500 . How can that be similar . Surely if similar the price can not be double . Best advice on the thread was , if you have a higher value car , get specialist insurance and understand the Policy . Not right that you should pay a supplement. Does it state that in the policy? Give me a call; happy to help.

It says they do not have to replace with OEM windscreen . So you can pay to upgrade in their eyes , even though they say it is “similar”

So, that could well be he case with any unforeseen prang. EG - An OPC quotes Admiral 30k for crash repairs on your car, Admiral then get back to you to say their approved bodyshop can do it for 15k, so, we would be coughing up 15k for the the top up, if we want to use our OPC Admiral are pinching bundles of car insurers due to their cheap quotes but, is it wise to go with them, very iffy and off putting it is

throt said: So, that could well be he case with any unforeseen prang. EG - An OPC quotes Admiral 30k for crash repairs on your car, Admiral then get back to you to say their approved bodyshop can do it for 15k, so, we would be coughing up 15k for the the top up, if we want to use our OPC Admiral are pinching bundles of car insurers due to their cheap quotes but, is it wise to go with them, very iffy and off putting it is Also if an Admiral-insured car ends up in a bodyshop all parts will be genuine from the main dealer, including the windscreen if the damage to it is part of the prang. However, a windscreen alone claim and you want genuine glass: computer [Ts & Cs] says no.

Try asking and see what happens. Admiral recently allowed OEM on mine on a 12yo car, although I appreciate I was probably just very lucky. Standard replacement was the copy, and I requested OEM through Autoglass. The fitter said that the copy glass is OK for Porsches, but sometimes the brackets and trims that come with it don't fit so well. Autoglass did a superb job in their workshop. It's the second time Autoglass have done this vehicle (and I had to pay for OEM the first time), and the fitter challenged that saying the previous screen seemed like a factory fit when he took it out.

Powerful Peanut said: Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread . After much discussion and Admiral refusing to budge . I am having an OEM screen fitted and I am paying the additional cost over the Admiral preferred option . Total extra cost to me is £550 . The bit I really struggle with is that their policy says they can replace with similar … my question is that a new screen from Porsche is £1,000 inc vat for the part . Which suggests the Admiral screen is circa £500 . How can that be similar . Surely if similar the price can not be double . Best advice on the thread was , if you have a higher value car , get specialist insurance and understand the Policy . On my old C5 RS6, I made a habit of researching and sourcing non OEM parts. Usually they were about half the price (e.g. the master cylinder, made by TRW, in an Audi box was twice the price of ECP. But the part was the exact same part. Same went for suspension arms where the non OEM part just had the audi logo ground off - otherwise identical). And also frequently finding a superior quality alternative - just because VAG sell it, doesn't mean it's any good. So some of the parts "we" (there's a really good C5 RS6 community) found were superior to Audi and for less money, Anyway, that's why it's not necessary to always have OEM - but do agree that the quality needs to be at least equal on Admiral's part.

Powerful Peanut said: It says they do not have to replace with OEM windscreen . So you can pay to upgrade in their eyes , even though they say it is “similar” Similar in that (this is the wording a particular aftermarket glass manufacturer used when I pushed for a definitive answer) their products, 'respond to the same main technical and aesthetic characteristics as the original'. This week I have been at two OPCs two remove non-genuine windscreens; one was on a 992 GT3 being prepared for sale. The previous owner had the windscreen replaced prior to trading it in. That car cannot be sold until that 'Fuyao' windscreen was replaced with a genuine Porsche branded glass. The other was a Taycan (same aftermarket windscreen fitted) and that too had to be replaced with a Porsche glass due to the ADAS not working properly (and not allowing calibration). The Porsche part went in and presented zero issues when tested by their Mastertech.