Take care of your windscreen




Let's face it, having good visibility out of your windscreen under all weather conditions is pretty fundamental for any road user. Turning a 'blind eye' to stone chips or the maintenance of the components that keep it clean can prove disastrous in situations where visibility becomes difficult.

How a small stone chip can become a major problem

There are a couple of things that can happen if you decide to 'ignore' a small stone chip in your windscreen.

Whenever you pass over a pothole or bump in the road your windscreen will flex and vibrate momentarily. If there is a small flaw in the glass like a stone chip, this could be enough to start a crack in the screen, which over time will gradually increase in size and could eventually shatter. If this happens when you are driving, it could cause an accident.

Frost or ice that forms on chipped windscreen can also cause problems. If a moisture collects in a stone chip or small crack in your windscreen, when it freezes it will expand, this can cause a crack to start or begin to increase in size.

As temporary measure, the chances of ice damage can be reduced by putting a small piece of sticky tape over the chipped or cracked area when the screen is clean and dry. This will seal out any moisture until you get an opportunity to get your screen either replaced or professionally repaired.

Top up your screen wash

Screen wash is very inexpensive and easy to top-up. The screen wash bottle is usually located under the car bonnet in the engine compartment of your car. The bottle is often made of a semi-transparent plastic with an easy to identify mark on the cap or side of the bottle. The bottle will also have 'MIN-MAX' markings so that you can easily see when it is low, and needs topping up.

Renew your wiper blades

Your wiper blades are another one of those parts of the car that often get neglected. Wiper blades are made from a composite rubber material which after many years of use, will wear down and become less flexible. This means that they gradually become less and less efficient at removing the water from the windscreen, and in heavy rain can fail to keep your screen clear and reduce your visibility. This is dangerous and you should never let them get to that stage before changing them.

Wiper blades are very easy to replace yourself. If you go into any good motor spares store they will have a reference guide in the 'wipers' section that will indicate which type of blades fit which model of car. It is usually just a case of choosing the correct type, unclipping the old ones and clipping on the new. If you are unsure what to do the store assistant should be able to help.

If you have sustained an injury in a car accident that was not your fault, we may be able to help you injury compensation.

Please give us a call on 02392 484 244 , and one of our experienced claims advisors will be happy to assist you.



No need to claim on your insurance

Anyone who has been involved in a road accident has the right to choose who repairs their vehicle. If you were responsible for the accident you were involved in, the company that insures your vehicle would normally deal with your accident claim.

However if you were not at-fault for the accident, you can choose to either claim on your own insurance policy or make a claim independently of your insurer. To find out more call 02392 484 244 and we will be happy to help.

We and our partners help thousands of people make independent accident claims. Our service enables motorists to get the help and assistance they need to resolve their accident related issues, with the costs being recovered directly from the at-fault driver on your behalf.

No excess to pay

Unfortunately even if an accident was not your fault, your insurer will almost certainly require you to pay your excess before any repair is started on your car.

This money should of course be recovered by an insurer at a later date, but with our service - you do not have to pay it at all.

By using our independent claims service, you are not making a claim on your insurance policy and so you will have no excess to pay.

Receive a comparable replacement hire vehicle

Not all insurance policies will include a replacement hire-car for you to use if yours is damaged and unroadworthy. In fact it is typically an 'optional extra' on your policy.

Other policies may offer a 'courtesy car' but this is often just a 'basic' saloon or hatchback which may not be suitable for your needs.

Car Call and its partners will provide a comparable replacement vehicle as part of our service. This means we will endeavour to supply a hire-vehicle that similar to your own in terms of its type, make and engine size.

So whether you drive a small hatchback or a prestige sports car, we will look to provide a similar hire-vehicle that suits your needs.

Manufacturer approved vehicle repairs

If you have been involved in a car accident, the last thing you want to have to worry about is the quality of the repairs to your car. We have a UK wide network of partner approved Accident Repair Centres available to all of our customers.

Many of our accident repair centres are have manufacturer approvals for specific brands, so if you require a manufacturer approved repair centre, simply tell your personal claim handler and they will ensure your vehicle goes to an approved repairer.

Want you vehicle repaired by a specific garage? No problem, we can alternatively use a repairer that you specify.

Legal Assistance

Our partner solicitors provide legal assistance as part of our service. They specialise in motor claims related issues, so you can be assured of the best possible advice and assistance.

They issues they can assist you with include:

  • Recovery of the cost of the replacement hire-vehicle
  • Recovery of the cost of uplifting your damaged vehicle
  • Recovery of all repair costs
  • Recovery of the cost of damaged of personal items
  • Seeking financial compensation for an injury