Wednesday 12 September 2018

3 Steps to deal with an act of vandalism – Broken Windshield

Forced Intrusion in a car is a common societal problem and it must be tackled with care. More than anything else they’re a nuisance and impose added expenses. The first thing you must do, if your car has been subject to vandalism, is to inform the police. The second thing you must do is notify the Insurance company so that that they can assist you with the replacement process. You may even contact a reputed glass dealer who will help secure your car and provide a cashless claim apart from getting you a replacement. Here are a few things you can and should do if the windshield of your car has been severely damaged due to an act of intrusion:

1.Inform the Police
It is the very first thing you must do in such an event. It is important for you to not lose your calm and wait for the officers to arrive. They will ask you about the event and create a first information report (FIR) to register the case. Make sure to provide them every bit of detail you have so that they can investigate the case properly. Finally, ensure keeping a copy of the FIR.

2.Contact the Insurance Agency
If the windshield has been damaged heavily, it will require a replacement at the earliest. Call an executive of the insurance company and find out if you are entitled for a claim and for what percentage of the Ford, Maruti or Toyota windshield replacement price will be reimbursed to you, if yes. The amount will depend on the type of policy you own. You will have to make a list of missing items as well to be included in the overall report to file a claim. In most cases, an agent will approach you and ask you necessary questions about the incident to establish legitimacy of the situation.

3.Assess the damage

It might be that more than just the windshield has been damaged by the act of vandalism, such as the body of the car. The event of the cover for repairs will depend on the policy you own; you have nothing to worry about if you own a comprehensive insurance.  Depending on the policy and the service center you might or might not be able to get all kinds of damages fixed at a single service center.

A few things to remember
  • Whatever you do, don’t drive the car unless you’re taking it to the replacement center. It is extremely dangerous to drive a vehicle with a broken windshield. 
  • There might be chance that the damage might not be substantial and you might be able to get a repair. Ask the service center to analyze the damage thoroughly before they suggest a replacement
  • While filing the claim, consider the amount of the deductible and the effect on the subsequent premium
  • Make sure to park your car indoors or monitored parking spots to avoid such an event in the future

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