This is the great classic of windshield replacement companies: a “gift” that is offered in addition to this service. Some people are very generous and their assets are worth several hundred euros. PS5, Nintendo Switch, iPad, Dyson hair dryers or even flat screen televisions, underlines an article from Parisian.
A gift paid for by insurance companies?
Problem: Ultimately, the gift would often be the responsibility of insurers, who reimburse the service under the “break glass” guarantee present in almost all contracts. An important item, which represents 1.5 billion euros paid in 2022, the newspaper points out, or 10% of the total remuneration.
If the sector professionals interviewed defend themselves by stating that this gift is financed with their own margins, and not drowning them in the bill sent to the insurance companies, an elected official intends to change things. Perrine Goulet, modern MP for Nièvre, has presented a bill to limit “the promotional advantages granted to 5% of the value of the repair”.
A “Machiavellian” practice
“For the same vehicle I noticed differences in budgets of up to 300 euros for the replacement of a windshield,” says the parliamentarian. Parisian.
The cost of the service can vary greatly depending on the age of the vehicle, from 300 euros for a basic windshield to 1,300 euros for a recent car. In fact, the latter are often equipped with modern technologies, such as heated windshields, or with radars and cameras that can be adjusted behind the glass.
While these freebies may necessarily delight consumers, the problem remains this potential overbilling that inflates the insurers’ bill and therefore indirectly the premiums paid by all drivers.
“In a context of inflation, with the increase in claims due in particular to the latest storms and the increase in the prices of spare parts and labor, this practice is Machiavellian,” reacts Christophe Dandois, CEO of Leocare .
Why “Machiavellian”? Because it would be almost rational to think about destroying your own windshield, covered by insurance, and pocketing a very valuable gift in the process.
“But the console or the television will end up paying for it with higher premiums,” concludes Christophe Dandois.
Increases in insurance prices, not only in the autumn part, are already planned for next year, in particular due to the repeated natural disasters of recent times.
Source: BFM TV
