Smashed windscreen at soccer. Who's responsible?

kk09

Hi All,
Was at a junior club soccer match and a very stray ball smashed my windscreen. Just wondering if this has happened before. I was told the insurance of the club I was at should cover the cost. And input would be a help.
Thanks
Kevin

biko

It should go under the club's insurance. They probably have something for accidental damage.
What did the club say?

cruizer101

Never mind the insurance sign that kid up if he has the power to put a soccer ball through a windscreen :pac:

See can you get the club insurance to cover it although they might be covered by it a risk you take parking next to pitch. If not it shouldn't affect your own insurance to claim for it, windscreen cover normally doesn't count

Sue Pa Key Pa

If you knowingly park your vehicle in an area where stray footballs are a regular occurance, you are deemed to run the risk yourself. I would not see the club liable

Geezy

You probaly have windscreen cover on your policy nyway which shouldn't affect your no claims bonus if you use it.

NUTLEY BOY

BTW if you are a member of the club and it is an unincorporated association you will not be able to claim from them.

Generally, you would have to prove fault on the parts of the child who kicked the ball or the club. Those prospects seem remote on the facts.

I have seen a similar problem over the years at cricket clubs where a hit for 6 is signified by the dull thud of the windscreen and a look of amazement on the batsman's face that he actually hit a 6 and that he also hit a car in the process. Parking at a sports club is often deemed to be an acceptance of the risk of this event even though it is very remote.

grogi

Geezy wrote: »

You probaly have windscreen cover on your policy nyway which shouldn't affect your no claims bonus if you use it.

DON'T.

mikeybrennan

grogi wrote: »

DON'T.

Care to expand on that?

jimmycrackcorm

mikeybrennan wrote:

Care to expand on that?

Yeah, I'm curious too as it's often the case that windscreen cover is one of the best features, as in you call out the repair company who fix it on the spot and you simply give them your insurance details. No hassle.

mikeybrennan

Maybe it's one of those things you have to notify potential insurers and they jack up your quote?

The way the insurance market is going the government will have to step in because it will be affecting the economy badly

Allinall

Absolutely no problem claiming if you have windscreen cover.

That's what it's theee for.

endacl

I'd be inclined to use my included windscreen cover, even if the club's insurance would cover it. My policy wouldn't be affected, but the club's would, and it's hard enough raising funds to run clubs as it is.

freshpopcorn

Just be careful claiming off the club. It doesn't tend to go down well if you have kids involved in soccer with them.

jimmynokia

Sue Pa Key Pa wrote: »

If you knowingly park your vehicle in an area where stray footballs are a regular occurance, you are deemed to run the risk yourself. I would not see the club liable

So there is no spots lined out to park cars there i gather.. What are they for then.. Public liability and all that.

Sue Pa Key Pa

jimmynokia wrote:

So there is no spots lined out to park cars there i gather.. What are they for then.. Public liability and all that.

The principle is 'volenti non fit injuria', which means, if you consent, you have no right of action. Therefore, if you park at the side of a pitch to watch a game, you know stray balls can leave the field of play, so you run the risk.

If a motorist is passing the same pitch and the same ball damages his car, he does have a right of action. He was just driving lawfully on the public highway.

Hope it makes sense

grogi

mikeybrennan wrote: »

Care to expand on that?

Because you would have a claim on your policy that will drag behind you for years.

mikeybrennan

grogi wrote: »

Because you would have a claim on your policy that will drag behind you for years.

Is this fact or opinion?

grogi

mikeybrennan wrote: »

Is this fact or opinion?

Are you contesting the statement that if you claim from your insurance you have a claim?

mikeybrennan

I'm curious as to whether what you say is correct or not

I would like to see it corroborated by other posters

ASOT

1 windscreen claim wont effect your policy.

grogi

mikeybrennan wrote: »

I'm curious as to whether what you say is correct or not

I would like to see it corroborated by other posters

@Sue Pa Key Pa will tell that 'this is absolutely not the case, the insurers are always fair'.

Reality is that even if it does not affect your NCB, you have to disclose it for future quotation - typically for next five years - and it WILL affect many of the quotes you get. Very often you will not be quoted at all, because of the recent claim.

grogi

grogi wrote: »

@Sue Pa Key Pa will tell that 'this is absolutely not the case, the insurers are always fair'.

Reality is that even if it does not affect your NCB, you have to disclose it for future quotation - typically for next five years - and it WILL affect many of the quotes you get. Very often you will not be quoted at all, because of the recent claim.

Maybe, but I was paying €600/year in the year I claimed for a windscreen. The following year I got my insurance down to €350.

ASOT

grogi wrote: »

@Sue Pa Key Pa will tell that 'this is absolutely not the case, the insurers are always fair'.

Reality is that even if it does not affect your NCB, you have to disclose it for future quotation - typically for next five years - and it WILL affect many of the quotes you get. Very often you will not be quoted at all, because of the recent claim.

What we ask word for word is, Have you had an accident or claim regardless of blame, excluding one windscreen claim in the last five years.

So to the op youll be fine with the majority of companies.

Joeseph Balls

grogi wrote: »

@Sue Pa Key Pa will tell that 'this is absolutely not the case, the insurers are always fair'.

Reality is that even if it does not affect your NCB, you have to disclose it for future quotation - typically for next five years - and it WILL affect many of the quotes you get. Very often you will not be quoted at all, because of the recent claim.

Just to add, a few years ago my mother got her windscreen replaced. All was fine until she went to switch insurers two years later and had 'a claim' made. Just read the small print I suppose.

grogi

ASOT wrote: »

What we ask word for word is, Have you had an accident or claim regardless of blame, excluding one windscreen claim in the last five years.

So to the op youll be fine with the majority of companies.

Yes, you represent majority of companies

grogi

Basil3 wrote: »

Maybe, but I was paying €600/year in the year I claimed for a windscreen. The following year I got my insurance down to €350.

The sole mention of yearly premium of €350 makes this history hard to believe at all

Victor

Geezy wrote: »

You probaly have windscreen cover on your policy nyway which shouldn't affect your no claims bonus if you use it.

While the insurer you are with might not consider the no claims bonus unaffected, other insurers will.

grogi

Victor wrote: »

While the insurer you are with might not consider the no claims bonus unaffected, other insurers will.

You're mixing two things:
- NCB - it will not be affected. This is the discount you have earned with your current policy. It will be recognised by other insurers.

For example, at the renewal you earned 60% discount which represents 5 years claim free driving with your insurer. Any other insurer will offer you a corresponding 5 year bonus malus discount. I haven't seen a policy where a windscreen claim would affect your NCB.

- base premium - this MIGHT be affected. Hell, people are reporting their premium go up because they were NOT AT FAULT, but now represent 'higher risk' Hard to imagine the claim when the proposer is at fault, would not increase the base premium...

endacl

mikeybrennan wrote: »

I'm curious as to whether what you say is correct or not

I would like to see it corroborated by other posters

I've claimed for two windscreens in the last ten years or so. Hasn't dented my premiu at all.

mikeybrennan

endacl wrote: »

I've claimed for two windscreens in the last ten years or so. Hasn't dented my premiu at all.

Have you switched insurers in that time

I'd be wary of claiming now until this issue is clarified one way or the other

I always presumed a windscreen was a free claim,so to speak

endacl

mikeybrennan wrote: »

Have you switched insurers in that time

Yep. No issue. Windscreen is one of the things (possibly the only thing...) that Irish insurance companies do properly.