Auto Windshield Repair

Auto Windshield Repair

Car windshields are made of toughened glass, but this glass is still susceptible to damage. This can happen for various reasons. For instance, a chip of gravel can hit the windshield while the car is in motion. Accidents can obviously cause the windshield to shatter completely. Extreme cold weather conditions are also often the culprit, and sometimes can magnify an existing minor crack. Many times, car windshields become the victims of vandalism or others’ careless driving. In this section, we tell you how to repair a windshield yourself, how to use a windshield repair kit, and the cost of repairing or replacing windshields.

Replacing a car windshield is an expensive affair. A viable alternative is repair, which most insurance companies now accept in place of replacement. In fact, they even waive the client’s deductible should he or she choose to repair instead of replace the car windshield. This makes financial sense to insurance companies too, because they save millions each year this way. By repairing instead of replacing an auto windshield, the original windshield retains the integrity of its factory seal. In short, everyone wins. Windshield repair is a high margin specialty service, making it a major industry.

New auto windshield repair solutions include the revolutionary PRISM (pre-resin injection suspension method) technology and various techniques that involve injecting resins into the cracks with or without vacuum. This process can take a few minutes or last as long an hour, depending upon the size of the crack.

Manufacturers make toughened auto windshield glass under intense pressure. The glass has very high density, and this causes even minor cracks to widen progressively. Repair is not feasible for bigger sized cracks. In such cases, the car owner has no alternative but to replace the windshield. Auto safety norms demand that a motor vehicle has a proper windshield which does not affect the driver’s ability to navigate effectively.

It is possible to undertake car windshield replacement and repair without involving professionals in the process. There are many kinds of kits available on the market today. Windshield repair kits usually feature the resin compound that acts as a filler, injectors that fill this resin into the crack, holding structures to stabilize the affected area, and curing lamps to speed up the setting process. Such do-it-yourself solutions include instructional videos that guide the car owner in the proper use of the kit.

Source:http://www.buzzle.com/articles/auto-windshield-replacement-repair/

Considerations When You Need Collector Car Insurance

Considerations When You Need Collector Car Insurance

If you own a collector car or are thinking of buying a collector car, then you will want to insure your car. When looking for collector car insurance, there are several things that you should consider before purchasing the insurance.

There are actually three different types of car insurance coverage. Most of your everyday used cars are covered under the ACV (actual cash value) plan. There are a lot of collector car owners who insure their collector cars with this plan due to lack of knowledge of specialty programs that are designed for collectors. When you have an ACV plan the actual value of your car depreciates each year that your car gets older.

One of the specialty programs that you can choose is the Stated Value program. Not all insurance companies offer this program, but for those that do, this allows you to state the value of your collector car above depreciated book value. Even with Stated Value coverage, your car can still depreciate and claims will only cover up to the stated value of your car.

The other specialty program is Agreed Value. With Agreed Value coverage there is no car depreciation. In the event of an accident that results in a total loss of your car then the Agreed Value coverage guarantees that you will receive full value of your collector car.

Policy restrictions vary from state to state and agency to agency. There are also different restrictions with the different specialty programs. Some specialty programs only allow you to drive your collector car for a certain amount of miles per year, while others only allow you to drive your collector car in parades or car shows. Most specialty programs prohibit your collector car for commercial use. This includes public transportation, delivery, racing, and daily use.

Most specialty programs have an age limit for the driver that the program covers. A person who is 30 years old or older is the average age that is required for most programs, while some programs allow anyone over 21 years old.

Other things to consider with collector car insurance is that the specialty programs offer cheaper insurance rates than the normal insurance policies. Plus many insurance companies only require a one time liability fee even for multiple cars.

Some insurance companies offer an insurance plan for collector cars that are not driven but are being stored. This is much cheaper insurance because the car is never on the road. Keep in mind that with this type of coverage, you cannot take your car on the road, and if you do decide to take it for a drive, you will want to make sure that you change the type of coverage you have on it, even if it is only temporary.

The big thing to remember when you are shopping for collector car insurance is that you do want to have coverage for your collector car. You have spent time and money on your collector car and you take pride in it, so obviously you want to make sure it is covered in case of an accident. Also remember that no matter how safe of a driver you may be, an accident can still happen due to the fault of someone else.