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Does My Auto Insurance Cover a Windshield Repair?

By January 18, 2022January 31st, 2022Auto Insurance, Personal Insurance
Windshield Coverage

You’re driving down the highway. The sun is shining on this cold winter day. You’re hurrying along in the left lane, eager to get to your destination.

As you pass an eighteen-wheeler, you hear a sudden crack. Familiar with that noise, you quickly began scanning your windshield. 

Uh-oh! You notice a small ding on the bottom right side of your windshield, a small knick. 

When you reach your stopping point, you get out and take a closer look at the windshield. It definitely has a small ding.

Will your insurance pay for that repair?

As an independent insurance agent, every day I help people get the coverage they need to protect their vehicle. And that includes making sure they have coverage for their windshield.

To best understand the coverage that auto insurance provides for a vehicle’s windshield (or other windows), you need an answer to these questions:

  1. Do you have liability, comprehensive, or collision coverage on your vehicle?
  2. Will your insurance cover the entire cost of the windshield repair or replacement?
  3. Did you add a glass endorsement to your auto insurance policy?
  4. What will it cost to add a glass endorsement to your auto insurance policy?
  5. When should you turn in a claim if your windshield is damaged or pay for it out of pocket?
  6. Your windshield was damaged. What are your next steps?

 

Let’s take some time to answer these questions.

1. Do you have liability, comprehensive, or collision coverage on your vehicle?

The type of policy you have on your vehicle will determine if you have coverage for glass repairs. 

If you only carry liability on your vehicle, your insurance will not cover any repairs on your car, including glass. A liability-only policy will only cover damage done to another car or other property damaged in an accident that you cause.

If you carry collision coverage on your vehicle, your glass is covered if you cause a collision with someone or something else.

If you carry comprehensive coverage on your vehicle, your glass is covered if something falls on your car and damages your windshield or other windows. For instance, if a tree branch falls on your car, you’d be covered. Or, if someone throws a rock through one of your windows, your insurance would cover repairs.

2. Will your insurance cover the entire cost of the windshield repair or replacement?

Even with collision or comprehensive coverage, you may still have to pay for the repair or replacement of your windshield. It will depend on your deductible.

The lowest deductible that most comprehensive policies allow is $100. This means that you will have to pay for the first $100 of repairs.

Most windshield replacements will cost anywhere from $100 to $400. And with a newer vehicle that has sensors or cameras, you may even pay more for repairs and replacements.

You may have to pay for the entire repair if your deductible is greater than the cost to repair or replace your windshield.

Because of this, many auto insurance companies offer a glass endorsement. 

3. Did you add a glass endorsement to your auto insurance policy?

A glass endorsement is essentially an add-on to your coverage you can pay extra for when you buy auto insurance. This endorsement will either waive any deductible when you file a glass repair claim, or it will lower the deductible if you have a glass claim.

Not all insurance companies offer a glass endorsement.

Safeco, Auto-Owners, and Progressive all offer an auto glass endorsement. If you have car insurance with these companies, you should inquire how much it would cost to add this endorsement to your policy.

4. What will it cost to add a glass endorsement to your policy?

For most policies, it’s very reasonable to add a glass endorsement to the policy. 

For instance, my coworker added a glass endorsement to her policy which covers two vehicles.  The cost was an additional $21 each year. These vehicles do not have cameras or sensors that impact the windshield. 

On the other hand, another coworker added a glass endorsement to his policy which covers three vehicles. One of those vehicles is a newer model Subaru with sensors and cameras that are affected by the windshield. The cost to add a glass endorsement to his policy was $67 a year. 

That coworker got an estimate to replace his cracked windshield. The online estimate was almost $1,000.  

Even at $60 or $70 a year, you may find that it benefits you to add the coverage when you might be looking at hundreds of dollars for a windshield repair or replacement.

The pricing to add a glass endorsement will heavily depend on the types of vehicles on your policy and how many cars are listed on the policy. If you have a newer car, paying for a glass endorsement may cost more but still might be worth it.

5. Should you turn in a claim if your windshield is damaged or pay for it out of pocket?

If you don’t have an auto glass endorsement on your policy, you’ll want to weigh how much it will cost to repair or replace your windshield with your deductible amount. 

If the claim is greater than your deductible, it makes sense to turn in a claim.

If the claim is less than your deductible, you should hold off on filing a claim. 

6. Your windshield was damaged. What are your next steps?

If you get a chip or crack in your windshield, you need to repair it right away. Chips and cracks often turn into bigger cracks when they are left unrepaired. A minor repair will cost less than a total replacement.

If you don’t have an auto glass endorsement and the damage on your windshield is under six inches, some insurance companies will waive your deductible to have the windshield fixed. Ask your insurance agent how your insurance company handles glass claims.

You will also need to check with your insurance agent about where to have your glass repaired. Most insurance companies partner with a glass repair company. Your insurance agent can help you set up the repair with the correct repair shop.

If you have to pay a deductible to have your windshield repaired or replaced, you should get multiple estimates and do some comparison shopping. Like I noted earlier, often, a windshield repair will cost less than the amount of your deductible.

Are you looking for a team of insurance experts to help with your insurance? 

If you’re looking for a knowledgeable insurance agent to help you with your insurance needs, our team at Baily Insurance is ready for you! 

Insurance can be confusing. Our team prioritizes helping our clients understand their insurance. We want our clients to be informed about the coverages they need. 

If you have questions about your current policies, our team would love to meet with you and take a deep dive into your coverages. Together we will assess your insurance needs so that you can make an educated decision when you purchase your insurance.

To schedule an in-person or phone appointment with one of our agents, please give us a call at our Waynesburg office (724-627-6121) or at our Ligonier office (724-238-9508). You can also take a moment to fill out the form below to let us know you’d like someone from our team to reach out to you.

We’re looking forward to serving you! 

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