Windshield Claims
Windshield claims apply to broken, cracked, or chipped windshields. In order to get your car insurance to pay for broken or cracked glass repair, you'll need the right coverage.
What Car Insurance Coverage Pays for Windshields?
If you carry comprehensive insurance, you can file a windshield claim to cover the repair costs (after you've paid your deductible). Your deductible is the amount of money you are required to pay your insurance company before they'll pay out on your claim.
Depending upon your state and your car insurance company, you might also have an optional glass coverage that will pay for your windshield repair without requiring payment of a deductible. Speak with your auto insurance agent to find out if this is an option.
Should I File a Windshield Claim?
If you have comprehensive coverage, or a specific glass coverage option, you can file a claim to cover your windshield repair cost.
However, before filing a claim, you should carefully weigh the following questions:
- How high is your insurance deductible?
- What is the repair cost for your chipped or cracked windshield?
- Will your car insurance premium increase if you submit a claim?
Depending on the answers to the questions above, you might decide that the costs outweigh the benefits of filing a claim.
Any claim, regardless of the cost, may cause your premiums to jump. In insurance circles, this is referred to as a surcharge.
Most auto insurance providers won't apply a surcharge to a windshield claim, but if your insurance provider recognizes a pattern of frequent auto repair claims, you may be reclassified as a high-risk driver and experience a spike in your premiums.
If your deductible is high and/or your repair costs are relatively low, you might wish to pay out of pocket in order to avoid adding a claim to your car insurance history.
Required Information for Windshield Claims
When you're preparing to submit a claim to get your broken or chipped windshield repaired, you'll need to provide some basic information:
- VIN.
- Policy number.
- Vehicle make, model, and year.
- Details regarding the damage.
- Personal info such as your name and date of birth.
Making sure you have your information ready ahead of time will ensure that your claims process goes as smoothly as possible. Continue reading to learn the steps to filing your glass claim.
How to File a Windshield Claim
If you opt to file a claim, here's what to do:
- Just like a regular insurance claim, file as soon as possible.
- Be sure to file before taking your vehicle in for repairs.
- Your auto insurance agent will review your policy with you, making sure you are covered for windshield repair.
- Once cleared, take your vehicle to a repair shop of your choice.
- After you pay the deductible, your insurance provider will cover the remaining cost.
- Keep in mind that, depending on your insurance coverage plan, some providers may pay the entire repair cost if you opt to have the windshield repaired rather than replaced. This generally applies to chipped windshields, which can be inexpensively repaired.