Does Comprehensive Insurance Cover Windshield Damage?
Learn about how comprehensive cover will help you pay for windshield damage.
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Insurance is a necessity if you want to drive your vehicle on the road in any state. However, there are multiple types you can buy and people often don’t know what they’re covered for.
One question we are asked a lot is whether comprehensive cover will pay for windshield damage on a policyholder’s vehicle.
This article will cover insurance for windshield damage and tell you what you need to know about comprehensive cover for your windshield.
What Is Comprehensive Insurance?
Comprehensive cover, as the name suggests, is car insurance cover that will pay for most types of damage, theft, and accidents. It is optional insurance coverage that protects your car on top of collision insurance or liability coverage.
Comprehensive insurance will pay for any damages to your vehicle if you cause an accident with another vehicle.
You are also typically insured against “acts of God” and damage to your car that doesn’t involve a collision with another vehicle.
What Is an “Act of God?”
An act of God is an event or damage that is caused by something other than another driver, vehicle, or person.
This can include:
Accidents with animals.
Rocks or pebbles causing damage to your car.
Forest fires.
Lightning and hail damage.
Floods and storms.
Hurricanes.
Earthquakes.
Volcanic eruptions.
Comprehensive insurance doesn’t cover wear and tear to your vehicle, so you’ll need to be able to prove this when you put in a claim.
It also won’t cover faulty parts or a defective vehicle (your warranty should cover this). However, it will pay for damages that are caused by:
Accidents caused by animals.
Damage caused by animals like rodents.
Vandalism.
Fire.
Source: Pexels
What Can Cause Windshield Damage
Windshield damage can be caused by a number of things on the road. Some common reasons for windshield damage include:
Rocks or other small objects flicking up from the road when driving.
Animals hitting your windshield.
Natural disasters.
A baseball or basketball.
It can also happen if you are involved in an accident and the impact of the crash causes your windows to crack or break.
In some cases, your windshield can be repaired. However, in other cases, you’ll need to replace the entire pane of glass.
Types of Windshield Repairs
Windshield patches: These are usually included in DIY toolkits and are rarely used by professional auto repairers. Patches will stop the crack or chip from becoming worse; however, they shouldn’t be considered as a permanent fix.
Windshield resin: This is a substance used by auto repairers to fix minor chips and scratches on windshields. The process entails grinding or drilling out the chip or crack to prevent further damage. The cavity is then filled with a clear resin which hardens and is then smoothed over.
Will Comprehensive Insurance Cover Windshield Damage?
Yes, if you have comprehensive and collision coverage, you should be covered for most types of damage to your windshield.
For example, if your car’s windshield is damaged by an “act of God,” and you have comprehensive insurance, you should be able to get it repaired.
As we’ve covered above, comprehensive insurance is a policy that will cover your vehicle for most types of damage.
The best way to see what kind of coverage you have is to check your insurance contract, where you’ll typically be able to find the coverage types and amounts of coverage.
If your auto insurance doesn’t cover windshield damage, you can also buy a windshield insurance plan to cover this kind of damage to your car.
Keep in mind that in some cases you may have to pay a windshield deductible to get your claim covered by your insurance. However, depending on the reason, your insurance may offer to waive this fee.
Want to Get a Comprehensive Auto Plan That Will Insure Your Windshield?
If you’d like to learn more about this, reach out to one of our agents to find a plan that provides you with the right coverage. We can also find you great deals on windshield insurance plans.
Contact us today at 1-888-912-2132 or send an email to Help@PolicyScout.com.
What about Other Types of Insurance?
If you have collision insurance and your windshield is damaged in an accident with another vehicle that is your fault, your insurance should pay for the cost of repairing or replacing your windshield.
If you are involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault and your windshield is damaged, the other driver's insurance will cover the cost of windshield repair or full windshield replacement.
There's also full glass coverage which is a specific auto insurance plan for cracked, chipped, or broken glass on your vehicle. While you will pay extra each month for this coverage, these plans don't typically have a deductible which will help if you need to replace your windshield a couple of times.
What Is a Deductible?
A deductible is an amount of money or fee that policyholders must pay in order to get their insurance to cover specific repairs and damage.
This amount is paid on top of your monthly premiums which should be seen as a guarantee of coverage.
Once you pay your deductible, your auto insurance should pay for repairs or replacements on your vehicle.
Source: Pexels
Is a Windshield Covered under Warranty?
Most warranty plans cover parts that fail or do not work correctly due to defects or errors. Unfortunately, windshields and windows aren’t generally covered under a warranty.
In some cases, if your vehicle is new, you may have additional insurance coverage for your windshield and windows in your warranty plan, but this is not the norm.
If your warranty plan does include some sort of windshield repair or replacement coverage, it will be for a limited time, typically 90 days.
However, if you’ve bought your car secondhand or the warranty on windshield damage has expired, you won't be covered for windshield damage or the cost of repairs.
Will Filing a Glass Claim Increase My Car Insurance Rates?
In most cases, your insurance rates won’t go up if you’ve filed a glass claim for a damaged windshield.
However, if you have multiple glass claims in a very short period of time, then your rates might go up and your car insurance company might charge a windshield deductible for each claim.
How to File a Claim for Windshield Damage?
If you are involved in an accident or collision, then you’ll need to contact your insurance company immediately to notify them.
Your car insurance provider will then send an assessor or ask you to take photos of the damage for their records.
Once this is done, you’ll need to take your vehicle to an auto repair shop and get a quote.
Some car insurance companies will ask for more than one quote and others may have a specific network of providers that they use for auto repairs. Keep this in mind when you start filing your claim.
Once a quote has been accepted by your car insurance company, you’ll typically be given a breakdown of what they’ll pay for the repairs.
They should indicate whether there is an amount that you’ll need to cover, which is known as an excess.
They will also indicate whether or not there is a deductible that you’ll need to pay before your insurance will cover the repairs.
With windshield repairs and replacements, the costs aren’t too high, which means your insurance company will usually cover the entire amount, but there might be a windshield deductible that you’ll need to pay.
After you approve the repairs with your insurance company, you can take your vehicle to the auto repair shop and have the windshield replaced or fixed.
Should I Claim from My Insurance for Windshield Damage?
This will depend on what your plan’s deductible is. If you have a high-deductible plan (over $1,000), then it might not be worth filing a claim for a broken windshield as the cost of repairing or replacing it is usually less than this amount.
Our advice would be to check with your insurance provider and look at the cost of repair or replacement before you commit.
If you have previous claims on your auto insurance, you should be cautious about putting in a windshield claim as this might cause your insurance rates to increase.
Source: Pexels
How Much Does a New Windshield Cost?
The cost of windshield replacement will depend on the type of car you drive and the company that is replacing your windshield.
The type of damage to your windshield will also play a role in the cost of repair or replacement.
For example, if your windshield was damaged by a falling tree branch, there may be damage to the windshield frame that needs to be fixed, too. However, if you just have a cracked windshield, you’ll only need the glass replaced.
If your vehicle has specialized equipment or features such as rain sensors or other types of sensors, then you may end up paying more to repair or replace it.
It will also depend on whether you have to buy replacement parts through the original manufacturer or if you can get the part from another authorized manufacturer.
For example, if you drive a new Mercedes Benz then you’ll likely need to get a new OEM windshield from your dealership or a registered distributor. However, if you drive a Toyota from 2005, you’ll probably be able to find an aftermarket part that will fit your vehicle that will cost less.
OEM vs Aftermarket Parts
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer and are parts that are manufactured by your vehicle company or their original manufacturer.
Aftermarket parts are made by companies who aren’t affiliated to the vehicle maker in any way. The quality of parts will depend on your aftermarket manufacturer so be careful when you use them.
There are also different grades of glass that you can replace your current windshield with. If you decide to get a stronger type of glass when you replace your windscreen, it will cost you more.
In general, you can expect to pay around $250-$600 to replace your front or rear windshield. However, the amount may be more or less, depending on the car you drive.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Windshield?
Keep in mind that you’ll usually have to pay for the cost of the actual windshield and the cost to install it when you choose to replace it.
There is also the cost of other parts that the auto repair shop might need to order, such as rubber seals or adhesives that are factored into the cost of replacing your windshield.
There are a lot of fly-by-night operations out there, so it’s a good idea to get multiple quotes before you decide on a provider. Try to get at least three quotes before you commit.
Here are some other tips you can use to find a good deal on a windshield replacement:
Always get a second opinion on the extent of the damage and repairs before you commit.
See if the company has any reviews online and see if they are positive.
Look at the company’s website (if they don’t have a website, then you should avoid them).
Find out if the auto repair company is affiliated to or part of a professional association such as the Automotive Service Association.
If your car insurance is covering the cost of replacing or repairing your windshield, they may have preferred suppliers. Be sure to ask them if there is a specific workshop or auto repairer where you need to take your vehicle.
You should then definitely use their recommended providers, but regardless, ask your insurance company for a list of approved repair shops and get quotes from them before choosing one.
For example, if you use your car insurance company’s preferred repairer and they charge you $700, you might have to pay a $150 excess charge. However, if you go to two or three of their approved repair shops, you might get a better deal and pay a smaller excess.
Remember that you’ll be responsible for the deductible and any excess charges, so it’s important to always compare prices. Also keep in mind that the deductible you pay will vary according to your provider, plan, and repair needs.
How Long Does It Take to Replace a Windshield?
Once a new windshield has been delivered to the auto repair shop, the installation can take 30 minutes or a couple of hours to do.
However, in some cases you might not be able to drive your car straight away. Some windshields require special glues, adhesives, and sealants that need to set for a few hours before you can drive your car.
Our advice is to speak to your auto repairer before you bring your vehicle in to get the windscreen replaced. That way you’ll know how long it will take and you can plan accordingly.
Source: Unsplash
Where Can I Learn More about Auto Insurance?
Windshield damage can be annoying to deal with but if you have the right comprehensive coverage, you should be able to get your car insurance to pay for the repairs.
Once you have approval, the process of repairing or replacing your windshield should be quick.
If you’re interested in learning more about auto insurance, be sure to check out our auto hub to read our latest articles on coverage, costs, and the types of car insurance you can buy.
You can also reach out to our team of auto insurance agents if you have a specific question or want to find out which providers offer the best auto insurance in your area. Reach out to us at 1-888-912-2132 or send an email to Help@PolicyScout.com.