Road hazards are dangerous to your windshield. From rocks to debris to animals, your windshield protects you from the outside world when you’re on the road. If your windshield is cracked or damaged, it’s important to get it repaired or replaced quickly to prevent further damage and potential injury to you and your passengers. But how do you know if your insurance covers windshield replacement? Answer these questions and follow these tips to see if your windshield replacement might be covered.

How Did Your Windshield Break?

If your windshield cracked or broke during a car accident and the other driver was at fault, you can file an insurance claim including the broken or cracked windshield with the other driver’s insurance. If you were at fault and you carry comprehensive or full-coverage insurance, your windshield should be covered in the claim you submit for your vehicle – less the deductible required by your insurance company. In other cases, such as inclement weather, falling objects, road hazards, or rocks and debris from other cars or the highway, your windshield replacement may or may not be covered. Generally speaking, a comprehensive insurance policy will probably cover the cost of windshield replacement – it just depends on what type of insurance you have and how high your insurance deductible is.

Do You Have Comprehensive/Full-Coverage Insurance?

If you have comprehensive or full-coverage insurance, your windshield replacement should be covered by your policy. The big question in these cases is whether your insurance company requires a deductible for glass claims. Some policies have special riders for glass coverage, and some states prevent insurance companies from requiring a deductible for glass breaks. If this is the case, your insurance policy should cover the windshield replacement in full. If your company requires a deductible, consider whether the cost of replacing your windshield is more than your deductible. In other words, if your deductible is $300 and the cost of windshield replacement is only $320, your insurance company will only cover the additional $20 – and might increase your rates because you filed a claim. 

What’s In Your Policy?

Review your insurance policy documents. Most insurance agents can mail or email you a copy of your insurance policy, including coverage limits and the terms and conditions of the policy. Check your policy documents to see if you have comprehensive coverage that covers glass breaks. Sometimes, these riders are called Full Glass Coverage policies and do not require a deductible to be paid for your windshield to be repaired or replaced. Some policies only cover repair of windshields if the crack is less than six inches long, so measure your windshield crack and call quickly to get your windshield repaired, if possible, under your insurance coverage. In your policy documents, you’ll also discover if your policy has a deductible and how much you’ll be required to pay for the repair or replacement. Review this document with your insurance agent to determine if your policy covers the windshield replacement or if it’s worth filing a claim given your deductible requirement. 

Will Your Auto Glass Shop Work With Your Insurance?

Make sure that the auto glass shop you’ve chosen to repair or replace your windshield works with insurance companies to get your windshield repaired or replaced. At Fast Glass Services, we work with all insurance companies to make your windshield repair or replacement experience easier. Our professional service department will have you back on the road in no time – and will bill your insurance for the repair or replacement if it’s covered! We deal with insurance companies every day – let us help you find out if the insurance policy will pay for your windshield replacement. If you choose a different auto glass shop, make sure that they will take care of billing your insurance company so you don’t get stuck in the middle – and stuck with the bill!