Let’s be clear right of the bat—the answer to this question depends on your policy. Car insurance policies come in all shapes, sizes, and levels of coverage. So the answer to “does insurance cover auto glass repair/replacement” is… it depends. But we know that sounds like a cop-out answer and leaves our readers pretty unsatisfied. So we’ll explain why it depends, what it depends on, and how likely it is that you will be covered.
Whether or not your car insurance will cover the cost of auto glass repair or replacement depends on a couple of factors. It depends on the cost of the repair or replacement and it depends on your deductible. Repairs are a lot cheaper than replacements, so a lot of times a repair will not be covered, but a replacement may be. Generally speaking, the deductible for auto insurance ranges from around $250 to about $500. This—of course—is not representative of all policies. Yours may be different, and you should check. But if the cost of a repair is almost always going to be less than this deductible. It doesn’t really make sense to file an insurance claim if you’re going to have to cover the entire cost regardless because of your deductible.
Replacements, on the other hand, are a little pricier (this is why we always encourage our customers to repair small chips or cracks before they have to replace a windshield and spend a lot more money). Replacements may end up costing more than your deductible, meaning that insurance will cover some of the costs. This is when it makes sense to file a claim.
So in all likelihood, a good rule of thumb to go by is to expect repairs not to be covered, but that replacements should be covered. Like we said before—this does not apply to all insurance policies. The best thing you can do is find out from your insurance provider exactly what your policy dictates and plan accordingly. A lot of insurance companies may offer free repairs or discounts, so this article may not apply to you at all.
Filing any claim can have the potential to make your rates go up, so choosing which repairs constitute a claim is in your best interest. Because of deductibles, you will likely always pay something out of pocket. Regardless of what your insurance covers, you will spend less money on a repair than a replacement every time. We want to encourage everyone to get that crack or chip fixed before it becomes a big expensive problem.
