Does car insurance cover cracked windshield?

Almost everyone experiences it – they ride together on a beautiful sunny day, explode on the radio, sing and suddenly you hear it – crack! Pebble or other debris falls out from under the car tire in front of you, hitting the blind spot of the windshield. Whether it causes a small chip or a larger crack, you need to fix it. Does car insurance cover cracked windshield?

Comprehensive insurance covers a broken windshield

Even if it is a small crack, you need to fix it – small cracks rarely remain small. The good news is that all comprehensive policies should include repairing windshields and even replacing windshields, as long as the crack came from an insured event. Depending on the policy, windshield repair (instead of replacement) may cost nothing, so consult your insurance company or agent before taking any action.

What to do if you do not have comprehensive insurance

In general, if you don’t have comprehensive protection, your insurance won’t pay for windshield repairs. There are two main exceptions in which only civil liability insurance can repair the car.

The first is when another person crashes into your car and is guilty of an accident. If the windshield or other parts get damaged in this case, it will be repaired after the third party civil liability claim for damage to property.

The only other situation where you can be insured is that another person would break the windshield and you would bring a claim against their homeowners or liability insurance. If they have one of these policies, they will have a share of the responsibility to cover expenses for items that can cause damage. You must prove to the insurance company that it’s their fault.

We usually recommend that drivers obtain comprehensive collision insurance if their car is less than 10 years old or is worth over $ 3,000. Although two types of protection can double the cost of car insurance, the cost of car damage will cost more to repair than the cost of insurance in five years.

Does car insurance cover cracked windshield?
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Deductions on glass claims

Your insurance company usually pays for repairs that exceed tax deductible costs. Sometimes the insurance carrier will require a deduction based on full insurance coverage, but disclaims this deduction in particular for damage to the glass. Other companies give up deductions for glass repairs but do not replace them. Before making a decision about submitting an application, you should find out if your carrier waives the deduction for glass claims. Some states even require that deductions not be applied to glass claims. In these states, you may be able to repair or replace glass without deducting tax deductible costs.

Should you submit an application?

If the repair cost is higher than your tax deductible cost, you should consider filing a claim. If you are hesitating because you do not want insurance rates to increase, know that filing a claim will not necessarily affect the premium. 9 Insurance carriers usually add an additional fee to policies that claim because of something that is under your control, such as a policy violation, not things beyond your control. Usually, windshield repair does not signal risky driving behavior, such as in a traffic accident.

Filing a claim

If you determine that damage to the windshield is actually covered by insurance, and making a complaint is the best option, the next step is to contact the insurance company or agent to start the complaint process. Depending on the insurance company, you can start a claim online or using a mobile application.

 

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