Windshield Replacement and Comprehensive Insurance
Is the cost of a windshield replacement covered by the comprehensive portion of an automotive insurance policy? Yes, but you might be responsible for a deductible and in most cases the deductible is more than the cost of the install. However, there are a number of states which consider the need for a replacement as “no fault” and will either charge a much smaller deductible or nothing at all.
If you’re responsible for paying a deductible to have a windshield installed and know what your deductible is then call and get price quotes from various auto glass shops before scheduling service. This will help you determine whether it’s cost effective to file a claim on your insurance or just pay cash. A comprehensive claim shouldn’t raise your insurance premium on its own but it does count towards the total volume of claims that you file in a calendar year. This was explained to me by an insurance agent I had to deal with in the past. I had filed a $59 windshield repair claim for a customer in the past and a month later had to work with the insurance agent to remove this claim in order to cancel the increase my customer incurred on her policy. The customer ultimately paid me cash and her monthly premium returned to its normal amount. From that day forward I always let customers know that filing a windshield repair or replacement claim could cause an increase in their premium if they’ve had other claims which were filed during the year. I also tell them that the only person qualified to give a definitive answer as to whether a comprehensive claim will increase their insurance premium or not is their insurance agent.
Know what your deductible is prior to calling glass shops so you can determine whether or not to file a claim before scheduling service. My recommendation is to not risk an increase in your insurance premium if your deductible is only going to save you $50 to $100.
