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Does Car Insurance Cover a Broken Windshield?

October 28, 2021

This blog post will help you understand: 

  • Will car insurance cover a broken window? 
  • Where can you find professional repairs for broken glass on a car? 

The windshield is designed to be shatter-resistant, but can still break. The other windows in a car are designed to shatter upon impact, which is a safety issue. It’s a safety issue when the windshield has a crack or chip in it. Small chips can often lead to irreparable damage. Fixing a small chip can often prevent you from having to replace the entire windshield. Of course, you’re probably wondering who is going to pay for repairs. Will car insurance cover a broken window? There’s no easy answer. It depends. 

Car Insurance & Broken Windshields

Whether your car insurance covers a broken window depends on two things – the type of insurance you have and how the car was damaged. 

Your Car Insurance Policy

There are many types of insurance coverage, but we’ll talk about the main three policies most car owners could have. 

  • Liability – this is the general coverage that drivers are required to have. It covers damage to the other car, not yours. It will not cover your broken windshield. 
  • Collision – this coverage protects your car when you are in an accident with another car or an inanimate object. If you damaged your windshield by hitting a utility pole, this policy would cover repairs. 
  • Comprehensive – this type of policy covers damage to a car from an act of nature, such as hail, or in cases of theft or vandalism. Depending on how your windshield was damaged, this policy may cover repairs. 

Comprehensive and collision insurance is not legally required, so you should check what type of insurance you have. Your lender may require comp & collision insurance if you are paying off a loan on your car. Your insurer may also offer a glass coverage policy. You would want to ask your insurer, “will car insurance cover a broken window?” 

What Is Your Deductible? 

Your deductible is the amount of money you pay toward any expenses when you make a claim on your insurance. Comprehensive & collision insurance generally have a deductible, usually $500 or $1,000. Your insurance may cover the damage, but the insurance won’t pay anything if the cost is less than the deductible. However, in some cases, you may have a no-deductible repair cost for a broken window. Most glass coverage policies have a no-deductible cost for small repairs. There’s no rule about car insurance covering broken windows or not. It simply depends on your personal insurance policies. 

Auto Glass Repair in Illinois and Indiana 

Driving with a broken window is not safe. Minor cracks can easily get bigger, causing vision problems or more damage. You may be concerned about your insurer raising your rates if you make a claim. Whether your insurance company raises your rates for a broken window claim will vary by provider. 

American Eagle Auto Glass has four locations to serve you: 

  • Champaign, IL 
  • Danville, IL 
  • Bloomington, IN 
  • Terre Haute, IN 

Our auto glass technicians can fix your car’s glass in our shop, or we can come to you for mobile repair. With over 35 years in the industry, you can count on us to provide premier customer service, whether you come to us or we come to your work or home. We make repairs – We clean up our mess – You get back to your routine with a safe window. Contact us for auto glass repair. 

 

Image Credit: A_Lesik, Shutterstock