Does your car insurance cover windshield damage?
No single “one policy” covers the cost of repairs for all the damages your car may sustain in an accident. Different auto insurance policies cover different types of injuries.
For example, liability insurance covers the cost of repairs and medical treatments of the other driver involved in the accident. The liability insurance of the driver at fault will pay for the other driver’s car repairs and medical treatment.
When it comes to auto insurance policies covering the policyholder’s damages, two take policies to cover most of the damages:
For this article, i.e., both comprehensive and collision insurance are applicable for windshield damage. The type of damage and the way the damage occurs makes a lot of difference.
Let’s examine which policy is valid for windshield damage under what conditions.
Two Policies Valid for Windshield Damage
Windshield damage is covered under two optional policies; comprehensive insurance and collision insurance. Here’s what these two policies are and cover;
Collision insurance: Collision insurance is an essential, optional insurance that covers the cost of repairs of the car needed after an accident. You can claim it irrespective of whose fault the accident was.
So even if the accident was your fault, you can claim this policy and get reimbursed for the cost of repairs. Collision insurance can also be claimed if the driver at fault does not have liability insurance.
Comprehensive Insurance: Comprehensive insurance is also optional insurance that covers the cost of damages your car may sustain while it is parked. For this reason, it is also called “parked car insurance.”
Comprehensive insurance covers damages due to floods, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, animal damage, projectile damage, damages due to riots and vandalism, and theft.
So which one of the two policies covers windshield damage? It depends on the type of accident.
When Comprehensive Insurance is Valid
When the car is stationary, i.e., parked, and gets damaged due to any of the above-mentioned reasons, comprehensive insurance can be claimed. It also includes damages to the windshield.
For example, if a tree falls on your car due to some natural disaster, resulting in windshield cracking or breaking, then comprehensive insurance will cover the cost of fixing or replacing it. Any projectile that damages the windshield will be covered under comprehensive insurance.
When Collision Coverage is Valid
If the damage to the windshield occurred while the car was driven, comprehensive insurance could not be claimed in such conditions. In such situations, collision insurance covers all the damages to your vehicle.
For example, if you are driving your car and bump into a tree or another vehicle, causing your windshield to crack or break, collision insurance will cover it as long as the damage was not intentional.
When the Accident is Not Your Fault
Many times, while you are following all the traffic rules, some other unruly, adventurous drivers might not. So if you get in a car accident and it is not your fault, the at-fault driver will cover the cost of car repairs and medical treatments with their liability insurance.
If your windshield is damaged in such an accident, it will be covered by the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. You’ll have to use your collision insurance if the driver at fault does not have liability insurance.
Windshield repair costs can range from very affordable hundred dollars to completely unaffordable thousands of dollars. Low-priced family drivers such as a cheap Honda or Toyota have a basic windshield that does not cost too much to repair.
The type of repair also determines the cost. A simple crack or scratch can be fixed affordably. But replacing the windshield would cost a fortune. But expensive cars, such as Porsche, Tesla, etc., will drain your pockets if you decide to pay for windshield repairs yourself.
There are many reasons why some windshields are more expensive to fix or replace than others. With the improvement in technology and cars becoming more “computers” than cars, the windshield is a hub of technologies.
From multiple sensors for automated driving in ADAS to hundreds of sensors and even integrated heads-up displays, all these things add to the repair and replacement cost.
So if you want to save money on windshield replacement and repair, consider getting a low-priced car. Or get a very affordable and reliable insurance coverage policy. Make sure you search for the right ones to make the right choice.
For example, if you live in Illinois, then search for the most affordable Illinois car insurance companies and compare their plans. Please select the one that suits your needs the best, and that’s it.
Should You Claim Insurance for Windshield Damage?
This question might be very counterintuitive, especially regarding the topic of the article. If your insurance policy covers windshield damage, you should claim it. Right? The answer is more complex.
It would be best if you weighed all the pros and cons before making a claim. Let us make it easy for you to understand.
Insurance claims come with deductibles. A deductible is a small amount you need to pay before the auto insurer pays the rest of the claim amount. So if the claim amount is $5,000 and the deductible is $1,000, you’ll have to pay the thousand dollars first before the insurer pays $4,000.
Let’s say that windshield repair costs $1,200, and the deductible is $1,000. If you make a claim in this situation, you’ll have to pay $1,000 from your pockets, and the insurance company will pay $200.
So what’s the issue here? The problem here is that now that you have made an insurance claim, your insurance rates will go up, including your insurance premium rates—all of this for just $200. At least you are saving $200.
This is a very hypothetical situation, but the message remains very practical. Consider how much you are paying from your pocket and how much the insurance company is paying. Is the amount of money you save by making a claim worth the increased insurance rates?
Does your car insurance policy cover windshield damage? Here is everything you need to know about windshield damage and auto insurance.
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