Cracked windshield, bill my insurance?

[HardDrive]

Wife has a cracked windshield. Do the auto glass places typically bill your insurance on your behalf? Should I pay for it out of pocket and skip billing my insurance?

[Rick Lee]

Depends on the state. In AZ your insurance has to cover is 100% with no deductible, which is probably why the rates here are much higher than in the DC, though the traffic and pop. density are much bigger back east. I would call your insurance first. I didn't pay a dime to Safelite for my 993 windshield two yrs. ago.

[Mark Henry]

I have a $300 deductible, a new windshield for my SUV is $305 installed so it makes no sense to make a claim.
We used to have "we pay your deductible" type shops, but the insurance companies put a stop to that.

[MRM]

And if you live in a glass coverage state it doesn't affect your rates. That means that auto owner has little incentive to care abut the final cost, so an industry of auto glass repair specialists has sprung up in glass coverage states. They do the repairs and bill the insurer directly. You never see the bill, so you don't care whether it was $250 or $2,500. But your insurance has to pay the bill and not raise your rates.

It sounds like you do live in a glass coverage state. Call your agent and ask. Ask for a referral to a couple of glass replacemetn shops. They'll send you to one that is reputable but won't gouge you or your insurer.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Wife has a cracked windshield. Do the auto glass places typically bill your insurance on your behalf? Should I pay for it out of pocket and skip billing my insurance?

1. Yes
2. Depends on your insurance/deductible situation.

AFAICR, WA is not a "glass coverage" state.

You should have 2 deductibles. One for comprehensive and one for collision. It's usually a good idea to keep your comp deductible fairly low (like $100). It doesn't really raise your premiums that much at all, and will come in handy for things...like windshields.

Also, if/when having it replaced through your insurance, don't let them skimp on the quality of glass. Specify OEM only to whomever is doing the work. Probably a good idea to call the dealer and ask who they use.

[masraum]

I'd skip billing. Our insurance once told us, sure, get the chips fixed, if you get them fixed instead of replacing the windshield, we'll wave your deductible. We had 2 cars repaired. Someone in the family had an accident at some point prior. The next renewal time around, we got dropped due to having 3 claims in a 5 year period. I'd just get the windshield replaced and pay.

[Zeke]

The glass installers that follow claims charge way too much. I expect they give discounts to ins cos. OTOH, if I drive into the local glass company with cash, 200 bucks will do my truck (similar to any GM truck or SUV). The Yellow Pages guys want 600 or more.

Shop around.

[red-beard]

I stopped having full glass coverage. My Jeep Cherokee, I could shop around and find someone to replace it for $250. The extra cost for "full glass" was around $200 each year.

My ex-wife's brother used to do the windshields for me, when I had full glass. He would bill something like $800 and the shop cost for the windshield was about $100. This was about 15 years ago...

[Deschodt]

I live in a glass coverage state... FL..
I drive early AM and get lots of rocks left over from trucks on the highway... I had 7 glass claims with my insurance over the past 5 years - 6 minor chip repairs at $50-75 a pop, one full windshield. Hardly a major deal for them given my premium amount !

They can't raise your rate by law, but they sure can drop you at renewal time ;-) Ask me how I know..

[Icemaster]

How badly cracked? If it's not too bad it might be fixable with the resin solution.

[plumb4u2]

Originally Posted by Icemaster

How badly cracked? If it's not too bad it might be fixable with the resin solution.

have never heard of a crack being able to be fixed...most chips can be

I had a hummer h2 and my windshield split my insurance cover all but $100

I agree u need to contact insur before anything

this thread would be no real good help because everyone has different insur coverage

[azasadny]

When I took a rock through the windshield in the 911 back in 2007, Haggarty Ins. waived the deductible, paid for everything, including a new windshield gasket.

[HardDrive]

Thanks for the info all. I'm paying out of pocket. $312.

[BeyGon]

Every time I get a windshield replaced it costs me $100, I have $500 deductable but windshilds don't count. State Farm.

[legion]

Glass coverage varies widely from state to state. For some it is mandated that it be a $0 deductible, 100% covered repair. For others, it is part of your comprehensive coverage and subject to whatever deductible you have on that.

One good thing about glass is it is generally considered a truly random loss and you don't get dinged in your rates for glass repairs by most insurers.