The windshield on your car is designed to protect you from road debris, flying rocks, dust, and dirt and even bugs, and if an object hits your windshield, the design of the windshield prevents most objects from punching entirely through the glass and endangering the driver and passengers. However, rocks, sticks, and other flying debris can still chip and crack your windshield, resulting in the need to make repairs or replace the entire piece of glass. Thankfully, there are insurance policies that cover chipped and cracked glass.
How Windshields Are Commonly Damaged
Modern windshields are extremely durable by not completely resistant to damage. Rocks and other flying debris can still chip or crack your windshield.
- Animals falling onto your windshield
- Falling branches from trees
- Flying Road Debris and Rocks
- Large hail from severe thunderstorms
- Unsecured Items falling from other vehicles
How to Reduce Your Windshield Damage Risk
While it’s not possible to completely avoid windshield damage, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of experiencing a cracked or chipped windshield. For example, you never want to follow large trucks, semis, dump trucks, or trash trucks closely. Their large tires can throw rocks at your car, and if their loads are completely secured, rocks, debris and even objects can fly off the truck. When parking your car at home, it’s best to pat it under a carport or in a garage. If you do not have a structure in which to park your car, make sure to never park it under any trees.
Costs Associated with Windshield Replacement
Windshield replacements can range from as little as $200 up to $4,000 for an exotic car such as an Aston Martin. The exact cost varies with the make and model of the car, how difficult the glass is to replace, and the size of the windshield. For obvious reasons, a windshield on an SUV would be more expensive to replace than the windshield on a compact car. The good news is that comprehensive insurance policies do pay for repairs and replacements of damaged windshield glass. In addition, if the windshield has a “chip” (smaller than a dollar bill) most insurers will pay the total cost for the repair. If you have a small chip, it is best to have the repair done quickly as the glass integrity could be compromised if dirty, which could lead to something more serious.
Insurance Coverage for Windshield Damage
If you’re wondering if your insurance policy covers damage to your windshield, it does if you have comprehensive insurance. Comprehensive insurance pays for various types of damage to your vehicle that are not the result of a car accident. Types of damage that are commonly covered include vandalism, theft, and fire as well as certain types of damage caused by extreme weather. For windshield glass, this policy typically covers flying rocks and road debris as well as branches and animals that call on your car’s windshield and crack or chip the glass.
If you do not have comprehensive insurance coverage, you can call Leonard Insurance and get a quote for coverage. Once your comprehensive insurance policy is in place, all you have to do to get your glass repaired is call and file a claim. Once your claim is approved, the insurance policy will cover most if not all of the costs associated with the repair or replacement of your windshield. Finally, Many companies are now offering a ZERO deductible glass option at a reasonable cost- call us to see if available on your policy.
