Background working with banks and insurance companies
Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.
Michelle Lambright Black is a credit expert, freelance writer, and founder of CreditWriter.com. She has over 20 years of experience writing and speaking about credit and money, and focuses on helping families and small business owners make smart, informed decisions about their credit, money, and financial products (including insurance). Michelle's work has appeared in publications such as Yahoo! Finance, Reader's Digest, Parents, FICO, Forbes, Bankrate, The Seattle Times, MarketWatch, BuySide from Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and more. She's also a three-time finalist for the best personal finance freelancer award from the Plutus Foundation. When she isn't writing or speaking about credit and money, Michelle loves to travel with her family or read a good book. You can connect with Michelle on Instagram or Twitter.
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
Why you can trust Insurify: Comparing accurate insurance quotes should never put you at risk of spam. We earn an agent commission only if you buy a policy based on our quotes. Our editorial team follows a rigorous set of editorial standards and operates independently from our insurance partners. Learn more.
Driving with a chipped, cracked, or broken windshield can pose a safety risk on the road. If you experience damage to your windshield, make sure you get it fixed or replaced right away.
Car insurance can cover the cost of windshield replacement, often without a deductible. But coverage depends on your location, insurance company, and the type of auto insurance policy you have.
Here’s what you need to know about windshield replacement and auto insurance coverage.
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When does car insurance cover windshield damage?
Your car insurance policy may cover windshield damage. Whether or not your specific policy includes coverage for a damaged or cracked windshield depends on the situation and the type of coverage you have.[1]
If your car insurance covers windshield damage, it may pay for the cost of repairs or replacement resulting from the following types of glass claims:
Chipped windshield
Cracked windshield
Shattered windshield
For example, if your windshield is smashed in an accident, collision insurance could protect you. But if a small rock hits your windshield on the highway, you might need comprehensive insurance to cover the damage.
What types of insurance covers windshield damage?
You can protect yourself financially against windshield damage under a few different types of auto policies. Here’s a closer look at some common options that cover windshield repair and replacement.[2]
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance covers damages to your vehicle from non-collision events, like rock damage or vandalism.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance provides coverage for vehicle damage up to your policy limits that results from a collision, like glass damage from a car accident.
Full coverage
Full-coverage insurance is a combination of comprehensive, collision, and liability coverage. It provides the most robust protection for windshield damage.
Auto glass coverage
This add-on coverage pays for windshield damage, often without a deductible.
Important Information
If you only have liability car insurance, it won’t pay to repair or replace your windshield. Liability coverage pays for property damages and injuries to other parties in an accident you cause. It doesn’t pay for your injuries or damages to your vehicle.
Understanding how auto glass deductibles work
You might have to pay a deductible when you submit a glass repair claim. But your type of coverage, the type of damage, and your location all play a role in determining whether a deductible applies to windshield insurance claims.
With some insurers, the repair of chips, cracks, or small breaks won’t trigger a deductible. But your deductible might kick in for bigger claims, like a full windshield replacement. Your insurer may waive your deductible if you have an insurance policy with a lower deductible or no deductible on glass claims.
Whether you pay an auto glass deductible may also depend on where you live. In Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina, for example, drivers with comprehensive coverage can’t be charged a deductible to repair or replace a broken windshield.
How to file a claim after windshield damage
Windshield damage interferes with your safety while on the road. So, it’s important to file glass claims and repair glass damage as soon as possible. Here are some basic steps you can take to begin the process.[3]
Notify your insurer and start an insurance claim. You may be able to begin the claim process online, over the phone, or through your insurance company’s mobile app.
Verify if your policy covers you for repairs. Review your policy documents to see if you have coverage for windshield repairs. If you’re not sure, check with your agent or insurance company.
Schedule your windshield repair or replacement. Once your insurance approves your claim, book your windshield repair or replacement with an approved shop. You can typically choose from visiting a shop or having the auto glass company come to your home or location of your choice.
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Windshield repair costs without insurance
When your windshield breaks and you have a liability-only policy that doesn’t cover glass damage, you may have to cover repair costs out of pocket. The average cost to repair or replace your windshield varies based on factors like the extent of the damage, the make and model of your vehicle, your location, and other details.
The table below lists a range of what you might pay to repair windshield breaks if you don’t have insurance coverage.[4]
Advanced features windshield replacement (newer vehicle models)
$600–$1,000
Luxury vehicle windshield replacement
$1,000 and up
Newer vehicle models and luxury vehicles often have windshields with special features, such as rain sensors, heads-up displays, heating elements, and more. In general, the more advanced technology your windshield uses, the higher the cost of the replacement if damage occurs.
Windshield replacement FAQs
Below are answers to some of the most common questions about windshield replacement coverage.
Does your insurance go up if a rock hits your windshield?
Your insurance company may increase your premiums anytime you file a claim. But if your car insurance rate increases after a glass claim, it likely won’t be by much.
Is it worth it to use insurance for a cracked windshield?
It depends. If the cost of a glass repair or windshield replacement is less than your deductible, it might not be worth filing a glass claim. But if you don’t have a deductible or the repair costs exceed your deductible amount, you might want to consider filing an insurance claim for glass damage.
Does Arizona cover windshield replacement?
In Arizona, insurers are required to cover the full cost of windshield replacement or repair when you have $0 deductible comprehensive insurance. But if you don’t opt for a $0 deductible policy, you’ll still have to pay your deductible out of pocket before your insurance kicks in to cover glass.
Does Texas have free windshield replacement?
Texas insurers aren’t required to offer customers $0 deductible coverage for windshield replacement. So if you want to make sure windshield replacement won’t cost you anything, you’ll need to pay extra for a $0 deductible comprehensive policy or separate glass coverage.
Can you buy auto glass coverage separate from your current auto insurance policy?
Yes, you can buy auto glass coverage separate from your auto policy. Auto glass coverage is add-on insurance that helps pay for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle’s glass, including the windshield.
Kelley Blue Book. "It May Cost More Than You Think to Replace a Windshield."
Sarah Archambault
Sarah Archambault enjoys helping people figure out how to manage their finances and credit. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans. Her work has been featured on Credit Karma, Experian, LendingClub, Sound Dollar and USA Today Blueprint. She also writes for national insurers, banks and financial institutions like Aetna, MassMutual, Stripe, and UnitedHealthcare.
Michelle Lambright Black is a credit expert, freelance writer, and founder of CreditWriter.com. She has over 20 years of experience writing and speaking about credit and money, and focuses on helping families and small business owners make smart, informed decisions about their credit, money, and financial products (including insurance). Michelle's work has appeared in publications such as Yahoo! Finance, Reader's Digest, Parents, FICO, Forbes, Bankrate, The Seattle Times, MarketWatch, BuySide from Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and more. She's also a three-time finalist for the best personal finance freelancer award from the Plutus Foundation. When she isn't writing or speaking about credit and money, Michelle loves to travel with her family or read a good book. You can connect with Michelle on Instagram or Twitter.
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
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