I had to get my windshield replaced. I had a small crack which morphed into a 4-foot wide crack. Total cost was 150. I have a $100 deductable, so basically the question is if I submit this to get 50 bucks back, will they hold it against me?
Do insurance companies raise rates or jettison people based on things like this, do you have a couple freebie claims before they let you go? Should I save a claim until I total my car? Am I safe getting my 50 bucks? If anyone here has worked for an insurance company I’d like your opinion. Thanks!
Talk with your agent. They will be best able to help you.
I have to say $150 to replace a windshield is rather cheep. Did you have it replaced or repaired? Double check that invoice because a windshield replacement usually costs several hundred dollars.
Many companies will cover the cost of repairs without deductible. In several states, like Kentucky, the state has required that insurance companies provide coverage for windshield replacement with no deductible. So again talk with your agent.
I just had my windshield replaced but in Massachusetts, windshield replacements are 100% covered with comprehensive insurance. I don’t know if California is the same but here you just give the name of your insurer and that is the end of it with no rate increases or anything else. You may want to double-check on how your insurance works.
I had to add glass coverage to my insurance to cover this (up to $150, which is a reasonable charge for the windshield around here BTW), so it’s a separate category. I can’t imagine it would affect your overall rates/coverage.
I have Nationwide and have had my passenger side front corner replaced three times (I’m clumsy). My rates never went up (they’ve even gone down slightly) and my coverage has remained in place for nine years.
I’ve had to replace windshields before, and it ran about $150. I think it depends on the popularity of your vehicle (availability) and the curvature of the glass (difficulty of manufacture).
I am an insurance agent, but I am not your insurance agent so I must tell you that you want to talk to your agent about this before making any final decisions.
As far as a simple glass claim goes, they generally will not impact your coverage or premium in any way, especially if you have gone many years without a claim and always pay your bills on time. However, if you file this glass claim today and then 4 months from now you find your car was keyed and you file a claim to get it repainted and then a year from now you suffer minor hail damage and you file a claim for that you could be in a position to lose your coverage or have your rates increased.
The purpose of insurance is not to cover the nickel and dime kind of stuff, it is to keep you from undergoing a serious financial hardship should the worst occur. If you total your car and you have to spend $15000 to repair or replace it that would be a hardship and you should file a claim for that. For $50 worth of glass repair it may not be worth it to you. Now if that $50 will make a difference between whether or not you can pay your electric bill then you should definately file, but if it is just pocket change to you it might be worth it to pay out of pocket and avoid reporting the claim.
This is why I suggest increasing the deductable on your Collision, but having 0 deductable on Comp. A 0 ded on Comp is cheaper than you think, (well maybe not what pbbth thinks, but for the layman here). But only use it for inportant things, like a windshield.