Many people are used to being thrown for a loop when it comes to what is covered and not covered by the insurance company. Windshield coverage is one of the most important coverages that you need to check on. There are some instances when the windshield is covered while there are some when it is not covered.
First, start by noting the type of coverage you have. Is it comprehensive, liability, or full coverage? There are many other options because cover varies from one company to another, but these are the most common types. All of these options have limitations on windshield damage.
Limitations on Coverage
Liability – there will be instances when the insurance company covers windshield damage when you have liability insurance. These instances are usually very limited, and generally, liability insurance does not cover the windshield. If the other person was at fault, you can claim it against their home or car insurance.
Comprehensive – Comprehensive can cover the windshield if the damaged was as a result of an act of God. This means that it doesn’t provide coverage if the damage was done by a person, e.g. a car crash. However, instances such as a branch falling on the windshield will be covered.
Full coverage – Full coverage is the best option when it comes to car insurance because it covers everything, save for a few limitations.
Other reasons
The biggest reason for your windshield not getting covered by the insurer is not having the right coverage for that incident. Let’s say you have comprehensive coverage (which is usually added to your insurance policy) and a basic liability policy on the car. If you were to hit a pole, either policy is not going to cover the incident because comprehensive covers acts of God while liability covers when another person causes the damage. This means you will have two different insurance covers but none covering the incident.
Other reasons for windshield damage not getting coverage can be the specific finer details of the cover you have and varies from one insurance company to another. Some insurance companies are going to cover windshield damage if the damage is smaller than a dollar bill and if it is larger than that, they don’t cover it. If the damage of the windshield was caused by you, some companies are very picky when it comes to covering such types of incidents, and some can include stipulations that will cover such incidents. Another thing that can cause the insurance company not to pay for the repairs or replacement because you have a deductible in place. Let’s say there is a $500 deductible and the total cost of the damage is $450. You will be forced to pay for these costs out of pocket, and you will still have a $50 deductible left. If you were to make another claim, you still have to pay the $50 deductible that remained, before the insurance company steps in to cover the costs.
First Class Auto is your professional windshield company. Give us a call to help with you with your auto needs.