Is a Broken Windshield Covered Under my Auto Policy Deductible?

Unfortunately, a broken or shattered windshield is not just a nuisance, it is also detrimental to the overall driving practices of the individual operating the vehicle since the glass through which the individual would otherwise be looking is damaged. This can make it more difficult for the person to drive, if not impossible. A broken windshield can be caused by a bird flying into the window, a rock or other piece of debris flying into the glass or from a car accident. Since some of these instances seem covered and others may not, many people are left with the troubling question of whether or not their specific broken windshield is covered under their auto insurance policy and their deductible. In general, this will vary from person to person depending on their individual insurance company and the amount of their deductibles. However, there are some specifics to look for in such an event.

If you were in a car accident that was not your fault and the windshield was damaged, the windshield will be covered by the insurance of the other person. There would be no need for the money to come out of your auto policy deductible if the crash was not your fault. Unfortunately, if the other driver does not have insurance the cost of repairs may need to come out of your deductible, if that is possible. While the United States requires that individuals have insurance on their vehicles before they are driven on the road, many people will ignore this law, which unfortunately has happened with almost any other law that has been put into place in this country. Sometimes there are people who just do not want to follow the law.

In general, regardless of the situation being the individual’s fault or not, windshield damage will be covered by your auto policy if you have full coverage. Full coverage means that the individual has liability and comprehensive auto insurance. This also means that insurance coverage will pay for problems whether the situation resulting in the broken windshield is your fault or not. If a person has just liability insurance, this is when the insurance company will only pay for the damages caused by the insured person’s vehicle on the property that the driver damaged that is not their own, individual vehicle. Only with full coverage can an individual get this type of problem coverage.

However, the amount of a person’s deductible will also play a factor into whether or not the person will need to pay out of pocket for the repair of a windshield. When a person gets an auto insurance policy, they determine their deductible. For most companies, these options include 250, 500, 750 and 1000 deductibles. Higher deductibles typically mean lower monthly payments, and this is left up to the individual. In most cases, the cost of replacing a windshield will be more than most of the deductibles, save potentially the 1000 deductible. When the deductible is lower than the overall cost of the windshield’s replacement or repair, the insurance policy will cover the cost of any amount in excess of the deductible.

Yellow Pages Ad Campaign is an excellent advice if you are shopping for auto insurance. Shop around and do it yearly. Do not just keep paying your invoice over and over without comparison shopping.

Insurance agents really have a lot of leeway. They can price match and they can offer a lot of discounts. There are also a lot of decisions you canmake about your policy that will save you a bundle. For example, if you change your deductible on your collision from a 50 deductible to a 1000 deductible, youe inline for a huge premium savings. If you Do not think you can come up with 1000 out of pocket, then change it to a 500 deductible; youl still save a sizable amount on your annual premium payment. However, if they have an accident and totaled their vehicle, the insurance company will only pay them the wholesale value of the vehicle. The amount they would receive can be 1000 or less. A vehicle that old just needs the insurance that protects the other person in case of an accident.

Another method to save more on your insurance is by combining your vehicles and other insurance together to get you additional savings. All insurance companies offer a multi-car discount (if yours does not, it is time to switch companies). Further, A lot of will discount more if you have your homeowners or renters policy with them. You canalso get more of a savings if you change your comprehensive deductible. A lot of people needlessly carry full coverage on their older vehicle. They originally purchased the vehicle new, paid for full coverage and to this day, continue to pay the same high rate. Their ten year old vehicle may be worth 1000 or less, yet they continue to pay 250-450 every six months (total 500 to 900 pounds a year) to keep full coverage on their old vehicle. There are a few other discounts that you may not be taking advantage of. It seems obvious, but make sure you are getting the correct rate for your age. There are discounts for various ages than cansave you lots of money. Check with your agent on this one. Also alarm systems on your vehicle are usually good for a discount. Additionally, anti-lock brakes and air bags canalso help lower your premiums.

Do not just keep paying the invoice when it comes in. Your insurance bill should be an automatic trigger for you to make a few phone calls to see if you cansave even more money on your auto insurance premiums.