Windshield Insurance Coverage & Claims in Minnesota
A damaged windshield can compromise your safety and visibility on the road. Fortunately, with the right insurance coverage, repairing or replacing your windshield can be straightforward and cost-effective. At Glass Masters Auto Glass, we specialize in assisting Minnesota drivers with their windshield insurance claims, ensuring a hassle-free experience from start to finish.
When Does Car Insurance Cover Windshield Damage?
- Collision Coverage: Typically covers windshield damage caused by an accident where you are at fault.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Covers non-collision damage like vandalism, road debris, or weather events. Often includes full glass coverage with no deductible.
- Full Glass Coverage: An optional add-on that covers repair or replacement without a deductible, regardless of cause.
In Minnesota, comprehensive policies often include full glass coverage — which means many drivers pay $0 for a windshield repair.
Windshield insurance is coverage that will pay for your car’s window after it has been damaged in an accident. Windshields are usually included with collision or comprehensive coverage, but some states also require insurers to offer separate full glass repair plans as well.
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Glass Masters is your one stop shop for
anything Auto Glass related!
When Car Insurance Covers Your Windshield
Damage from a car accident
If you get in a car accident and the other driver is at fault, he or she will pay for your windshield. If you are at fault, and if you have an insurance policy that covers things like collision, it will also cover your windshield. You will still need to pay a deductible first.
If your windshield was broken by something other than a car accident, such as a rock or vandalism, you need to have comprehensive coverage. Some insurance companies also offer separate auto glass insurance that does not have a deductible.
Minor windshield damage from all other causes
Windshields with minor damage don’t necessarily need to be replaced. The damage can often be repaired, and these repairs are generally not subject to a deductible.
“Most insurance companies will pay for repairs of any small chips or cracks in a windshield free of charge to the customer,” advises Robert Hinton, Owner of Glass Masters AutoGlass. “This is because they would like to avoid the possibility of having to replace the windshield down the road.”
A minor crack in the glass is considered “minor damage,” which means it does not penetrate the lamination in the glass and is no larger than a quarter in size. Hinton claims that any such repair using contemporary methods will restore the structural integrity of the glass.
Windshield replacement from all other causes
If repairs are not feasible, some automobile insurance companies give a lesser comprehensive deductible. If you live in one of the “zero-deductible” states – Minnesota, Florida, South Carolina, or Kentucky – all comprehensive vehicle insurance policies must cover the cost of replacement or repair for your entire windshield.
People in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York are given the option to choose a lower deductible for windshield damage when they buy car insurance.
When Car Insurance Does Not Cover Your Windshield
In most cases, if you don’t have insurance that protects against collisions, the insurance will not cover your windshield. However, another driver’s liability coverage would pay for your windshield repair if you are in an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Even if you have collision or comprehensive coverage, your insurance will not pay to repair or replace your windshield if you intentionally caused the damage. Keep in mind that many insurers consider the damage caused by an accident to be intentional if you were driving under the influence.
Key Points About Windshield Repair Insurance
– If you don’t have collision insurance, comprehensive coverage, or full glass repair coverage, your insurance won’t pay for windshield damage.
– If you’re in an accident that isn’t your fault, the other driver’s liability insurance will pay to repair or replace your windshield.
– Your windshield will need to be completely replaced if the damage is significant and poses a safety risk.
– Most insurance companies will waive your comprehensive deductible if the windshield only needs to be repaired.
– In order to get your deductible waived for windshield replacement, you need to have full glass coverage or live in a state without glass deductibles.
Does My Windshield Need to Be Repaired or Replaced?
Repairing or replacing your windshield is a decision that depends on a number of things, such as the dimensions and depth of the damage, the degree to which it affects visibility, and the safety risk it poses for yourself. While minor chips out of view of the driver can be fixed, more significant damage will necessitate a complete replacement.
When to Replace Your Windshield
– The damage is larger than the size of a quarter
– The damage punctured your windshield lamination
– You’ve already made several small repairs to the same windshield
– The damage lies directly in the driver’s field of view
How to File a Claim After Your Windshield Is Damaged
You can call us directly at Glass Masters and our one of our expert Customer Service Representatives can help expedite your windshield claim for you at 612-213-1227.
You may be able to file a windshield replacement insurance claim online depending on your insurance company’s procedures. If the damage was caused by another driver in an accident, you should call their insurer to file the claim.
If you’re filing a claim with your own insurance under collision or comprehensive coverage, you’ll have to pay a deductible before the coverage kicks in.
If the windshield only needs to be repaired, most insurance companies will waive your deductible. You usually must have comprehensive auto glass insurance in order to have your deductible waived for a full windshield replacement.
3 Tips For Dealing With Windshield Damage
Don’t file an insurance claim if it doesn’t offer any savings
When your deductible is near or greater than the cost of a new windshield, it’s better to pay out of pocket.
Consider getting Original Equipment Equivalent glass
If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurer may pay for the difference in cost between an OEE replacement and an OEM replacement. If an original windshield is more expensive than an OEE replacement, your insurance company will not be required to cover the additional cost. You’ll have to pay the difference in expense if you want only OEM parts, as with any insurance claim. Remember that OEE windshields are of excellent quality; you’re unlikely to notice a difference. Furthermore, if your insurance pays for the new glass, it will promise both the windshield and the repair work.
Get In Touch
Visit us at
4133 Main Street, PO Box 411,
Saint Bonifacius, MN, 55375
Monday-Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday-Sunday: Closed