A windscreen cover is an add-on cover that allows car owners to get the damages to their car’s windshield glass covered without losing their No Claim Bonus. It protects your NCB even if you raise a claim against your car’s damaged windshield under your comprehensive car insurance policy. In other words, this add-on cover enables you to get your car’s windshield glass repaired or replaced without affecting your accumulated No Claim Bonus.
Regardless of how careful we are, there's always a chance for an accident on the road. Even the most minor accidents often result in some form of damage. One of the most common parts of a vehicle that we see damage is the windshield.
Windshield damage can range from a small crack to an enormous hole. As a rule of thumb, we suggest addressing windshield damage immediately, regardless of the severity.
Your windshield might get cracks when hit by a tree branch, a coconut, or a rock when parked on the road, under a tree or a construction building. Driving with a cracked windscreen is dangerous, and with the constant vibration of a car in motion, even the smallest of the damage will eventually grow and obstruct your road vision.
Comprehensive car insurance will cover damage to the windshield but not thrid-party liablity insurance. If however, the damage was a result of an accident then the insurance can pay for the repair or replacement of the windshield.
Whether it’s a small crack or a completely damaged windscreen, you need to get it fixed immediately. Before rushing to a garage, you should find out if your car insurance policy covers a damaged windshield. Read on to find if vehicle insurance covers this damage and if you can file a claim for it.
Real Life Scenario:
You’re driving down the highway. The sun is shining on this cold winter day. You’re hurrying along in the left lane, eager to get to your destination.
As you pass an eighteen-wheeler, you hear a sudden crack. Familiar with that noise, you quickly began scanning your windshield.
You notice a small ding on the bottom right side of your windshield, a small Knick. When you reach your stopping point, you get out and take a closer look at the windshield. It definitely has a small ding.
Here if you have a comprehensive car insurance policy it will help you with the repair costs and replacing the wind shield also.
- Windshield replacement or repair is covered by your comprehensive coverage.
- Factors used to determine whether to repair or replace windshield are: size, location, and number of cracks.
- Cost of windshield replacement is determined by your deductible.
- Your insurance premium will not go up after a windshield claim with most insurance companies.
What is Wind Shield Cover in Car Insurance?
The windshield of any car is made up of strong material and can bear high pressure and changing temperatures. However, there are chances that due to an accident or act of nature, your windshield may get damaged. Many times in India especially, a tree falls on the car and damages the windshield.
A damaged windshield makes driving unsafe and risky thus an immediate fix is required. While every car owner must buy car insurance, your third party insurance will not cover for windshield damages. However, in the case of comprehensive car insurance, you can file a claim with your insurance company and can get it repaired at any network garage or can get a reimbursement.
Your car insurance policy likely covers windshield repair or replacement, though you will need to carry comprehensive coverage. However, using your insurance may not be the best or cheapest way to take care of windshield damage.
However, full windshield replacement will likely be too expensive for most folks to simply pay out-of-pocket. Unless your deductible is on the higher end, filing a claim with your insurance is probably the way to go.
- When only the windshield glass is broken and there are no damages to the vehicle.
- The vehicle is repaired in a garage / workstation of our choice within the city where insured resides based on the residential address provided for this insurance. If the windshield glass is repaired / replaced at any other place, the incident will be treated as a separate claim and the No Claim Bonus will be affected.
- Only for the first claim for replacement of windshield glass, during each year of the policy period. Subsequent claims for glass will not qualify for continuation of No Claims Bonus.
Factors That Determine Whether You’re Windshield Should Be Repaired or Replaced:
- Size of Crack:
When a crack is longer than the size of a dollar bill, the windshield may need to be replaced.
- Location:
If the windshield chip or crack is in the direct line of the driver’s vision, it is also recommended to replace the windshield for precautionary measures.
- Total Number of Cracks:
If there are 3 or more chips on your windshield, most auto glass shops will strongly advise replacing the windshield to avoid these chips turning into major cracks and compromising the integrity of the glass.
How Does Windshield Damage Occur?
There are several different ways that you can damage your windshield while driving on Indian roads. Some typical examples include the following:
1. Third Party Damage: In the event of a collision with a pedestrian or other motorist, there's a high chance that you'll crack or damage your windshield.
2. Cold temperatures: Although it rarely causes initial damage, cold temperatures can worsen a small chip or crack. If moisture seeps into the crack, it will harden when exposed to cold temperatures. When this happens, it expands inside the opening, causing it to grow.
With this in mind, you can see why we recommend that you keep an eye out for windshield cracks and chips during the winter months.
3. Junk Roads: However, it's worth noting that Indian roads are home to all sorts of rubbish/trash that can damage your windshield. Some examples include:
- Stones and pebbles
- Sticks
- Litter
If you're driving behind another motorist, they may accidentally project at your vehicle, resulting in windshield damage.
4. Load not secured properly: If you've ever driven behind a dump truck or vehicle with an open bed, you've likely noticed that they often strap or tarp down their loads. Doing this minimizes the chances of something getting loose and damaging another vehicle.
Unfortunately, if you're behind a truck driver that hasn't secured their load properly, some loose materials (gravel, sand, rocks, etc.) may fly out of the bed and damage your windshield.
What are the Damages that are covered under Wind Shield Protection?
- Tree branches, rocks etc. falling on the glass
- Pebbles and debris hitting the windshield while driving
- Hails falling on the windshield during storm
- Baseball or football crashing into the windshield
- Animals colliding with the windshield
- Natural calamities like thunderstorm, flood, earthquake, hailstorm
- Damages caused due to acts of vandalism.
What is not covered under Windshield Cover?
- Any depreciation suffered by the windshield of your car
- Any damages resulting out of the manufacturing defects of your car’s windshield
- Any damages resulting out of events or perils which is not covered under your comprehensive car insurance policy
- It does not cover the deductible amount that you are liable to pay after raising a claim against your vehicle’s windshield damages.
Do I Have To Pay A Deductible To File A Claim?
Because windshield claims are covered by your comprehensive insurance, your standard deductible will apply. The deductible is the portion of the cost that you are responsible for, with your insurance company covering the rest. Car insurance deductibles are typically set anywhere between Rs.250 to Rs.1, 000. When choosing a deductible, remember: the lower your deductible, the higher your monthly payments will be.
Tips to Protect your Car Wind Shield:
- Replace poor windshield wipers if they fail to push all the water away from the glass. Wipers lose their shape over time and lead to reducing the strength of the windscreen glass making it weak.
- Always park your car in shade as extreme temperatures can weaken the glass and lead to the windshield developing a crack.
- Don’t wash your car’s windshield with any harsh chemicals as it will remove the protective coating on the windscreen glass and can also lead to discoloration. Instead, use automobile makers approved cleaning products to wash it.
- Do not slam your car door shut. When you slam your car’s door, it sends shock waves to your car’s windscreen glass and weakens it.
- Maintain a safe distance between your car and the vehicle moving ahead of you. This will prevent your car’s windshield from getting damaged by any heavy object falling out of the vehicle ahead of you as well as the stones flung back by it.
How to Claim Car Wind shield Protection in Car Insurance?
- Repairing or replacing a cracked windshield is an expensive affair. Don't hesitate to make claims with your insurer in such cases.
- Inform the insurer about the damage and file a claim for windshield repair.
- You can either write an application or submit a claim online.
- In case the windshield of your car is destroyed due to an act of vandalism, you should at first call the police, obtain a FIR and then file the claim with your insurer.
- Next, take your car to a cashless garage that your company has tie-ups to avail a cashless facility.
- The experts present in the garage will inspect the damage and suggest you a repair or replacement.
- If the windshield is cracked or partially damaged, the experts may recommend a repair.
- However, in case of full damage a replacement might be suggested. In both the cases, if the events leading to the damage are covered under the policy the insurer will bear the cost.
- If you don’t want to get the repairing done from a network garage, you can also choose a different repair shop.
- In case you choose any other garage, submit the bills to the insurance company at the time of claiming for reimbursement. You will also have to submit the documents asked for by the insurer.
What is the Cost of a Windshield Replacement?
The average cost to replace a windshield is Rs. 3000 to Rs. 7500. Unfortunately, though, this range can vary even more than the cost of repairing cracks. Factors that affect the cost of a new windshield include:
Sensors and other technology: Many newer cars contain important sensors and other technology. These must also be replaced with glass, drastically increasing costs by several hundred dollars. Therefore, you may find it’s cheaper to get replacement glass in your older vehicle.
Classic cars: That said, not all older cars have cheap windshield replacements. Classic cars may require custom windshields because they aren’t a standard size.
Tinted glass: Do you want tinted or special glass? If so, this will cost you more than standard auto glass.
Luxury vehicle: Certain makes, like Mercedes Benz and Lexus, require special glass straight from the manufacturer. This increases the cost of glass.
Front or back windshield: Usually, it’s your front windshield that takes the brunt of any damage. But if your back windshield needs to be replaced, it can be a little cheaper because you usually don’t have to worry about the wiper assembly.
OEM glass: Using an aftermarket windshield can greatly lower the cost of a replacement. However, using OEM glass provides higher quality.
Should You Replace or Repair the Car Wind Shield?
In general, cracks that are less than 3 inches in length and don’t obscure the driver’s line of vision can be repaired. Each state may also have its own guidelines about which types of cracks can be repaired without requiring a replacement windshield. But if you’d like a general idea before your technician arrives, here is some information on the different types of cracks and chips your windshield can sustain:
- Stress crack: These typically occur from extreme temperature fluctuations. For example, if your car gets covered in ice during the winter and then warms up in the heat of the sun, you might experience a stress crack. They are more common along the edge of a window because there is no impact point.
- Floater crack: This can be any type of crack that doesn’t extend to the edge of the window. Once a floater crack reaches within 2 inches of the edge of the windshield, you’ll probably need a replacement.
- Crack chip: A crack ship is a small gauge in your window from a rock or other particle. Usually, you’ll notice an impact point with one or more cracks radiating outward. Short cracks are less than 6 inches in length, long cracks are more than 6 inches, and edge cracks extend to the edge of the windshield.
- Star break: This is when the point of impact creates a series of legs that radiate from the break, causing the cracks to go in several directions. While these can usually be filled, you’ll probably still be able to see faint traces of it.
- Bullseye crack: This unique formation has a cone in the outer layer of glass that creates a darker circle where the impact took place. Unfortunately, these types of cracks are harder to repair, so you may need a windshield replacement if this happens to you.
- Combination crack: A combination crack is just like it sounds — a mix of one or more of the types of cracks and chips listed above. Having multiple cracks can make the windshield harder to repair, so you’ll usually need a replacement in this instance.
Repairing the glass will always cost less than replacement. If you’re paying out of pocket, you’ll most likely want to use the less expensive option. If your insurance covers it, they’ll probably be the ones to decide whether to repair or replace it. Typically, they’ll go with the least expensive viable option.
Regardless of whether you have your windshield repaired or replaced, the process should only take about 30 minutes. That means you’ll be back on the road in no time!