One of the most common New York auto insurance claims is for glass repair. Windshields, windows, and mirrors are broken in numerous ways. Thieves, projectiles, minor collisions all pose a risk to the health of your glass. Don’t just assume your insurance company has your back when it comes to going to a glass doctor because coverage differences between companies vary greatly.
Your vehicle’s glass is something that should never be neglected. You can live without a radio and you can survive without air conditioning, but cracked or broken glass is dangerous and should be repaired as soon as possible. Windshields tend to crack or spider and cause obstructed views. They do not fly out as shards like in the movies so don’t get all freaked out if you see a runner creeping across your windshield. The pane is actually two panes of glass adhered to each side of a piece of laminate. This laminate prevents glass shards that could result in serious injury or death.
Side and rear windows in older cars were made from safety glass. This glass breaks into squares when broken. This is called cubing by many EMT’s. Newer vehicles still have the safety glass, but it has laminate in between the panes also, thus holding the glass squares together and increasing the structural integrity of the vehicle during a crash.
Although in most cases it increases safety, there is one downfall to the newer glass. EMTs can no longer quickly access an injured patient simply by using a window punch. They must hope the door isn’t jammed shut, use hydraulic tools to open a door, or use a special tool to cut away the whole glass pane. After a crash, if you are conscious and can reach to roll the window down without moving you spine, it will greatly help the EMTs. If you are unconscious, (or unable to reach to roll it down without moving your body), don’t worry about it.
New York auto insurance companies handle glass repair and replacement differently. Some have a $50 deductible on all glass. Others lump glass repairs and replacements into the property damage category and it is subject to your chosen deductible. Some deductibles are per year and some are per incident. If you have a per incident deductible, and the glass is the only damage and it was caused by a projectile (like a rock) it often isn’t worth claiming with your insurance company because the glass repair will be less than the deductible. Cheap car insurance rates are often obtained by forfeiting certain luxuries like low deductibles and glass repair riders.
Always take care of your glass. Not only is it safer, but in some states it’s the law. Glass can be repaired if it is a small chip, but will need to be replaced if cracked or cubed. You may have forfeited a low glass deductible to obtain cheap car insurance or your New York auto insurance company could have a courtesy $50 glass deductible rider in place. To prevent visual obstructions, see to it that the glass gets fixed ASAP, even if you have to pay for the whole repair out of pocket.
Separate summary: Before buying your New York auto insurance policy, check the glass coverage limits. Some policies have separate glass repair riders. If glass repair is under your comprehensive coverage and you want cheap car insurance you can raise your deductible, but you will probably have to pay for any glass repairs that may arise.
