Let’s talk windshields. Whacks, thwacks, and cracks.
Your windshield can get broken or damaged in many ways — whether it’s from a run-away basketball in the driveway of your home or a stray rock as you drive north from Duluth on 61 toward Two Harbors.
The most important thing to know about broken windshields is that your car insurance can generally take care of the problem.
How Do You Get Coverage For a Broken Windshield?
You should talk to your insurance agent about whether you have coverage for a broken windshield. One of the first questions your agent may ask is whether the damage was your fault. This is because if someone else was at fault, their insurance should pay for the damage. It’s another reason why you should always get the insurance and contact information from the other driver if you’re involved in an accident. Their property damage liability insurance should take care of the glass damage.
If no one else was at fault, the damage is generally covered under your auto insurance’s Comprehensive Coverage. You’ll need to pay down your deductible first, of course.
On the other hand, glass damage may be covered more completely if you have something called Full Glass Coverage. This is going to take care of your windshield repair or replacement at a much lower deductible. Sometimes, you can get a windshield replaced without having a deductible at all.
In some areas of the country where stress cracks on windshields are common, Full Glass Coverage is common. Insurance companies who offer Full Glass Coverage will often allow for one prepaid windshield replacement per year.
Most of the time, your insurance will attempt to have your windshield crack repaired before resorting to replacement. Nowadays, windshields and much more expensive than they used to be – usually because of the technology now inserted into them.
Tips for Preventing Windshield Damage
Stay clear of large semi-trucks.
Semi-trucks on the highway can wreak havoc on your car with the rocks they stir up and spit back at your car through their wheels.
To prevent this, semis often have mud flaps on the backs of their wheels. But look closely the next time you pass a large semi. These flaps are often torn or broken. This allows rocks to fly out continuously at high speeds. Moreover, because most semis have double wheels, even more, debris is churned up from the road.
It’s best to stay clear.
You’ll also want to stay clear of any semi-trucks or other vehicles that are carrying materials such as gravel, dirt, wood chips, or even some types of produce.
Keep an eye on your speed.
The faster you go, the more likely it is that damage will occur to your car. This is especially true when driving on unpaved roads. For these reasons, stay at a reasonable pace while you’re on any type of road. Try to hang back from other vehicles whether they are semi-trucks or not. Lastly, keep off the road’s shoulders at all costs and especially when the shoulder is made of dirt or gravel.
What Is a Stress Crack?
Living in the Cloquet or Duluth area, you may have experienced a stress crack in your windshield during the winter months. This is especially likely to happen when temperatures dip below zero. You’ll know it’s a stress crack if you can’t find any point of impact, and it will also likely go along the entire length of your windshield (or most of it).
Like other glass damage, stress cracks can usually be taken care of by making a claim with your auto insurance policy.
Are you a resident of the Cloquet or Duluth area? Looking for a new auto policy? Contact Great Lakes Insurance today to learn about our comprehensive coverage offers.
