Does Car Insurance Policy Cover Windshield Damage

There are a variety of scenarios in which you may incur some damage to the windshield of your car, such as a crack or scratch. Depending on the way in which the damage has occurred, and importantly, depending on the type of car insurance plan that you have availed of and is applicable to your car, it will vary whether or not your insurance coverage would include such damage.

Third Party Liability Insurance

For your knowledge, this is also known as Liability Only Insurance. It is the minimum type of insurance that is mandated by law. In Third Party Liability insurance, your insurance coverage would include any damages incurred by a third party involved in an accident situation with your car. Therefore, your third party insurance policy would not cover damage caused to your own vehicle. Therefore it is advisable to avail of additional coverage.

However, an important point to note is that if your car is involved in an accident with another vehicle and this causes damage to your windshield, the insurance provider’s other vehicle would likely compensate for the damage that has occurred to your car by the party involved.

Standalone Own Damage Insurance

Standalone Own Damage insurance policies would cover only the damage that occurs to your vehicle by your own actions or by natural disasters or calamities. Therefore if your windshield is damaged in an accident that does not involve a third party, the breakage liability would be covered by your insurance. Further, if it is damaged, for example, by a falling object such as a tree branch or rock or construction material, it would also be covered.

However, as previously mentioned, standalone own damage insurance is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the law and it is necessary to purchase at least up to Third Party Liability or Liability Only insurance.

Comprehensive Car Insurance

Comprehensive car insurance would cover the damages of liability arising from damage to your car by a third party, by natural calamities or disasters, or by accidents that do not involve any other third party. Therefore, of the three types of insurance plans, it is the most exhaustive and most advisable to purchase. It would cover windshield damage for a variety of scenarios and would allow you to raise a claim whether a third party damaged your car or whether it was due to flooding, earthquake, falling construction material, or any such unforeseen event.

When Is Windshield Damage Covered?

The repair and replacement expenses of windshield damage are covered under car insurance only if it is damaged due to some specific reasons which are as follow:
1. When the insured car collides with a third party vehicle
2. If the car gets damaged due to falling of a tree or a branch of a tree
3. In a case where the hailstorm has caused damage to the insured car
4. If an animal runs into a collision with the windshield of the car
5. In a situation where a cricket ball hits the windshield and damages it
6. If the windshield of the car is damaged during an act of vandalism
7. When some debris or pebbles hits the car while you are driving it
8. In case a stone, rock or any other heavy item falls on the windshield.

When Is Windshield Damage Not Covered?

The car insurance provider will not cover the expenses for windshield damage in the following situations:
1. Damages caused due to manufacturing defects of the windshield of the car
2. Amount of deductible that you are liable to pay during the claim settlement
3. Any default depreciation cost suffered by the windshield of the car over the years
4. Perils or damages caused due to situations which are not covered under car insurance.

Points to Know While Purchasing A Windshield Cover

There are some points attached to the windshield cover under a car insurance policy. You should know the given elements before buying the cover to avail it in the best manner:

1. Since the windshield cover is an add-on cover, therefore, you will have to pay an additional premium amount to include it in your car insurance policy.

2. This add-on cover is applicable only in a situation where the windshield of the car is solely damaged and no other part of the car is damaged.

3. As it is an add-on cover, hence, you can avail this cover only if you have a comprehensive car insurance policy or standalone own-damage cover and not just a third party insurance cover.

4. The cover is applicable only if the repair or replacement of the car's windshield is done at one of the network garages of the insurance company. If the repair is undertaken at any non-network workshop, then the insurance company can consider it a claim outside the policy limit which can affect your NCB benefit.

5.  You can raise the claim for the coverage of windscreen cover only once in a policy term. It means that your No Claim Bonus (NCB) will stay safe only till the first claim for windshield damage but another claim after that can result in the loss of your NCB. 

Takeaway

Therefore the coverage of windshield damage is varied across the three different types of insurance plans and varies based on the nature of the damage caused and the source of the damage caused. It is important to note that Third Party Liability or Liability Only Insurance is the minimum requirement by law, and Comprehensive Insurance is the most advisable.

You May Also Like To Read:

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Car Policy Online

Cashless Car Insurance Claims Explained

Tips To Safe Driving In Heavy Rains

Useful Tips For Better Car Fuel Management

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.