A car is a second home of sorts – it is a place where you can completely be yourself, listen to the music you love, and have the freedom to go wherever you please. There’s no denying the fact that having a car is a privilege that has many positive attributes, but like with most things in life owning a car comes with some complications, and insurance is definitely one.

Insurance is an essential aspect of car ownership that ensures your expenses are covered in the event that your vehicle gets damaged. It is a legal requirement to have third-party liability insurance in Canada, but auto policies are complex, and there are several factors go into the rate you end up paying.

In today’s blog, we’re going to make things a little clearer for you and explain how windshield replacements affect insurance rates.

Types of Insurance

Let’s start with the basics. In Canada, there are three types of insurance coverage that can make up an accident policy: collision, comprehensive, and liability insurance. Liability insurance, also known as personal liability, property damage, or third-party liability coverage, covers damage caused to other people and/or their property. It is mandatory, and you must legally have this type of insurance to drive your car. Collision and comprehensive insurance, on the other hand, are optional.

Collision insurance provides coverage for your vehicle when you hit other vehicles or stationary objects, though it is mostly used for the former. This type of insurance covers you when you are at-fault in an accident. Vehicle repairs or the replacement of your vehicle if it is written off is covered with collision insurance.

Comprehensive insurance provides coverage for damage that is not car accident-related and occurs when your vehicle is stationary. Examples of this include vandalism, theft, hail, or any flying objects that hit your car. In essence, this policy provides protection against non-collision related threats.

How Your Insurance Policy Affects Your Windshield Replacement Rates

The type of insurance you have dictates whether your windshield replacement will affect your rates or not. If you only have liability insurance or collision insurance, your rates will probably take a hit when you use the policy you have in place. Comprehensive insurance is the coverage you need if you don’t want your insurance rates to increase as a result of a windshield replacement.

With that said, that doesn’t mean you can get an unlimited amount of windshield replacements without seeing your rates go up. There are limits to the number of windshield claims you can make, and if you need multiple replacements within a year, your insurance company has every right to raise your deductible or outright refuse to pay for more claims.

It should be noted that in order for your insurance rates to not go up from a windshield replacement under comprehensive insurance, you have to purchase coverage that specifically includes glass damage. Even if you do get the right kind of comprehensive insurance, don’t expect to be completely off the hook when it comes to payment – it’s more than likely that you’ll still have to pay the cost of your comprehensive deductible.

To make matters even more complicated, in places that have a lot of gravel and, in turn, see a lot of windshield claims, companies oftentimes remove windshield coverage from their policy altogether. Windshield repairs and replacements are also becoming increasingly pricey, which makes it exceedingly important that you take the time to ask your insurance company about the specifics of your coverage.

Additionally, the city you live in will determine the insurance rates. For example car insurance in Brampton is more expensive than most cities in the Greater Toronto Area due to the high accidents and claims rates.

To sum up, if your windshield happens to get cracked by a piece of flying gravel or a huge piece of hail, the only way you won’t see your insurance rates go up is if you have comprehensive insurance that includes glass damage. Pay close attention to what’s covered by your insurance policy before you sign on the dotted line, or you just might end up paying for it in the future.

Why Brampton Auto Glass

At Brampton Auto Glass, we offer original manufacturer auto glass products and pay up to 100% of your auto glass deductible. We will personally deal with your insurance claims to ensure your insurance covers your windshield replacement. Contact us today to get a free quote on industry-leading auto glass repair and auto glass replacement services.