You are driving down the freeway and “bam!” a pebble smacks into your windshield and leaves behind a chip. It's a small chip and you decided to wait a bit before repairing the windshield.

Few days later, you drive over a speed bump and that small chip instantly grows to a 6-inch crack.

"Oh no, is the windshield still repairable? What should I do?"

The good news is that the replacement or repair of your windshield is likely covered by the comprehensive coverage that is already on your auto insurance policy.   

Factors that determine whether your windshield should be repaired or replaced:

Most rock-chips and some small cracks are repairable. This is why it is a good idea to fix any chip or small crack as soon as you notice it.

The smaller the chip or crack, the easier it is to contain the damage and keep it from spreading. Once the damage starts to spread, the chance of needing a replacement will be much higher.

Comprehensive coverage is the specific coverage used to cover your windshield or any glass damage on your car. 

If your car is financed or leased, you already carry comprehensive coverage. Along with collision coverage, comprehensive coverage is required by your lender or lessor. 

Depending on insurance companies, comprehensive deductibles can range from $0 to $2,000. The amount of your comprehensive deductible is an option you choose when signing up for a new insurance policy.

It means that if your windshield can be repaired, your insurance company will cover the cost of repair without any out-of-pocket expense from you.

If you noticed a crack in your windshield, we highly recommend calling your insurance agent right away to find out whether your policy will cover the repair for free. It is always a good idea to repair your windshield immediately.

Most major insurance companies' underwriting guidelines do not consider comprehensive claims as surchargeable claims. A surchargeable claim is when a claim directly impacts your insurance premium. You should not see your premium increase because of a claim used to replace a cracked windshield.

However, high frequency of windshield claims may be taken into consideration by insurance companies as one of the factors in determining future premium.

Learn more: Factors That Affect Car Insurance Rates.

You will be asked to provide the approximate date and time of when the damage first happened.

Your insurance agent should be able to provide a network of auto glass repair shops for you to choose.

Keep in mind that most auto glass shops offer mobile service for windshield repair or replacement, and they can work on your glass at your home or office.

After the technician completes the necessary work on your car, you are responsible to pay the deductible directly to the shop.

Depending on your insurance contract, you may not be fully reimbursed if your insurance company determines that the cost of the service exceeds the acceptable range.

To avoid paying more money out of pocket, always consult with your insurance agent prior to having any work completed on your windshield.

If an issue arises from improper installation and/or defective glass material, the auto glass shop will be responsible to correct the issue plus any resulting damage.

Many of the auto glass shops work directly with major insurance companies and belong to their partnership network. To qualify to become a partner, these shops must meet the standard of requirements and demonstrate:

• Quality workmanship
• High quality material
• Excellent customer service

Work performed by these qualified shops through the referral network is guaranteed by the relationship with their respective insurance companies. 

A customer story:

We had a customer who recently replaced his windshield and noticed a patch of fog developing in the top corner of the glass. As he looks closer, he also notices some dampness in that area inside the car.

The customer contacted me and I was able to reach out to the shop and schedule an immediate inspection right away. It was determined that the molding around the windshield was not sealed properly.

Without delay, the glass shop moved to replace the windshield on the same day, and took extra steps to make sure the molding was sealed properly. 

In the process of replacing your car windshield, you may come across these terms: OEM glass and aftermarket glass. 

OEM is short for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM glass refers to glass produced in the same production line as the manufacturer used to supply the original windshield that came with your car when it was brand new. 

There are less than a dozen major auto glass manufacturers, most notably there are four that are recognized as OEM: Saint-Gobain, Asahi Glass, Pilkington, and PPG.

An aftermarket windshield is glass manufactured by a company that does not supply to an automaker. In some instances, a glass can also be considered aftermarket even if it is manufactured by OEM makers but under a different production line. 

Most insurance companies will only pay for windshield replacement up to the cost of an aftermarket glass. Your insurance company may only approve an OEM glass replacement if your vehicle has specific safety or technology specification attached to the windshield that will only function properly with an OEM windshield.

Many late model cars now come with exceptional safety features such as lane departure warning and 360-degree cameras and sensors. A number of these features are directly connected to the windshield.

In the process of replacing windshield, these safety features will need to be reconnected and recalibrated in order to function correctly. Recalibration steps vary with the brand and model of car. Most auto glass shops have the necessary equipment to perform recalibration of these safety features.

In rare instances, you may need to take your car to a dealership for recalibration after windshield replacement. Your insurance company should cover any additional cost to complete this work. 

Many dealerships are branded as one-stop service for all your car needs, including windshield replacements and even auto body work. Most of them actually utilize third party shops to replace or repair windshield damage.

If you contact a dealership to inquire about windshield replacement, a service advisor will likely refer you to one of the third party auto glass shops. There is a good chance that the preferred glass shop is also in the referral network of your insurance company.