What Is Full Glass Coverage? Is It Worth It?
Last Updated on October 9, 2023
Full glass coverage protects the windshield, windows, and other glass on your vehicle.
Available as an optional coverage with some insurers in certain states, full glass coverage allows you to replace your windshield and other glass without paying a deductible.
What is full glass coverage? How does full glass coverage work? Is it worth it to add full glass coverage to your policy? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about full glass coverage and how it works.
Table of Contents:
- How Full Glass Coverage Works
- What Does Full Glass Coverage Cover?
- Full Glass Coverage Is Available Through Some Insurers in Certain States
- How Full Coverage Policies Cover Glass Damage
- Car Insurance May Cover Windshield Repairs at No Cost
- Full Glass Coverage Versus Full Coverage Car Insurance
- How Much Does Full Glass Coverage Cost?
- Is Full Glass Coverage Worth It?
- Which Companies Offer Full Glass Coverage?
- Why Buy Full Glass Coverage?
How Full Glass Coverage Works
Full glass coverage is an optional type of car insurance coverage that covers your windshield and other glass on your vehicle without requiring you to pay a deductible.
If you have comprehensive coverage, then your insurance already covers your windshield, windows, and other glass. However, you need to pay a deductible for all glass claims.
If you want your insurer to cover windshield replacements without requiring you to pay a deductible, then you can buy full glass coverage.
Once you have full glass coverage, your insurer will cover glass and windshield repair and replacement costs without charging a deductible. You can replace your glass and other windshields without paying anything.
What Does Full Glass Coverage Cover?
Full glass coverage covers your windshield, windows, and other glass on your vehicle.
If someone breaks into your vehicle by breaking a window, for example, or if a hailstorm damages your windshield, then you can make a claim through full glass coverage.
Full glass coverage covers:
- Windshields
- Windows
- Rear windows
- Other glass on your vehicle
Full Glass Coverage Is Available Through Some Insurers in Certain States
Some insurers offer full glass coverage, while others do not.
Additionally, some insurers only offer full glass coverage in certain states.
Depending on your location and your insurance company, you may be unable to purchase full glass coverage.
Three states offer free windshield replacement regardless of whether you have full glass coverage. If you live in Florida, Kentucky, or South Carolina, then your insurer cannot charge a deductible when you repair or replace your windshield. You make a comprehensive coverage claim, and your insurer covers the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle’s glass without charging a deductible.
Five states require insurers to offer full glass coverage to drivers. If you live in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, or New York, for example, then your insurer must offer the option of purchasing full glass coverage. This coverage must come with a $0 deductible or a lower deductible than your comprehensive coverage policy.
How Full Coverage Policies Cover Glass Damage
If you have full coverage car insurance, then your insurance policy already covers glass damage. The only advantage of buying full glass coverage is that you avoid paying a deductible.
Here’s how a full coverage car insurance policy without full glass coverage would cover glass damage:
Collision Coverage: If your windshield or glass was damaged in a collision with another vehicle, then you make a claim through your collision coverage, assuming you were at fault for the collision or if no other vehicles were involved. If you were not at fault for the collision, then you make a claim through the other driver’s car insurance. You must pay your collision coverage deductible, which is typically $500 to $1,000. After you pay your deductible, insurance covers the rest.
Comprehensive Coverage: If your windshield or glass were damaged in an incident outside of a collision, then you make a claim through comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage could cover break-ins, hail damage, fallen tree branches, collisions with animals, and other incidents that damage your vehicle. The average comprehensive coverage policy has a deductible of $250 to $500. You pay your deductible when making a comprehensive coverage claim, and insurance covers the remaining costs of replacing or repairing the glass.
Car Insurance May Cover Windshield Repairs at No Cost
Your car insurance policy may cover the cost of repairing your windshield at no extra cost. If your windshield has small cracks or chips, then your insurer may cover the cost of repairing your windshield without requiring you to pay your deductible – even if you don’t have full glass coverage.
Most full coverage car insurance policies include coverage for windshield repairs. Generally, you can repair windshield damage if it’s less than six inches long, smaller than a quarter in diameter, and not located in the driver’s line of vision or the edge of the windshield.
Contact your insurer to determine if there’s a windshield repair center near you.
Full Glass Coverage Versus Full Coverage Car Insurance
To understand the value of full glass coverage, it helps to understand the difference between full glass coverage and full coverage car insurance when repairing windshield damage.
Both full glass coverage and full coverage car insurance are optional. No state requires either coverage. However, most insurers require you to have full coverage car insurance to buy full glass coverage.
Here’s how both coverages cover windshield repairs and replacements:
Full Coverage Car Insurance: Full coverage car insurance covers windshield repairs and replacements via collision coverage (if the damage occurred during a collision or an accident with another vehicle) or comprehensive coverage (for break-ins, environmental damage, and other incidents outside of accidents). You pay a deductible (typically $250 to $1,000), and your insurer covers all remaining costs of replacing your windshield and other glass.
Full Glass Coverage: If you have full glass coverage, then your insurer covers all glass in your vehicle without requiring you to pay a deductible. If you damaged your windshield and it needs to be replaced, for example, then you simply contact your insurer, start a claim, and replace your windshield. You do not pay a deductible or any additional fees. However, full glass coverage may add a few extra dollars to your full coverage car insurance policy each month.
How Much Does Full Glass Coverage Cost?
Full glass coverage typically costs a few extra dollars per month (or even just a few extra dollars per year).
With most insurers, adding full glass coverage to your policy adds $5 to $30 to your annual insurance premiums.
Most insurers require you to have full coverage car insurance (including collision and comprehensive coverage) before adding full glass coverage to your policy.
Is Full Glass Coverage Worth It?
Full glass coverage pays for itself after a single broken windshield or broken glass insurance claim. Even if you only have one claim every 5 or 10 years, your full glass coverage should pay for itself with a single claim.
- Let’s say you need to replace your windshield. You have comprehensive coverage but not full glass coverage. You file a comprehensive insurance claim, pay your comprehensive coverage deductible (typically $250 to $500), and your insurer covers the rest.
- If you had full glass coverage, then you would not pay your deductible. You file a claim, and your insurer covers the cost of replacing your windshield.
- If you only have comprehensive coverage, then filing a claim may not be worth it. If your deductible is $500 and it costs $450 to repair your windshield, for example, then you’re better off paying out of pocket than filing a claim.
As with all insurance, full glass coverage is about determining your individual risk versus your budget. Some drivers are willing to pay lower car insurance premiums for added risk, while others are willing to pay more for added peace of mind.
Which Companies Offer Full Glass Coverage?
Most insurance companies do not offer full glass coverage.
However, all major insurance companies in the United States offer full coverage car insurance, which covers your windshield and other glass in your vehicle (although you need to pay your deductible). Full coverage car insurance includes collision and comprehensive coverage.
If you live in South Carolina, Kentucky, or Florida, then your insurer is required to provide full glass coverage to you at no added cost. Regardless of which insurance company you have in South Carolina, Kentucky, or Florida, you already have full glass coverage on your policy, assuming you have full coverage car insurance.
Similarly, all insurers in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, or New York must offer full glass coverage to policyholders.
If you live outside of these listed states, then you may not be able to purchase full glass coverage. Most insurers do not offer full glass coverage.
Learn more about the glass coverage offered by each insurer below:
- AAA
- Allstate
- American Family
- Erie Insurance
- Farmers
- GEICO
- Liberty Mutual
- Nationwide
- Progressive
- State Farm
- Travelers
- USAA
Why Buy Full Glass Coverage?
Depending on your situation, it may be in your best interest to buy full glass coverage.
Although no state requires drivers to buy full glass coverage, you may want to buy full glass coverage if:
- You live in a place where vehicle break-ins are common
- You’re concerned about hailstorms, fallen tree branches, and storms damaging your windshield
- You dislike driving with chips or cracks in your windshield
Based on all of these factors, it may or may not be the right choice to add full glass coverage to your insurance policy.
Final Word on Full Glass Coverage
Full glass coverage is an optional type of car insurance coverage that covers your windshield, passenger and driver windows, rear windows, and other glass in your vehicle.
In exchange for a small fee, your insurer will cover the cost of replacing your windshield without requiring you to pay your deductible. Without full glass coverage, you need to pay your deductible for all windshield repairs.
To learn more about full glass coverage or to determine how much full glass coverage costs, contact your insurer.
