Do you have Auto Glass Insurance? If so, check out this article on The Canadian Financial Blog about "Insurance You Can Do Without." Why do I bring this up? Because it is something I have been thinking about lately.
A few years ago the auto insurance that I had came with auto glass insurance as part of the package. It turned out to be a good thing - I used that policy more times than I have any other auto policy. I don't know why, but the couple of years I had it I had several windshield nicks, cracks and so forth. I've never had a problem with it otherwise.
My current policy doesn't come with that rider, and at first I was a little concerned about it. I really enjoyed the convenience of being able to just call my agent anytime a stray rock hit my glass, but in time I kind of forgot about it. That was until the other night...
I got in my car and saw a big chip in the windshield, right by the driver's side. My heart sank - that really is really low on the list of things I feel like spending money on right now! As I drove I kept finding that my eyes were straying to the chip. It was a perfect circle, slightly less than the size of a pencil eraser. At a stoplight I started to realize that at the angle I was looking at it, I couldn't tell if that circle was convex or concave - in other words, it could conceivably be a drop of something clear and gelatinous, like tree sap, on my window and not a chip at all. That would make sense, since I didn't remember any rocks hitting my windshield, and based on the size of the chip, I'd remember it. I was hoping, praying, and crossing my fingers that it would just turn out to be some harmless goo and not a dip into my emergency fund in the making.
When I got to my destination the first thing I did was check the windshield and whatever it was - it smeared. It wasn't a chip! Hooray!
Since then I've been considering checking out the cost of insurance. I was not a big fan of the panic this blip of bug guts put me in. Then I read The Canadian Finance Blog's article. While this is in Canadian dollars and I am in the States, it put it nicely in perspective. I already have auto glass insurance... it is called my emergency fund, and unlike an insurance policy, this one pays me interest!
Photo by: thorazine
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Windshield and Auto Glass Insurance - Is It Worth It?
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6 comments:
Also you know those places that repair chips on the side of the road? They are usually pareked in a parking lot and they are put on by some glass place?
Well they will call your insurance when you pull up there and most insurance will say go ahead and they pay for it whether you have that rider or not. I didn't even have full coverage and they covered mine and that was with one of those insurance places you never hear of.
I have a friend who used to manage at a shop that did repairs such as this and he said it happens all the time if they just have to repair the windshield rather than replace it. Plus the repair to it doesn't cost all that much I don't think.
Like you, full glass coverage comes with my policy. I don't think I've ever had to pay extra for it. I've never had to use it. I wish it would have covered me putting a pole through my neighbors back window in his truck, but it only covered my vehicle..
Kari - I had no idea!! Wow. The article that I mention said that (in Canadian dollars) it was between $40-$80, which isn't bad at all - far less expensive than the rider.
Bouncing Back - Ahhh! Okay, from the outside, that is actually pretty funny. I agree, if we haven't used it, we should be allowed to use our policy for other people when we damage their windows - seems only fair!
Thanks for the mention! Glad you liked the article... good point about using your emergency fund instead of paying for this rather pricey insurance.
CFB - You are most welcome! Your article was very timely and helped me out quite a bit!
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