Repairing a chip in the windshield?

[rcpae]

Last week during our Ohio hurricane my windshield was chipped while driving home. I heard an advertisement from Safelight that most times insurance will cover chips at no cost since it is cheaper than entire windshield repairs. Of course, I called today and our insurance will not. Paying out of pocket they quoted me a cost of $74.95. Does this seem reasonable?

Should I try more of a local mom and pop repair shop? The chip is less than dime sized. I want to get this repaired before it gets colder and the chip becomes a crack.

Thanks!

 

[Cloudwatcher]

I'd get a second quote. I only pay $50 here. My insurance doesn't pay either, but they will pay for a new glass less my $100 ded. I have to chips right now, but I am not getting them fixed. I will wait until they spread and get a new windshield since I will have to pay $100 anyway.

 

[Mickeyorbust]

DH had a chip repaired in his windshield by safelite, insurance did cover it. It was worth it to us, as the chip didn't spread into a crack and was in the lower corner. However, you can still see the chip after it's filled in. So if it's in your line of sight I wouldn't have that done. Will your insurance company pay to have the windshield replaced?

 

[rcpae]

The insurance will pay to either repair the crack or replace the windshield if I pay my $250 deductible. Seeing that the chip is on the passenger side by the wiper blade, it is in no way in my line of vision. However, I know if I don't get it repaired then it will crack. I figure I can save quite a bit by paying out of pocket versus paying my deductible.

Safelite's quote just seemed a little high to me. I've heard that you can also DIY, but I would like to just take it to a professional that has some experience with this. Anyone ever use one of the Do it yourself kits?

 

[thomas998]

As someone said, you will still see the chip no matter who repairs it. So if you want you can fix it yourself. They sell kits for do it yourselfers or if you want the absolute cheapest method of fixing it... super glue. Every fix-it method does the same thing it tries to seal the crack so no moisture can get into it... the reason the crack spreads is that moisture gets into the crack and then when it freezes the water expands and expands the crack. The safelite places will try to suck out everything and this put their version of super glue into the crack. The real trick is to seal this chip before the car gets any moisture in the crack. If its rained, you've washed your car, or you have lots of dew where you live - then you wont get all the moisture out. Your best bet if you already have gotten the area wet is to use a blow dryer on it before you do anything with it and heat up that area... get it hot to the touch, then just stick a drop of super glue on it... the tiny cracks should draw in the glue like a wick... if its a big chip then do it slowly.. one tiny drop at a time so the glue will dry better than if you just squirt a big glob on.

 

[HGD24]

I drive the highway to and from work everyday. My windshields are always getting dings and cracks in them. We've never had to pay for a replacement windshield (4 so far, soon to be 5 as I have another ding). We just go to the glass repair shop, file the paperwork with insurance and insurance covers it. Every policy is different, but it wouldn't hurt to call your insurer to confirm the policy and then shop around for glass repair shops.

 

[swilshire]

I think my daughter only paid $40 to get this done. Don't wait though. Once the ding gets to a certain size, it can no longer be fixed this way. We have a broken windshield that started as a tiny ding in Florida and was huge by the time we got back home.

Sheila

 

[Rmom05]

Look in the back of your phonebook for coupons. I know several places here had them and I got mine done for $15 each.
We got a chip on vacation one time. It rained that night, and then froze. We woke up to a HUGE crack all the way across our windshield!

 

[tlbwriter]

"Less than dime sized" sounds like it could still be pretty big. I had a chip repaired that would have cost $35 (my insurance paid in full). But this was more than 10 years ago and the chip was very, very small (less than pea sized). I don't think the estimate is out of line.

 

[ZachnElli]

I work in an insurance office and that sounds high to me. The most around here is $50 and that is the glass coming charging extra coming to you. The lowest around here is $30 for the first chip and $20 for other chips.

 

[creativeamanda]

I drive the highway to and from work everyday. My windshields are always getting dings and cracks in them. We've never had to pay for a replacement windshield (4 so far, soon to be 5 as I have another ding). We just go to the glass repair shop, file the paperwork with insurance and insurance covers it. Every policy is different, but it wouldn't hurt to call your insurer to confirm the policy and then shop around for glass repair shops.

It varies from state to state. When we lived in SC, it was an automatic replacement if the windshield was cracked/chipped. No deductable. We moved the SAME insurance policy to NC. Same ins policy number and everything. Same company. No changes in coverage. When I chipped my winshield yesterday, I was advised to pay OOP. My ins did not cover it. SC has a law that ins companies have to replace windshields. NC does not.