Fill or Replace? Windshield Edition

"JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!" (jqj213) 01/06/2016 at 15:02 • Filed to: advice, help, windshield

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While driving the other day through a construction area, some gravel kicked up. I got a nice chip in my windshield; the stone still embedded in the glass. Also, if you look closely in the bottom right, my windshield got scratched up rather badly and took the factory UV coating off. I also lost some paint on my bumper, but I will have to live with it.

But, for the windshield, what do I do? Florida allows you to file a claim for free and your rates will not go up. So, that’s not a concern. I just don’t know if I fill it with that epoxy stuff, or ask for a new windshield.

We have had bad luck in the past with the filler. We had the windshield fully replaced on the Pilot, and had no issues at all. I know that many people end up with leaks though. Also, they try to use filler as long as the ding is less than a dollar bill in size (this is less than a dime)

If I get a new windshield, I am making them use OEM Volvo glass. I just worry that doing so might open a can of problems.

Thanks.

Ash78, voting early and often > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/06/2016 at 15:07

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Same issue for me. Maybe 1cm across, hasn’t spread in a year, but it’s right in front of my eyes.

My rental house tenant is actually a Safelite guy and offered to do it for free in the driveway — takes about 20 minutes. Replacing the windshield would be about the price of my insurance deductible, but even if it wasn’t, you still don’t want a ding against your claim-free status (meaning the next time you have a REAL claim, the leniency will be gone. Happened to me.)

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Ash78, voting early and often 01/06/2016 at 15:08

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Im just glad its Florida law that they replace them for free. No dings or marks or claims on my record.

HammerheadFistpunch > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/06/2016 at 15:13

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What problems would you expect? Glass it pretty strait forward and most glass people worth their salt are pretty competent installers. I agree on OE glass though, the cheaper stuff is cheap for a reason.

Rico > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/06/2016 at 15:18

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When driving through a place like that SLOW DOWN, way down. I increase the distance between my car and the car in front of me by at least 3 car lengths. At that distance you can even see the rocks being kicked up and if they have sticky tires it is over for you.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Ash78, voting early and often 01/06/2016 at 15:47

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Do they really increase your rates for a claim like this? Where I am, any claims due to fire/theft/vandalism/windshield are subject to deductible but do NOT affect your record or premium. Insurers here would fill that at no charge since a windshield replacement (regardless of deductible) is a bigger headache for them. I’ve seen some people who live in rural parts of the province who have had multiple glass claims due to dirt/gravel roads and none of them impact rates.

Insurance is a clusterfuck and really needs to be straightened out in many places.

Ash78, voting early and often > gin-san - shitpost specialist 01/06/2016 at 15:56

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Ditto the clusterfuck. It varies a lot by state. In my case, I think the key word is “at fault” accident, which itself varies...

In my case, my first “claim” was a simple 7am phone call to the 800 number to ASK whether I should consider filing a claim after running over an unavoidable piece of scrap metal in the road. Fundamentally, this is just like a windshield rock chip. It punctured my oil pan, which temporarily stranded me, but I was later able to DIY the replacement — zero dollars outlaid by the insurance company. No adjuster had to see the car. I took care of it at great hassle and expense to myself.

But a few years later, I had a legitimate, minor claim (nicked the garage door on my house) and the local office mentioned the previous “claim.” It simply could not be expunged from my record, so I would be forever labeled as having TWO at-fault accidents in the span of 5 years. So if I had filed the second claim, my rates would go up — but not as a penalty. I would technically be “losing a discount.”

Same exact impact, different wording.

So I filed nothing and paid out of pocket...again.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Ash78, voting early and often 01/06/2016 at 16:08

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It’s also this horrendous level of inconsistency from state-to-state (or even province-to-province) that causes a lot of confusion as well - a lot of people here in Ontario have the belief that our system functions the same as what you described in Florida. I thought our system was heavily flawed but it actually seems pretty reasonable in comparison to Florida.

In Canada, anyway, the insurance can be provided by private companies, the government, or a mix of the two. Either way, you're paying for it in taxes/licensing/registration or in premiums to a private company; to be fair, I think I'd prefer giving it to government rather than to companies with shareholders since their primary aim is profit, and that will always be to the detriment of drivers.

Ash78, voting early and often > gin-san - shitpost specialist 01/06/2016 at 16:27

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I’m not the OP (not in FL) — what I described was specifically Allstate Insurance, one of the top 3. This policy applies nationwide, to my knowledge. We have no direct government option here, but we do have our fair share of “mutual” (non-profit) insurance companies. Most of them tend to be a little cheaper and more reputable, but not necessarily. Their ultimate goal is still not paying claims, just like everyone else.

On a side note, I’m always a little jealous of many Europeans in that they have an insurance “rate band” that a car sits in, so it makes understanding the system a little easier. If I’m shopping for a car, I have to call an agent with the specific model and features before they’ll give me a quote. Needless to say, this is NOT a part of most people’s shopping process, but it should be.

Everything insurance-related, be it health, car, home, etc, is way too convoluted for the average person to grasp. That’s how the status quo (be it socialized or privatized) can be maintained and the real costs hidden.