Wawanesa does cover windshield replacement, but only if you carry comprehensive coverage on your auto policy. Comprehensive is an optional add-on, not part of a basic liability policy, so whether a cracked or shattered windshield is covered depends on what you chose when you set up or last renewed your plan. If you do have it, damage from a kicked-up rock, hail, vandalism, or a falling branch is a covered loss, and you can file a glass-only claim online or by phone.
What Coverage You Need
Windshield damage falls under Wawanesa’s comprehensive auto coverage, which pays for non-collision events including theft, vandalism, fire, storms, falling objects, and animal strikes. Damaged auto glass is specifically listed among the perils comprehensive covers.1U.S. News & World Report. Wawanesa Car Insurance Review If the windshield breaks because of a collision, say you rear-end another car and the impact shatters the glass, that falls under collision coverage instead.
A liability-only policy will not pay for any damage to your own vehicle, windshield included. Liability exists solely to cover harm you cause to other people or their property.2U.S. News & World Report. Does Insurance Cover Windshield Replacement To check what you have, pull up your declarations page by logging into myaccount.wawanesa.com or call an agent at 800-640-2920.3Wawanesa Insurance. Auto Insurance FAQ
What You’ll Pay Out of Pocket
Your comprehensive deductible applies to a windshield claim. That amount, often $250, $500, or $1,000, is what you pay before Wawanesa covers the rest. Wawanesa notes that many comprehensive policies waive deductibles for glass repair or offer a reduced glass deductible, but this is “not the case everywhere” and depends on state law and your specific policy language.4Wawanesa Insurance. What to Do When You Have a Cracked Windshield
Repair and replacement are different jobs with very different price tags. A chip smaller than about an inch across, or a crack shorter than the length of a dollar bill, can often be repaired without removing the glass. A crack that stretches across a large portion of the windshield generally requires a full replacement. A small chip repair can run well under $100. A full replacement ranges roughly from $200 to $2,500, depending on the vehicle and whether the glass contains embedded technology like a heads-up display, rain sensor, or heating elements.4Wawanesa Insurance. What to Do When You Have a Cracked Windshield
When Filing Is Worth It
Not every cracked windshield warrants a claim. If the repair bill is only slightly more than your deductible, Wawanesa suggests paying out of pocket rather than notifying your insurer.4Wawanesa Insurance. What to Do When You Have a Cracked Windshield A few things to weigh:
- The gap between the repair cost and your deductible. If you carry a $500 deductible and the replacement costs $550, filing saves you $50.
- Your recent claim history. Multiple claims in a short period can affect rates at renewal, even when individual comprehensive claims usually don’t.
- Premium impact. Wawanesa states that rates do not typically increase for comprehensive losses or losses where the insured driver is not at fault. A pattern of additional claims could change that calculus.5Wawanesa Insurance. Claims FAQ
How to File a Glass-Only Claim
Wawanesa handles glass claims differently from other auto claims in one useful way. For glass damage, you can file through a dedicated self-service portal without calling in. Online filing is not available for other auto claims. If you’d rather report by phone, the claims line is open 24 hours at 888-929-2252.6Wawanesa Insurance. Claims
State Rules That Affect Your Deductible
Wawanesa writes auto insurance in California and has historically sold policies in Oregon, though the company has stopped offering new Oregon policies and is evaluating its future there. Existing Oregon policyholders still have active coverage.7Wawanesa Insurance. Oregon Auto Insurance
Neither state requires insurers to waive the deductible on windshield replacement. California is classified as a “standard deductible state,” meaning your regular comprehensive deductible applies to glass claims.8Windshield Advisor. Windshield Insurance Coverage State Guide Oregon has no zero-deductible glass mandate either.9Collision Auto Glass. Will My Insurance Go Up if I Claim for a Windshield Only three states, Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina, require insurers to waive the deductible on windshield replacement for policyholders with comprehensive coverage, and Wawanesa does not operate in those states.10Progressive Insurance. Free Windshield Replacement States Expect to pay your standard comprehensive deductible unless your specific policy includes a glass endorsement.
ADAS Recalibration on Newer Vehicles
If your car has a forward-facing camera or sensors mounted behind the windshield, the hardware behind features like lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control, replacing the glass will almost certainly require recalibrating those systems. ADAS recalibration can push the total replacement cost above $1,500.8Windshield Advisor. Windshield Insurance Coverage State Guide
When the replacement is covered under comprehensive, the recalibration is generally treated as part of the same claim. Repair shops typically include recalibration in the estimate submitted to the insurer, and your deductible covers the whole job rather than each piece separately. Some adjusters have been known to push back on recalibration charges. If a recalibration charge is denied, request the denial in writing with the specific policy language cited.8Windshield Advisor. Windshield Insurance Coverage State Guide
Factory Glass and the OEM Endorsement
Standard policies typically allow the insurer to use aftermarket or equivalent parts for repairs. Wawanesa offers an endorsement called Original Parts Replacement, which ensures repairs use new parts from the vehicle’s manufacturer.11Wawanesa Insurance. What Is an Insurance Endorsement Factory-original glass can matter on vehicles with ADAS, where glass thickness and curvature affect sensor accuracy, so this endorsement is worth asking about when you set up or renew your policy.