Windshield Insurance Claims in Kansas

Please read: this page is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Every policy is different. Check your declarations page or talk to your agent before deciding how to handle a claim.

Which part of an auto policy covers glass?

Auto policies are built from separate coverages. For glass, three matter:

• Comprehensive (sometimes called "other than collision") covers damage to your own vehicle that is not caused by a collision: rocks, hail, falling objects, vandalism and theft. This is where most windshield and auto glass claims fall. The Kansas Insurance Department's shopper's guide describes comprehensive as covering damage not caused by a collision (Kansas Insurance Department, Auto Insurance Shopper's Guide).
• Collision covers damage from hitting another vehicle or object. Glass broken in a crash is usually part of a collision claim instead.
• Liability pays for damage you cause to others. A liability-only policy does not pay to fix your own windshield.

Kansas requires liability coverage, but comprehensive and collision are optional unless a lender or lease requires them. If you only carry liability, glass work is out of pocket.

Deductibles and glass coverage

Your comprehensive deductible is the amount you pay before the insurer pays. Some policies include, or let you add, glass coverage that lowers or waives the deductible for glass. The Kansas Insurance Department's guide lists auto glass coverage as an optional coverage that can provide partial or full coverage of a damaged or broken windshield (Kansas Insurance Department, Auto Insurance Shopper's Guide). Whether you have it, and what it covers (windshield only, all glass, repairs only), depends on your policy.

A few states require insurers to waive the deductible on windshield or glass claims for people who carry comprehensive coverage, including Florida (Fla. Stat. 627.7288) and Kentucky (KRS 304.20-060). Kansas is not on the commonly cited list of these zero-deductible states (Progressive, zero-deductible windshield states), so in Kansas the deductible generally applies unless your own policy says otherwise.

Your right to choose a glass shop in Kansas

Kansas law (K.S.A. 40-2,155) gives policyholders specific protections. In summary, an insurance company, its agents and adjusters:

• May not require you to use a particular company or location for glass replacement or repair.
• May not intimidate, coerce, threaten or mislead you into using a particular company.
• May give you a list of shops, as long as some are reasonably close and convenient, and may limit the list to shops meeting reasonable standards of quality, service and safety.
• If you use a shop that is not on the list, the insurer will pay for the work less your deductible, but may require up to three competitive bids and is not required to pay more than the lowest prevailing market price in your area.
• An insurer may agree to pay the full cost of glass replacement or repair.

In practice, many insurers route glass claims through a claims center or a glass claims administrator, and the person on the phone may suggest a shop. You can still choose another shop. If you do, ask that shop whether its price is likely to be close to what the insurer pays, so you are not surprised by a balance.

The claim, step by step

1. Document the damage. Photos of the glass, a close-up with a coin for scale, the date and where it happened (for example, a rock on K-96, or the hail on a specific evening).
2. Check your coverage. Look for comprehensive, your deductible and any glass coverage on the declarations page.
3. Get a quote. A local shop can tell you whether the damage is repairable or needs replacement, and the price, including any calibration.
4. Do the math. If the quote is below or close to your deductible, a claim may not be worth filing.
5. File the claim with your insurer (online, app or phone) or ask the shop whether it can start the claim with you on the line.
6. Approve the work and keep the invoice, the glass part number and any calibration report.

Claim or pay out of pocket? A quick example

Illustration only: Say your comprehensive deductible is $500. A chip repair quoted at $90 would cost $90 either way unless your policy waives the deductible for repairs. A windshield replacement quoted at $420 would also be paid entirely by you, because it is under the deductible. A windshield with camera calibration quoted at $1,100 would leave you paying $500 and the insurer paying $600. If your policy has zero-deductible glass coverage, all three might cost you nothing. These are math examples, not price quotes.

Whether a glass claim affects your premium depends on your insurer and your history. Comprehensive claims are not at-fault accidents, but ask your agent before filing if that matters to you.

Hail: glass plus body damage

A big hailstorm can damage the windshield, back glass, sunroof, mirrors and body panels at once. Glass is often handled first and separately because the vehicle cannot be driven safely or kept dry without it. Ask your insurer whether they want one claim or separate handling, and photograph everything before repairs start. See hail damage to car glass in Wichita.

Red flags

• Anyone who pressures you to file a claim on the spot, or to sign paperwork you have not read.
• Offers of cash, gift cards or other rewards for filing a glass claim.
• Quotes that do not list the glass type, calibration and any extra charges.
• Being told you must use a particular shop. In Kansas, that is not the insurer's call (K.S.A. 40-2,155).

For published price ranges to compare with your deductible, see the insurance section of the cost guide.

What does it cost? See published Wichita-area and national ranges for Kansas insurance and cost basics in the cost guide.

Related guides

• Is Windshield Replacement Covered by Comprehensive Insurance?
• Hail Damage to Car Glass in Wichita
• A Rock Hit My Windshield on the Highway. Now What?
• How to Choose an Auto Glass Shop in Wichita

Good to know: Requesting a quote is free and there is no obligation. Ask for a written quote that lists the glass, any calibration and the warranty terms.