Often, yes — and glass claims usually work differently from the collision claim people are picturing. Depending on your coverage and your deductible, a windshield replacement may cost you little or nothing out of pocket.
The reason this matters: a lot of people drive around on damaged glass for months assuming they're about to be handed a bill, and never actually check. That's the most common and most avoidable version of this story.
Glass usually sits under comprehensive, not collision
Windshield damage is typically a comprehensive claim — the part of your policy that covers things that happen to the vehicle rather than a collision you were part of. Rocks off a gravel truck, hail, road debris, vandalism.
That distinction matters for two reasons. Comprehensive deductibles are often lower than collision deductibles, and a comprehensive glass claim is generally treated differently from an at-fault accident.
⚠️ We're a glass shop, not your insurer. Coverage varies by carrier, by policy, and by what you selected when you bought it. The only source of truth for your policy is your policy. What we can tell you is what we see every week, and how to get a straight answer quickly.
The question worth asking your insurer
Call the number on your card and ask this, in these words:
> "Do I have comprehensive coverage, and what's my deductible for a glass claim specifically?"
Ask about glass specifically, because some policies handle it differently from the rest of comprehensive. That one question usually settles whether this costs you anything at all.
It's worth asking even if you think you know the answer, and it's especially worth asking before you decide to keep driving on a cracked windshield to avoid a bill you may not owe.
Repair is a different conversation from replacement
If the damage is still a chip rather than a crack, you're in a much better position — and so is your insurer.
Many comprehensive policies cover chip repair with little or no deductible, precisely because a repair costs an insurer a fraction of a replacement. They would rather pay for the small job.
Which means the moment your chip becomes a crack, you may go from a no-cost repair to a claim with a deductible attached. Time is doing that conversion, not us.
The part that catches people on newer vehicles
If your vehicle has lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, or adaptive cruise, replacing the windshield isn't the end of the job. The camera those systems use is mounted to the glass, so it has to be recalibrated afterward.
Ask your insurer whether calibration is covered as part of the glass claim — it's a normal question and they'll have a normal answer. It's better asked up front than discovered at the end.
Worth knowing: we do that calibration in-house, static and dynamic. A lot of glass shops sublet it, which turns one job into two appointments and two invoices to keep track of.
You choose the shop
This is the part people most often don't realise: you get to decide who does the work. An insurer can recommend a shop. In general, you are not obliged to use the one they suggest.
If you'd like us to do it, say so. We work with insurance regularly, and we'll help you through the process rather than handing you a phone number and wishing you luck.
If you'd rather not involve insurance at all
That's a perfectly reasonable choice, and sometimes the sensible one — if your deductible is high relative to the job, a claim may not be worth filing.
Tell us and we'll quote it directly. You'll get a real number either way, and you can decide with the number in front of you instead of guessing.
Common questions
Will a glass claim raise my rates? That's a question for your carrier, and the honest answer is that it depends on the insurer and your history. Ask them directly — we're not in a position to promise you anything about your premium, and you should be suspicious of any shop that does.
Do you work with my insurance company? We work with insurance on glass regularly. Bring us your information and we'll walk you through it.
What do you need from me to get started? The year, make, and model, and your insurance information if you're using it. Call (541) 882-0882.
Can you tell whether mine is repairable before I call my insurer? Yes, and it's a good order to do it in. Text a photo to (541) 810-3742 and we'll tell you whether you're looking at a repair or a replacement — which changes what you're asking your insurer about.
Getting it sorted: Epic Glass Tinting, 3365 Washburn Way, Klamath Falls. Call (541) 882-0882 with your year, make, and model. More about windshield replacement →