Rice on the Side
Snap, Crackle, Pop!
Now that the snow plows have been put away for the year (hopefully) – I’ve been noticing a few dings that I seem to have collected on my front windshield, from the sand, gravel & other lovely winter road décor. I guess all winter I just assume they’re particles of dirt & grim – then when spring comes & I finally get around to a thorough car washing I have to admit that those cracks & nicks aren’t going to wash away.
As a friend of mine recently discovered & was kind enough to share with me, the Bellingham Police Department is still ticketing for cracked windshields – because they are a driving hazard, imparing your line of sight while on the road. So, when you start noticing that your little window dings aren’t washing away with the spring rains, make an appointment with a local shop to preempt a nasty ticket later on!
The good news is if you have comprehensive coverage on your Washington auto insurance policy then most local shops will fill the smaller nicks & cracks at no charge! Usually those dings will need to be smaller than a penny for them to be filled – once they get any larger than that you will most likely need to have the entire windshield replaced. But again, the good news is that your comprehensive coverage will take care of that as well – you’ll simply need to contact your agent to find out what your deductible is – the deductible being the amount you’ll need to pay out of pocket before the insurance company picks up the remainder of the bill.
As a word to the wise, I usually recommend to my clients having a lower deductible for their comprehensive coverage – that way when/if they do need to have a windshield replaced, their portion could be as low as $50-$100. Or, there are some companies now that are offerering a $0 deductible for glass! Be sure to check with your agent to see what your different deductible options are. And, as always don’t hesitate to give me a call or email as well – I’d love the chance to make sure you & your family have the coverage you need!
