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Auto Insurance Glass Coverage, and Other Sleep Aids
So what could possibly be more sleep-inducing than reading (orwriting) a 650-word article about auto insurance? Afterconsiderable brain-racking, I've come up with one possibility:watching towels dry. However, if you drive a car in the UnitedStates, the law requires that you have your fair share of autoinsurance. This article, in particular addresses one facet ofauto insurance coverage: glass coverage. So what's your point?The purpose of this information page is not to navigate themorass of options, riders, or auto insurance companies. If youdon't know whether you want "good hands" or a talking lizard,you should dig deeper on the websites these companies spend lotsof money on to entice your patronage. Or you could investigategetting yourself a reputable insurance agent to act on yourbehalf. Insurance agents are people who think insurance is fun,and therefore can be trusted to accurately answer insurancequestions. One resource for locating a reputable agent is theIndependent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America website:http://www.iiaa.org. Again, what's your point?The point of this article is to address just one aspect of autoinsurance coverage, namely the aforementioned glass coverage.Should you have it? Should you skip it? In most cases, a glasscoverage rider can be added to your policy relativelyinexpensively - depending upon your situation, it could be lessthan $10 per month. Considering the cost of glass replacement (awindshield alone could cost over $200 to replace), it could be awise investment. For a quick quote using the particulars of yourvehicle, go to http://www.safelite.com and click the "get aninstant quote" link. But before making insurance decisions, you must assess yoursituation first. How much driving do you do? Under whatconditions? On what type of roads?Let's address these questions individually.1. How much driving do you do?If you normally drive 3.5 miles on Sunday to attend church, andpark your vehicle in an environmentally controlled garage therest of the week, you may not need glass coverage. However, ifyou drive every day, and if your driving is for extendedperiods, your chances of a damaged windshield due to roaddebris, flying junk throw up from passing motorists, or theoccasional misguided pigeon, are statistically higher. Calculateyour weekly, monthly, and yearly mileage to help you get an ideaof how much time you actually spend on the road. You might besurprised at the results you find. 2. Under what conditions doyou drive?Do you drive in adverse weather conditions? Windy or stormyconditions increase the odds of rubble being blown into yourauto, and sub-freezing weather makes your windows moresusceptible to damage by making them more brittle.3. What type of roads do you drive on? If you drive onunpaved roads, your chances of catching a stone thrown up byanother vehicle rise. Also, if you travel on highways orexpressways, you increase your chances of damage from long-haultrucks or construction vehicles that frequently drop bits andpieces of stuff as they pass. In addition, your higher rate ofspeed means anything hitting your windshield is colliding withit at a higher rate of speed. So I guess you're saying my auto insurance coverage shouldinclude glass coverage.I am not an auto insurance agent. I don't work for any autoinsurance company. I don't even play an insurance agent on TV.The information presented here is to help you come to your owndecision - to provide you with the auto insurance opinions ofthis author, and some food for thought. I will say, however,that I do carry glass coverage, and it has enabled me to replaceseveral windshields in the past three years. And that, myfriend, beats the heck out of driving around wearing goggles anda scarf like a WWI flying ace. © 2005 Auto Insurance Directory
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