Is Your Windshield Repair/Replacement a Fraud?

The commercials air on the television regularly and if you are paying attention you have likely heard what it is windshield repair/replacement companies promise. You can get your windshield repaired or replaced at no cost to you as long as you carry auto insurance on your vehicle. What these commercials don't tell you is that not everybody carries this coverage and it is only to be repaired or replaced when it is necessary. This small distinction has opened the floodgates of fraud across the country.

The fraud generally occurs in the same way as people are approached at the car wash or even get a knock at their door from a windshield repair salesman. This person will tell you that they noticed damage to your windshield and they can replace it for you at no cost as the cost is passed on to your insurance company. There are two main problems with this approach from the salesman.

First, you may or may not know already if your vehicle is covered for windshield repair and replacement through your auto insurance policy. It is a guarantee that the person that is trying to sell the service to you will not know if you have the coverage, meaning that they are making a promise to you that they don't know if they can deliver. If they file the claim with your insurance and it is denied, the bill is to be paid by you.

Second, the person that is making this sales pitch to you has a conflict of interest in the context of your windshield. These salesmen are well aware that you don't really know if there is damage to your windshield and they will often replace a windshield that does not need replacing. Additionally, the windshield is often replaced by a windshield that is used or damaged itself, meaning you are in worse condition than you originally were.

Signing off on the repair or replacement when it is not necessary can make you a partner in insurance fraud which is punished severely in some cases. Always check with your insurance before filing a claim for this coverage and check your windshield to see if it truly needs repairing or replacement.