Windshield Crack - Not Covered by Warranty

[hmp10]

OR tailgate as close as possible, then you also don't get rocks on the windshield ;-)

Yeah, but then you're dealing with blood on the dashboard . . . .

 

[scal_air]

It does seem like my Lucid windshield is a rock magnet. Three chips repaired in 2 years. The same number as my 2005 Rx8 with 230K miles..Lucid has slightly less

 

[Leftlane]

I’ve had bad luck in general with windshields, mostly because I do tend to follow too close on highways. I dropped my deductible just for glass to $0 - it costs me a few extra bucks a month, but it has more than paid for itself multiple times over. Maybe an option for you?

 

[scal_air]

I’ve had bad luck in general with windshields, mostly because I do tend to follow too close on highways. I dropped my deductible just for glass to $0 - it costs me a few extra bucks a month, but it has more than paid for itself multiple times over. Maybe an option for you?

That's an idea! So far I've been lucky and they've all been repairable. I've even bought the repair kit and will try it on my latest chip on the Rx8.

 

[chris]

For the record, I've had almost invisible chips on other car windshields in the past and sudden changes in temperature a crack suddenly formed. This is especially true for heat on cold or too cold on hot. (either extreme can cause it). Heck, one time I was driving in Texas where it was literally -2 degrees and as I drove into New Mexico, it was as if I passed through an invisible wall and it was suddenly 55 degrees (no I'm not kidding) and WHAMMO, a long crack formed from the tiniest of chips.. It happens. It is NOT going to ever be a warranty issue. This is unfortunately just part of driving with whatever vehicle you own! I've had enough windshield issues over the years that I make sure to have $0 deductible for comprehensive now so I never have to pay if/when the next windshield crack happens!

 

[Pragmatic]

But most other cars the OEM will sell windshields to a wide range of shops. Lucid limits sales to a select few high end shops that then can overcharge for the replacement.
Yeah I know "high tech", "glass roof" and a million and one so called reasons to limit shop access. This same limited availability causes cars with minor body damage to wait months for repair at shops that have been approved by Lucid. Yes Lucid can't control the performance of independent shops but they did allow these shops to become authorized repair centers. Opening up the supply of replacement parts to more shops would help lower cost and keep the authorized shops honest.

 

[Steveinarizona]

One of the things I've learned to do in order to avoid chips, is to simply increase the distance I'll travel behind another car, religiously avoid driving behind trucks or construction vehicles and have a 2 car distance setting on my Drive Assist.

That will rarely work in greater Phoenix. Rock chips come flying off trucks and from the bottom of trucks and bounce along the highway. Staying a two car distance won't help at all.

In some states trucks are limited to certain lanes; in Arizona neither trucks nor car are limited and drivers of both drive randomly in different lanes so windshield chips are a fact of life out here.

 

[Buffalo Bob]

I've had enough windshield issues over the years that I make sure to have $0 deductible for comprehensive now so I never have to pay if/when the next windshield crack happens!

A word of caution on Chris' comment above. Zero deductible or not, I have found that people often do pay for the cost of having an insurance company replace their windows, and they often pay dearly. You may get away with one every few years, but many insurance companies treat these as claims no differently than they would a more serious accident. So, you don't pay for the windshield specifically, but instead you pay when you are scratching you head as to why, with your perfect driving and at-fault accident record, your premiums have gone up so much, and find out that your claims history is not what you thought it was.

 

[borski]

A word of caution on Chris' comment above. Zero deductible or not, I have found that people often do pay for the cost of having an insurance company replace their windows, and they often pay dearly. You may get away with one every few years, but many insurance companies treat these as claims no differently than they would a more serious accident. So, you don't pay for the windshield specifically, but instead you pay when you are scratching you head as to why, with your perfect driving and at-fault accident record, your premiums have gone up so much, and find out that your claims history is not what you thought it was.

Can’t speak to other states, but this is against the law in CA.

Section 2632.5 - Rating Factors, Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10 § 2632.5 | Casetext Search + Citator

Read Section 2632.5 - Rating Factors, Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10 § 2632.5, see flags on bad law, and search Casetext’s comprehensive legal database

casetext.com

Long story short, California limits the factors that can be considered in the rating of auto insurance to those specified by law and glass claims and not-at-fault losses are not one of them. If you have at-fault accidents or violations and don't qualify as a "California Good Driver", it's possible glass or not-at-faults could make an eligibility difference but the regulators don't generally permit even that.

 

[Buffalo Bob]

Can’t speak to other states, but this is against the law in CA.

Section 2632.5 - Rating Factors, Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10 § 2632.5 | Casetext Search + Citator

Read Section 2632.5 - Rating Factors, Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10 § 2632.5, see flags on bad law, and search Casetext’s comprehensive legal database

casetext.com

Long story short, California limits the factors that can be considered in the rating of auto insurance to those specified by law and glass claims and not-at-fault losses are not one of them. If you have at-fault accidents or violations and don't qualify as a "California Good Driver", it's possible glass or not-at-faults could make an eligibility difference but the regulators don't generally permit even that.

I would agree that's the way it should be, but that's not been my experience in Arizona. Hopefully, the California way is way more common than the Arizona way. I'll check out the current status in AZ, but when I was reviewing my rate hike last year, I was told that one factor at play was the two windshield replacement claims I had filed. BTW, neither of them was for a Lucid or other exotic car.

 

[borski]

I would agree that's the way it should be, but that's not been my experience in Arizona. Hopefully, the California way is way more common than the Arizona way. I'll check out the current status in AZ, but when I was reviewing my rate hike last year, I was told that one factor at play was the two windshield replacement claims I had filed. BTW, neither of them was for a Lucid or other exotic car.

AZ20-263: https://www.azleg.gov/ars/20/00263.htm

States that no insurer can increase the motor vehicle insurance premium of an insured as a result of an accident that was not caused or significantly contributed to by the actions of the insured. This implies that incidents leading to windshield damage, not due to the fault of the insured, should not result in an increase in insurance premiums.

Should an insurer decide to increase a premium due to an accident, they are obligated to notify the insured of the specific reasons for such an increase.

AZ20-264: https://www.azleg.gov/ars/20/00264.htm

And, actually, Arizona is one of six states with a free windshield replacement law. Meaning auto glass coverage is included with all Arizona comprehensive auto insurance policies. This law includes your deductible not applying to windshield claims, and you paying nothing out of pocket; you may have to select the $0 deductible option, but your insurer in AZ *must* offer it.

If you have a high number of claims per year, it's assumed that you’re consistently driving in high risk areas such as heavy construction or unpaved roads. The best advice is to inform your insurance provider if this is your situation to avoid fluctuating glass coverage pricing.

None of this applies if you have liability-only coverage, obviously.

So, if they told you your windshield claims were a factor in the rate hike, then they think you are at-fault for those claims, and you should get them to correct it. Or… they lied to you, or they broke the law.

You can file a complaint here: https://difi.az.gov/consumers/help-problem/filing-complaint

The penalty to the insurer is a refund of the overage, plus a $300 fine.