I just had to have my front window replaced. My daughter and I went on a road trip to Mt Rushmore. We noticed an "L" shaped crack to the passenger's side of the rain sensor. The day before we hit a bird but didn't think that it did any damage.
My deductable was $500. Insurance picked up the balance.
Granted my windshield has the rain sensor window but that still seams like alot of money. State Farm agreed to the repairs.

 

I had my cracked windshield replaced yesterday. It does not have the rain sensor, and it cost State Farm $650.00.

 

I had a windscreen replaced last autumn, the insurance company picked up the tab but they wouldn't let me go to the dealership because it was too expensive. Funny thing was it was $750 at the dealer and the place they made me go charged $863. Go figure. The thing that suck is that the MINI's windscreen seems to be at just the right angle to really get hammered by road debris.

 

Due to a lot of reports of cracked windscreens in early 2007, I opted for the dealer-added insurance. Cost about $600, IIRC.

 

The dealer charges for insurance? Most shops offer free warranties for X amount of time around here. The windscreen I got has a two year warranty against cracks and free chip filling.

 

Your insurance company lied. They can not, by law, tell you that you can't goto the service shop of your choosing.

 

Right, but apparently they can refuse to pay if you spend what they deem an "unreasonable" amount. I got into a lengthy argument with my agent and several people throughout the chain of hierarchy over it. They said I could file a claim but it began to be less and less worth my time. They lost my business over the whole process though.

 

I have the rain sensor and replaced mine last year for about $300.00 and the insurance covered it..... OEM Mini windshield.

 

Getting mine replaced on Monday. I have glass insurance so no deductible and they cover it 100% if I sue one of their approved shops.

 

Exactly like Jeff says. I've never known anyone who had to pay out of pocked for winshields...I get 2 covered per year at 0 deductible....guess it depends on your insurance company!

 

I get as many as I want through my company. My last truck was an 06 dodge dakota. That truck has the worst windshield. it broke three time in one year. and when it breaks it goes to that crystal look. My uncle has the seam truck and has had the same problem. knock on wood I don't have this same problem with the MINI.

 

But $768.00 for the windshield in the first place is at least double what I know of anyone else paying here, now the $500.00 deductible sounds like they ran it through your collision and not the comprehensive which uaually has no or a smaller deductible and is what it should have applied to unless you were in a wreck... At least that's the way it is here, I used to have State Farm but now have Farm Bureau....

 

State Farm in NC would replace windshields with a $25 deductible. However, USAA did not cover windshield replacement in The Netherlands (Holland to us 'Mericans) so that was €650 to me, which translated to about $800 USD. Gotta love those insurance companies...

Cheers!!

 

I highly recommend every looks into lowering your comprehsive to $0 or $50. It only cost me $30 in NJ w/ Geico.

 

I just had to have my windshield replaced, and for State Farm/NJ we go through a bidding process to determine who offers the lowest quote for replacement. The lowest bid I got from a independent shop was $568. The dealer wanted $800+. Apparently SF will only cover the cost of the lowest bid, the rest has to be paid by the vehicle owner.

As Flyinace and others have stated try to reduce your comp deductible on your car insurance. It's definitely worth it in the long run, especially knowing how MINI windshields seem to break so often.

$500 deductible does sound like SF ran it through collision coverage, though, doesn't it?

 

+1 on the $50 comprehensive deductible - $11 extra a year.

 

My wife's Clubman has had 2 windshields replaced. First one after a month on the way to pickup my Mini from a rock. State Farm preferred us to use a certain shop which we did and have $100 dec. They did install a Mini OEM windshield at our request. The second one had a crack that started in the top middle and went down and to the right. Mini replaced this under warranty. There is a weld spot on some Mini's that cause the windshield to crack. If you have a crack from the top middle, let Mini check it before you pay to have it replaced.

 

No cracks on mine, but the chips are sure starting to accumulate. When it gets dinged up much more, I'll have it replaced. Anyone have experience getting insurance to help with replacement due to accumulated road wear?

 

They will replace them if they are cracked.

Ever noticed that if you give a kid a hammer, everything looks like a nail?

I can't see them calling CSI out for a busted windshield.

Just sayin' is all.

 

some have to offer windshield replacement at little or no deductable...

Here's some food for thought... In late 2002 or early 2003, my windshield was wacked by a rock in a construction zone that hadn't been cleaned well before the cones were removed. I filed a claim through the state, they passed it on to the contractor. Had it done at a Mini dealer. They charged just over $600 for the repair, but left the invoice from the subcontractor in the car..... Mini paid only $210 for the work and just marked it up.

Shop around... For my car (2002 MCS, no rain) I found prices anywhere from just over $200 to well over $600 with most being at about $350.

Matt

 

Yep guy in my club had his R56 windshield replaced last week (OEM rain sensor) for about $350.00.

When I had mine replaced FB tried to make me use an aftermarket windshield (PPG) and said that was all they would pay for... I have OEM replacement insurance so I called my agent and complained and they then paid for the OEM windshield... Now get this, FB uses a subcontractor to handle their windshield claims, the subcontractor is owned by..........you guessed it..PPG. LOL

 

Yes, in Florida glass is zero deductable no matter insurance company or deductable selected, as long as you carry comp. coverage.

 

Crazy, I have Allstate and have a $500 deductable, yet when it comes to windshield's you only pay $100 to replace. My Jeep had 3 windows replaced and each time it was only $100. (Jeep's windows are near vertical so they take the brunt of every stone and thus crack easily. Most cars the stones hit and bounce off or roll at an angle).

 

I think they mark up windshields like hospitals mark up pacemakers. They send you out a bill for the pacer that says $30k. They cost $6k from Medtronic. BCBS pays $6k. If you have to pay cash for glass make 'em an offer. They'll take it.

 

PPG pits, OEM cracks. Don't know if this has changed much.....

Matt