Will a Glass Claim Add Insurance Points in North Carolina?

How NC insurance points work

North Carolina uses the Safe Driver Incentive Plan, or SDIP. The NC Department of Insurance says SDIP points ‘are charged as follows for convictions and at-fault accidents’, and its point table lists only moving violations and at-fault accidents. The NCDOI’s FAQ adds that an insurance company cannot charge insurance points for an accident that was not your fault.

A rock chip, a cracked windshield or a smashed side window is neither a conviction nor an at-fault accident. So a comprehensive glass claim does not add SDIP points to your policy.

Where claims can still matter

Points are not the only thing an insurer looks at. The same NCDOI FAQ says insurers can nonrenew comprehensive and collision coverage when a driver does not meet their underwriting rules, and that ‘Many companies will use frequency of claims, taking into account at-fault as well as fault-free claims’. In other words, how often you claim can count, even when none of the claims was your fault.

One glass claim is unlikely to change much. A run of small claims in a short time is what an underwriter notices. That is the honest answer to the question: a glass claim adds no points, but it is still a claim on your record.

When paying directly makes sense

Comprehensive coverage pays for glass breakage less your deductible, and North Carolina has no law that waives the deductible for glass. So the first number to look at is your comprehensive deductible.

• If the job costs less than your deductible, the insurer would pay nothing anyway, so there is no reason to file. A chip repair or a single side window often falls here.
• If the job costs a little more than your deductible, weigh the small payment against having another claim on file.
• If your policy has full glass coverage, or your insurer waives the deductible for chip repairs, a claim may cost you nothing. Many insurers do waive it for repairs, because a repair now is cheaper for them than a windshield later.
• If the windshield needs camera calibration, the total is larger, and claiming usually makes more sense. Confirm the calibration is included.

You choose the shop either way

Whether you claim or pay yourself, North Carolina law lets you choose who does the work. G.S. 58-3-180 says a policy covering damage to a motor vehicle ‘shall allow the claimant to select the repair service or source for the repair of the damage’, and the insurer pays the same amount whichever you choose. An insurer that recommends a shop must tell you that you are under no obligation to use it.

Getting a price before you decide

The decision is easier with a number in front of you. Impex Auto Glass quotes by your vehicle’s VIN, and its quotes are meant to be fully inclusive, with no hidden fees, delivery, fuel or disposal charges, so you can compare the quote with your deductible before you call your insurer. Impex works with all major insurance providers if you decide to claim. Our insurance and claims page walks through a claim, and windshield repair in Raleigh and windshield replacement in Raleigh explain the two jobs.

Questions people ask