What is a comprehensive deductible?
Reviewed by the Skyview Auto Glass technical team — NWRD-, ASE- and DINITROL-trained technicians · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
A comprehensive deductible is the amount you pay on a comprehensive claim before the insurer pays the rest. For glass, it is usually $100, $250, $500, or $1,000. You find it on the declarations page, in the insurer’s app, or by asking your agent. Full glass coverage on some policies lowers or removes it for glass.
What is the deductible for windshield replacement?
A deductible is the share of a covered loss that you pay, with the insurer paying the rest up to the policy limits. On a comprehensive claim — which is what glass damage is — the comprehensive deductible applies, and the common figures are $100, $250, $500, or $1,000. A windshield replacement at $200 to $500+ means the deductible can be a large part of the bill, which is why comparing the two matters before you file.
Some policies set a separate glass deductible, and some carry full glass coverage, an add-on that lowers or removes the glass deductible specifically. The declarations page lists which applies, and an agent can explain anything that is unclear. What you owe is whatever that page says, confirmed before any work starts.
The deductible is a fixed figure per claim, not a running total. Each glass loss is its own claim with its own deductible, so two windshields replaced in one term each carry the deductible separately. The one exception is a single storm that hits glass and body together, which is usually one claim with one deductible — confirm with your insurer how it treats a combined loss.
How does a deductible work for glass
| Deductible | What it means on a glass claim |
|---|---|
| $100 | A smaller share; a replacement may cost only slightly more than the deductible |
| $250 | A common middle figure; compare it to the job cost before filing |
| $500 | A large share of a $200 to $500+ replacement; paying cash may cost less |
| $1,000 | Often above the replacement cost; paying yourself usually costs less than filing |
Full glass coverage on some policies lowers or removes the glass deductible — check the declarations page.
Where do I find my glass deductible?
- On the declarations page, under the comprehensive coverage line.
- In the insurer’s mobile app, under coverages and deductibles.
- By calling your agent and asking for the comprehensive and glass deductible figures.
- On the renewal notice, which lists the deductibles in effect for the term.
More questions about the comprehensive deductible
How does a deductible work for glass?
You pay the deductible amount on a covered glass claim, and the insurer pays the rest. The common figures are $100, $250, $500, or $1,000, and full glass coverage on some policies lowers or removes the glass deductible.
Where do I find my glass deductible?
On the declarations page under comprehensive, in the insurer’s app, or by asking your agent. Some policies set a separate glass deductible, and some carry full glass coverage that changes it.
What if my deductible is higher than the windshield cost?
Then paying yourself usually costs less than filing a claim. Compare the deductible to the quoted job — if the work costs less than the deductible, there is no benefit to opening a claim. See our cash versus claim guide.
Related guides
More in Insurance and claims
- Does a windshield chip repair count as an insurance claim?
- What happens if you chip the windshield on a rental car?
- Is it worth paying cash for a windshield instead of filing a claim?
- Does insurance cover windshield replacement?
- Does liability insurance cover windshield damage?
- What is full glass coverage?
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