I just bought a used 2015 LX, and I had to go through the typical finance guy's dance on add-ons. I stuck to my guns on all the extended warranties, but the windshield protection intrigued me.

For $1k, i can get "$5k worth of windshield protection". no deductibles, no limit on number of times i can use it, and i can chose between oem glass or after market.

In Texas, there's no windshield protection through auto insurance, so this is my only option vs paying cash.

Thoughts?

 

I assume that the fact you are considering the $1000 insurance purchase means that you currently have a spare $1000.

If so, bank your $1000 and consider yourself self-insured.

 

I think they only repair it and if needed replace with non-oem. They add that with rims and windshield protection.

 

I'd call it standard F&I sucker bait.

Did you go for it?

 

What’s the going rate to replace a windshield?

 

Easy to find...call a local Lexus dealer and ask for options...i.e., how much for a genuine LEXUS windshield and the same for a non-Lexus (aka Chinese) version. Be aware that dealers normally call a glass installer to do the work.

 

Not true. In Texas one can buy extra coverage to have Zero deductible for windshield replacement. I don't recommend it, due to price. I sell high deductibles most of the time.

 

While this thread is a few months old, it does bring up a pet peeve of mine.

Unless you are in a state that has separate glass insurance, any glass damage is most likely covered under the comprehensive portion of your insurance.

A few things that some (many, most?) people don't know is that you can set different deductibles for comp and collision.

Collision, in plain terms, covers things that are your fault (or in your control). That is running into things or people and so forth. Here, a low deductible is expensive.
Comprehensive covers things that are outside of your control - fire, theft (if the car is locked), wildlife and glass. It also includes hit and run if you have evidence showing you didn't do the damage. A low deductible is cheap. For me, going from a $1k deductible to a $100 deductible costs me $26 a year.

I've figured that I get a replaceable glass claim every 5 to 8 years. Accordingly, each glass replacement costs me between $230 and $308 - a far cry from that $1k that the car dealers want for a "glass warranty" that will expire long before (statistically) you'll have a claim.

Me? I'd rather pay $26 a year extra and be protected against Bambi and the creep that whacked your car in the Supermarket parking lot and drove away - with the lot cameras clearly showing the damage.

Y'all might want to check with your insurance company.

 

I will need to beg to differ with you on some of your coverage explanations. This is my 39th year as an agent, and have done business in several states. While your state, VA has some of these in place, most states vary from slightly to way different. Rates as well. Texas is a state like no other and coverages here are written differently from carrier to carrier in most cases. FYI

 

You're right, I can't talk about TX, but this is mainly true even in some oddball states.

Perhaps you'd like to explain Texas then (rather that just saying "I beg to differ on some of your explanations") so that people can decide if it makes sense to accept this ridiculous $1k glass coverage.

 

OK, here goes. One may buy a policy with zero deductible for windshield replacement in Texas. Many of our carriers offer this. I seldom sell it, and here's why. My experience has been that these protection packages are of some use to some, but highly profitable for the selling entity because the claims paid out are far far less than the dollars taken in. I normally sell high deductibles on all types of auto and property policies, as well as health policies for the same reason. My job as an agent is to help people keep more of their money in their pocket, not in the pocket of the insurance companies. Over any long period of time, one comes out better with high deductibles than low deductibles, and the same theory works for extended warranty plans, wheel and tire plans, windshield plans, home warranties, and the like. I can take the money I save by NOT buying all this stuff, and pay for whatever actually happens, and have money left over. In my pocket, or in my bank account. In the case of Lexus vehicles, it really helps that we're dealing with well built machines.

 

and this zero deductible costs????? If you don't have such a policy, is glass covered under your comp portion of your car insurance with the comp deductible?