Tree Branch Fell and Broke My Windshield on My Driveway

“This morning when I went outside I found my car’s windshield smashed on my driveway by a branch from a tree in my yard. How much is this gonna cost?”

This was a call from an Lloyds of Shelton customer.

My answer: “It shouldn’t cost you anything.”

From time to time we still get calls from our customers trying to understand how their insurance works and what benefits do they have in case of accidents like these.

I understand that it can be confusing. Between homeowners insurance and your auto insurance coverage, who is it that would pay for a broken windshield on your yard? Each policy has its different benefits and coverage amounts. So here are some of the details that would cover all bases and make sure that your repair costs are paid for – if you have the right insurance coverage.

“My car was parked on my own driveway when the tree branch fell on it.”

If this happened on your own driveway, the best way to get everything paid for would be to check your car’s insurance coverage for Comprehensive Coverage. Comprehensive insurance is optional – although not very expensive in most cases – and it protects your car against things not resulting from a collision, as well as from theft. It covers for the vast majority of events that may have damaged your vehicle, including fires, vandalism, and road debris.

This is the type of auto insurance coverage that pays for your windshield repairs and replacements.

“How do I know if I have Comprehensive Coverage on my auto policy?”

The easiest way to confirm Comp Coverage is to log in to your insurance carrier’s website (ie. Progressive , GEICO , Travelers …) and go to the “Documents” section. Then, look for “Declaration Page” and right on the first or second page you would be able to see “Comprehensive Coverage” and the deductible amount listed next to it. Now here’s to more good news…

If the damage is only to your windshield and you have a Florida auto insurance policy, your policy will pay for the ENTIRE BILL for your windshield replacement. This is because in the state of Florida the state mandates that carriers pay the full amount , regardless of the Comprehensive Coverage deductible amount.

Once you’ve checked that your policy has Comp Coverage, you would be saving a lot of time and hassle if you called us directly to file your claim and get your service scheduled. There are also plenty of reasons not to face the nightmares customers go through when using their carrier’s “recommended” auto glass company who handles their claims phone calls.

“What if I don’t have Comprehensive Coverage on my vehicle?”

In the case you DO NOT have Comprehensive Coverage on your vehicle and this happened on your own driveway, you may want to check with your homeowners insurance agent for any coverage you may have for personal belongings that may cover accidents in your yard.

It happened on someone else’s driveway…

If this actually happened on someone else’s driveway and you do not have Comprehensive Coverage on your car, there may be coverage to handle this accident on the homeowners policy for the person you were visiting. Homeowners insurance policies have Liability Protection that may cover costs like these. It is best to check with their homeowners insurance agent and check what their coverage may be. A little more complicated, yes, but may save you hundreds of dollars.

Nope – none of the above

Your last option after you’ve verified that you do not have Comprehensive Coverage on your car and that your (or your friend’s) homeowners policy will not cover the costs is to pay for it out of pocket. Give us a ring. We will give you a free quote and include free mobile service – we will come to you and do the windshield replacement work wherever you may be parked at for no additional cost.