Despite the many technological advances and the significant investments made by manufacturers to offer ever more modern and more resistant windows, both for cars and homes, broken glass is still one of the most frequent claims. And when that happens, whether following an accident, an act of vandalism, an attempted break-in or even a natural disaster, we don’t always know what to do. In this article, we therefore share with you the advice of experts on what to do in the event of a broken window.
For your home
If your window or door glass breaks as a result of an impact, you must first and foremost secure the premises. Put on thick gloves, pick up the glass on the ground and remove any pieces on the dial. Once this is done, follow these steps:
Install temporary protection
In order to avoid an intrusion into your house and to protect its inhabitants from the cold or the heat, plug the opening caused by the breakage. For this, it is strongly recommended to use polyane paper, a material commonly used in thermal insulation. You can also lay wood planks, plywood or OSB panels using nails and screws.
Contact your insurance
Glass breakage coverage is included in most comprehensive home insurance contracts. However, to benefit from it, you have the obligation to report the loss within a maximum period of 5 days by using the means of contact provided by your insurer (telephone, mail, online declaration, etc.). Your declaration must detail:
- The place, date and time of the incident;
- The circumstances in which the glass was broken;
- The extent of the damage.
You also have the option ofadd pictures to help your insurer better assess the situation. If the damage is significant, he could send an expert on site for an assessment. If they are minimal, you can directly request their agreement to initiate the repair work and receive a refund. To find out the amount of compensation you will receive, consult the general conditions of your contract. The information must be there.
Beware of warranty exclusions!
Note all the same that the glass breakage guarantee is not valid if the glass has been intentionally broken or if the loss was caused by a lack of maintenance. In addition, only the broken window is covered by the insurer. Window or door elements made of aluminum, PVC or wood are not covered. If in doubt, do not hesitate to ask your insurer the question.
Read also: Choosing the right home insurance
For your car
If the windshield, a door window or even the rear window of your vehicle is broken, your glass breakage guarantee may come into play. Indeed, it generally appears in all risk, extended third party, third party plus, intermediary or median formula insurance contracts.
But before any claim for compensation, remove the glass shards from the interior of the car and protect the passenger compartment with a tarpaulin. Next, within a maximum period of 5 days from the date on which you noticed the loss, report the incident to your insurer. The latter will give you his agreement for the compensation and you can bring your car to the garage of your choice. Some insurers also offer to carry out repairs in a partner garage.
However, if your broken window is due to an attempted theft, vandalism, or natural disaster, the procedure is somewhat different:
Declaration of a broken glass due to an attempted theft or an act of vandalism
If your car has been vandalized and one of your windows is broken, here is the procedure to follow to obtain compensation:
- Take pictures of the broken glass : this is an optional step, but it will allow you to expand your file;
- File a complaint at a police station : it is a mandatory step for glass breakage due to an attempted theft or an act of vandalism;
- Send a file containing your contact details, a description of the incident and a copy of the complaint lodged with your insurer within 2 working days. And this, from the moment of the discovery of the loss.
Declaration of glass breakage due to a natural disaster
To obtain compensation following a climatic event that caused damage to one or more glass parts of your car, an interministerial order indicating the state of natural disaster must be published in the Official Journal. From the date of publication, you have a maximum of 10 days to report the loss to your insurer. Here too, do not hesitate to add photos of your broken window to your claim file.
Finally, whether it is a home insurance contract or an auto contract, know thata deductible is generally included in the general conditions. This is an amount that will remain your responsibility after compensation from your insurer. It varies from one insurer to another. To know it, and above all, to avoid any unpleasant surprises, read the terms of your contract carefully before subscribing to it. The offer with the lowest price is not necessarily the most advantageous for you.
Read also: The importance of calling on professionals in the event of an impacted windshield
