Memphis Auto Glass Pros
(901) 506-8714
Windshield and door glass of a parked car

Memphis, TN • How Glass Claims Work

Auto Glass Insurance Claims in Memphis TN

Know what you actually owe before anything gets booked. Tennessee has no automatic glass deductible waiver, so knowing your number first is the whole game.

Call Now(901) 506-8714Or get a free quoteWindshield Replacement →

Check your coverage before work starts. No surprises.

Get a Free Quote

Free, no-obligation quote. We'll be in touch soon.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 56-7-1114 and § 56-7-1115

What Tennessee Law Really Says About Your Glass Deductible

Tennessee does not have a zero-deductible glass law. Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina do. Tennessee does not. Your comprehensive deductible applies to a glass claim here unless you carry an optional full glass endorsement, which runs about $30 to $60 a year. Any shop telling you state law makes it free is either confused or selling.

What Tennessee law does regulate is shop conduct. Under § 56-7-1114 it is an unfair and deceptive act for a glass shop to credit, rebate or finance your deductible, or to advertise glass work as free when an insurer is paying. § 56-7-1115 lets your carrier demand proof you paid it. A shop that offers to eat your deductible is putting your claim at risk, not doing you a favour.

Check First
Your Real Deductible
Before Anything Is Booked
Your Choice
Of Glass Shop
Network Shops Are Optional
No TN Law
Waiving Glass Deductibles
Unless You Carry an Endorsement
$0 Repair
Chip Repair, Most Carriers
Deductible Usually Waived on Repair

How a Glass Claim Works

Four steps from damage to new glass.

Car windshield shattered from an impact point, with cracks running across the glass behind the wipers
A windshield with a bullseye impact and cracks spreading across the glass behind the wipers.
01

Check Your Coverage

Confirm your comprehensive deductible and any glass endorsement with your insurer before you schedule, so there are no surprises about out-of-pocket cost.

02

Open the Claim

The glass claim is opened with your insurer or its glass administrator, by you or by the shop on your behalf, with the required documentation.

03

Glass is Replaced

Once the claim is approved, the appointment is scheduled, in a shop or mobile.

04

Insurer Pays the Shop

With direct billing, the insurer pays the shop and you pay only your deductible, if one applies.

Common Insurance Carriers

Every major carrier in Tennessee handles glass claims routinely.

State Farm
GEICO
Progressive
Allstate
USAA
Travelers
Nationwide
Liberty Mutual
Farmers
AAA
Safeco
Kemper
Bristol West
Direct Auto
+ All Others

Don't see your carrier? The same steps apply with any insurer that covers vehicles in Tennessee.

Your Rights as a Tennessee Policyholder

Insurance companies don't always make these easy to find.

You Choose the Shop

Your carrier's glass administrator will offer you a network shop first. That is a recommendation, not a requirement. Name the shop you want and the claim gets processed there. Ask any shop whether they bill the carrier directly and whether you will owe a difference.

A Straight Deductible Number

Tennessee has no glass deductible waiver law, so ask your carrier two things: what your comprehensive deductible is, and whether you carry a full glass endorsement. Those two answers decide whether a claim is worth filing at all. Any shop should tell you when cash is cheaper.

Right to OEM-Quality Glass

Your vehicle should be restored to its pre-loss condition. If your original windshield was factory OEM, you may have the right to OEM replacement glass. Check your policy's 'like kind and quality' language, or ask your agent.

Insurance Claims: Frequently Asked Questions

Diagram of which windshield damage is repaired and which is replaced, the line that decides how an insurance auto glass claim is handled in Memphis
Whether the break can be repaired decides the claim: most carriers waive the deductible on a chip repair as their own policy, while a replacement usually carries your comprehensive deductible.
Is windshield replacement free in Tennessee?
No. Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina have laws that waive the glass deductible; Tennessee does not. A replacement is $0 to you only if your policy carries a full glass endorsement. What many carriers do waive, as their own policy, is the deductible on a chip repair. A shop advertising a free windshield is on the wrong side of Tenn. Code Ann. 56-7-1114.
Does my auto insurance cover windshield replacement in Tennessee?
Yes, if you carry comprehensive coverage. What it does not do automatically is make the job free. Tennessee has no zero-deductible glass law, so your comprehensive deductible applies unless you carry an optional full glass endorsement, which usually costs $30 to $60 a year and drops glass claims to $0. Chip repair is the common exception: most carriers waive the deductible on a repair because it is cheaper for them than a later replacement. Confirm your exact deductible and endorsement with your carrier before you schedule anything.
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage for glass?
Windshield damage from road debris, weather, vandalism, or falling objects is covered under comprehensive (also called 'other than collision'). Damage from an accident where you hit another vehicle or object is collision. This matters because the two usually carry different deductibles, and a glass endorsement only ever attaches to the comprehensive side. If your windshield broke in a wreck, it is part of the collision claim and your collision deductible applies.
Will filing a glass claim raise my insurance rates?
A comprehensive glass claim typically does not affect your insurance rate. Comprehensive claims are generally not counted as 'at-fault' accidents and most insurers do not surcharge for them. That said, policies vary, so if you are concerned, ask what type of claim will be filed and check with your agent before you proceed.
Which insurance companies do you work with?
Glass claims are routine with all the major carriers: State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, Allstate, USAA, Travelers, Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, Farmers, AAA, and others. Most route them through a glass claims administrator, and most glass shops can bill the carrier directly once you give them your policy number.
What do I need to have ready when I call?
Your insurance carrier name, policy number, and the contact number on your insurance card. If you don't have your card handy, your carrier name and the date and cause of the damage are enough to get a claim started with the carrier.
Can I choose my own glass shop for an insurance claim in Tennessee?
Yes. You pick the shop, not your insurer. Carriers route glass claims through a third-party administrator that offers a network shop first, but that is a recommendation, not a requirement. Name the shop you want and they will process the claim there. One thing worth asking any shop: whether they bill your carrier directly and whether their price sits above the carrier's schedule, since that is the only way an out-of-network job leaves you a balance.
How do I find out what my glass deductible actually is?
Look at your declarations page for three lines: whether comprehensive is listed at all, what the comprehensive deductible is ($100, $250, $500, or $1,000 are typical), and whether there is a separate line reading full glass, glass coverage, or safety glass buyback. That third line is the endorsement that takes glass claims to $0. If you cannot find the page, one call to your agent answers all three.
Is it ever a bad idea to file a glass claim?
Yes, when your deductible is higher than the repair. If you carry a $500 comprehensive deductible and the replacement quotes at $420, filing gets you nothing and still puts a comprehensive claim on your record. In that case, pay the cash price instead. A shop that files anyway is not looking out for you.
Related Services
Nearby Areas
Helpful Guides
Have comprehensive coverage? Know your deductible first.

Free, no-obligation quotes to compare against your deductible.

File Your Claim →
Call Now
Free estimateGet a Free Quote