How To: Finding the Lowest Prices for Windshield Replacement
Imagine yourself in this situation: you are driving your car on a sunny day. A large truck is in front of you. All of a sudden, a small rock or piece of material comes from out of nowhere. It strikes your windshield and leaves behind a small crack or chip. Yikes! What do you do, next? Get a windshield replacement, of course! You may think that the only thing to consider when shopping for this service is to find the lowest prices. However, there are a few things you should consider, and a few steps you should follow, first.
What You Should Know
Before you get started researching for the lowest prices for windshield replacement, know that cheapest is not always best in this situation. Although a deal can sometimes seem too good to be true, it might be just that. A windshield replacement that is done incorrectly can lead to further problems. This can include leaks in your car, or cracking and chipping again, later. A bad windshield install can also lead to safety issues for car occupants in a crash. Be sure that anyone you are considering for the job is a professional.
Call Your Insurance Company
The first thing you should do is contact your insurance company. In some cases, your insurance company may cover (or partially cover) the costs of a windshield replacement. By far, this is the easiest way to get the lowest prices for this sort of job. Just contact your insurance company shortly after the incident. You may have to submit an estimate for a replacement from a particular company, or opt to have a particular company do the install. Either way, you are still saving quite a bit of money for your windshield and getting a good product.
Shop Around
What if you need a windshield replacement, but your insurance will not cover the cost? In this case, your best bet is to shop around with reputable services. Often times, you can find their price estimates posted on their webpages. Or, barring that, you could give them a call and ask them what they recommend, as well as a price estimate. Compare what you hear from various services. Once you have found one that you feel will give you great service (and value) for the quoted price, take your car to them for your windshield replacement.