KEY POINTS:
- Excess-free glass cover is insurance that pays for the total replacement of the main glass parts of a vehicle at no extra cost to the policy holder.
- While a few comprehensive car insurance policies cover excess-free repairs for windscreen chips and cracks, few offer excess-free total replacement as standard.
- Instead, most car insurers offer excess-free glass replacement as an optional benefit, for an extra cost.
There’s a lot to consider when choosing the right level of car insurance for your budget and driving needs. In the process, one thing you might forget to consider is your car’s windscreen. Windscreen chips and cracks are often unavoidable, and making a claim might not be viable under your level of excess, or could put your no-claims bonus at risk.
That’s when excess-free glass cover can come in useful. Canstar explores excess-free glass cover in New Zealand, and reveals those insurance providers that offer it as part of their car insurance packages.
What is excess-free glass cover?
Excess-free glass cover is insurance that pays for the total replacement of the main glass parts of your vehicle, such as the windscreen and side windows. While some comprehensive car insurance policies cover excess-free repairs for windscreen chips and cracks, few offer excess-free total replacement as standard.
Instead, most insurers offer excess-free glass replacement as an optional benefit, for an extra cost. However, it’s worth noting that excess-free glass cover often doesn’t run to covering things like lights, mirrors, glass roofs or sunroofs. And any claim can still affect your no-claims bonus (if applicable).
Who offers excess-free glass cover?
AA Insurance
AA Insurance offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
AA offers excess-free glass cover as an optional benefit on its Comprehensive and Third Party Fire & Theft policies. The optional benefit provides excess-free glass cover if a windscreen or window glass is chipped or broken accidentally, although it doesn’t extend to sunroofs.
AA Insurance doesn’t offer a no-claims bonus.
AMI
AMI offers three levels of car insurance: Full Cover | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
AMI’s full cover policy includes cover for accidental damage to windscreens and windows, with an excess payable.
Excess-free glass cover for windscreens and windows is available as an extra across its three policies. The cover doesn’t extend to sunroofs.
AMP
AMP offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party.
AMP’s comprehensive insurance policy offers excess-free chip repair, however excess-free replacement is an optional extra.
AMP’s third party fire & theft and third party policies do not offer any cover specifically for glass. However, excess-free windscreen and window glass replacement is available as an optional extra.
If you take out AMP’s optional glass cover, your Claim Free Drivers Reward will not be affected by any claim under the benefit. Note that AMP’s glass cover does not extend to sunroofs.
ANZ
ANZ offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
Only ANZ’s comprehensive policy offers any type of glass cover: excess-free repairs for chips to windscreens and windows.
For excess-free glass replacement, policy holders of any level of ANZ car insurance can take out optional extra cover for excess-free windscreen and window glass (not sunroofs). However any claim will affect a policy holder’s no-claims bonus, unless they have also taken out the optional no-claim discount preservation cover.
ASB
ASB offers three levels of car insurance: Full Cover | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
None of ASB’s car insurance policies includes specific glass cover, however, it is available as an optional benefit across all three plans.
ASB’s optional excess-free glass benefit covers accidental damage to the windscreen or window glass in a vehicle. Note that the cover does not extend to sunroofs.
ASB doesn’t offer a no-claims bonus.
BNZ
BNZ offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
Excess-free glass cover is available as an optional extra across all three policies, although it doesn’t extend to sunroofs.
ClubAuto
ClubAuto offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
ClubAuto’s comprehensive policy covers the excess-free repair or replacement of windscreens, window glass and sunroofs. No-claims discounts are not affected.
Cove
Cove only offers one level vehicle insurance policy: Comprehensive. Excess-free glass cover for broken or chipped windscreens is only available as an optional extra. Cove doesn’t offer a no-claims bonus.
FMG
FMG offers three levels of car insurance: Superior | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
FMG includes excess-free glass cover under its Superior comprehensive policy. It covers accidental breakage of sunroofs and driving lights, in addition to windows and windscreens. FMG doesn’t offer a no-claims bonus.
Assurant
Assurant offers three levels of car insurance: Full Cover| Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
None of Assurant’s policies includes glass cover as standard. However, excess-free glass cover can be added as an optional extra to its Full Cover policy.
Assurant’s optional excess-free glass benefit covers damage to sunroofs, in addition to windows and windscreens, and no-claims discounts are not affected.
State
State offers three levels of car insurance: Full Cover| Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
State’s Full Cover policy covers accidental damage to windscreens and windows, with an excess payable.
No-excess glass cover is available as an optional extra across all three levels of cover, although it doesn’t extend to sunroofs.
The Co-operative Bank
The Co-operative Bank offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
The bank’s comprehensive policy covers accidental damage to windscreens and windows, with an excess payable.
No-excess glass cover is available as an optional extra across all three levels of cover, although it doesn’t extend to sunroofs.
Tower
Tower offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
Tower’s comprehensive policy covers accidental damage to windscreens and windows, with an excess payable.
Excess-free glass cover can be added as an optional extra to Tower’s comprehensive and third party fire & theft policies and covers accidental damage to windscreens and window glass.
Note that the cover does not extend to sunroofs and Tower states that excess-free glass cover is not available for all vehicles.
Trade Me
Trade Me offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
Trade Me’s comprehensive policy covers accidental damage to windscreens and windows, with an excess payable.
Excess-free glass cover can be added as an optional extra to Trade Me’s comprehensive and third party fire & theft policies and covers accidental damage to windscreens and window glass.
Note that the cover does not extend to sunroofs and Trade Me states that excess-free glass cover is not available for all vehicles.
Westpac
Westpac offers three levels of car insurance: Full Cover | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
Westpac’s Full Cover policy offers excess-free glass cover for windscreens, windows and sunroofs. No-claims bonuses are not affected.
About the author of this page
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the Driven, Stuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines and newspapers, including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery book 5 Minute Murder.
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