There’s a lot to consider when choosing car insurance. For example, whether to opt for comprehensive or third-party cover, and researching the provider that offers the best cover for the right price.
In the process, one thing you might forget to think about is your 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 only offers excess-free glass cover as an optional benefit on its comprehensive and third party fire & theft policies. The cover offers excess-free glass cover if a windscreen is chipped or broken accidentally, however it doesn’t extend to sunroofs. And third party fire & theft policy holders are only covered for damage if it’s caused by attempted theft or vandalism.
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 glass breakage or chip repairs to side and back window glass, windscreens and sunroofs, with no excess payable. The same cover is available as an optional extra if you have third party fire & theft cover.
No excess is payable on any claim accepted under AMI’s glass breakage cover, and no claims bonuses are not affected.
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. However any claim will affect a policy holder’s no-claims bonus.
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: Supreme Cover | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
BNZ includes excess-free glass cover under its Supreme Cover comprehensive policy. It covers covers sunroofs and driving lights, in addition to windows and windscreens, and no-claims discounts are not affected.
Excess-free glass cover is not available under any of BNZ’s other car insurance policies.
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.
Protecta
Protecta offers three levels of car insurance: Full Cover| Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
None of Protecta’s policies includes glass cover as standard. However, excess-free glass cover can be added as an optional extra to its Full Cover policy.
Protecta’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.
None of State’s policies includes glass cover, however no-excess glass cover is available as an optional extra across all three levels of cover.
State’s optional excess-free glass benefit covers damage to sunroofs and driving lights, in addition to windows and windscreens. State doesn’t offer a no-claims bonus.
The Cooperative Bank
The Cooperative Bank offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
The bank’s comprehensive policy offers excess-free cover for claims relating solely to windscreen or window damage, and no claims discounts are not affected.
Tower
Tower offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
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.
No-claims bonuses are not affected. However, Tower states that excess-free glass cover is not available to all vehicles.
Trade Me
Trade Me offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive | Third Party Fire & Theft | Third Party Only.
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.
No-claims bonuses are not affected. However, Trade Me states that excess-free glass cover is not available to 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
This report was written by Canstar’s Editor, Bruce Pitchers. Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in the UK and Australasia, including ACP, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. Prior to Canstar, he worked as a freelancer, including for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority, and for real estate companies on both sides of the Tasman.
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