Fixing the chip in your windshield. Is it really worth it?



SEATTLE -- There is no shortage of construction projects on Northwest roads. Roadwork is a constant, and with all that loose gravel it's only a matter of time before you get a chip in your car's windshield.

Considering how often chips happen, is it worth it to get a chip fixed every time? Q13 asked a senior project manager at PEMCO Insurance, Craig Kehrberg.

"It is definitely worth it to fix a chip in your windshield so it doesn't get worse," Kehrberg said.

If left alone, Kerhberg said, that annoying little chip can grow into a full blown crack. Then your entire windshield will need to be replaced. That option is much more costly.

"To get a chip fixed, the out of pocket cost is nothing if you have comprehensive coverage," Kerhberg said. "We, waive the deductible and you don't have to pay anything to get the chip fixed. To replace a windshield can really be expensive."

Fixing a chipped windshield is free, but the key to this freebie is to have comprehensive car insurance coverage.  That is an optional coverage you will need to ask your car insurance provider for. It will cost you around an extra seven bucks a month.

Comprehensive coverage covers more than just windshields. According to PEMCO, comprehensive coverage pays for losses to you car caused by something other than a collision. So vandalism, theft, and acts of nature like fire, flood, windstorms, hail or even hitting a deer are covered by comprehensive insurance.