Auto Insurance is an extremely competitive market with so many companies marketing their customer’s annual savings over other companies.  But often you have shopped around and annual savings aren’t making a big difference in your monthly payment.  Then how can you tell the difference in what you get from an insurance provider when you really need them?

As an auto glass shop that works with many different insurance providers every day, we have a clear perception of how each company treats it’s customers and the standards they require of the shops that do the repairs.  We are glad to know that Allstate carefully researched how repair shops that provide excellent customer service and superior repair work can save them frustration in the long run.

With this knowledge, recent internal policies have shifted preference to shops providing the highest quality service over the lowest possible price.  Deals and other shops that provide exceptional service and excellent  repair work have to appreciate the changes.  But the insured should also welcome the fact that an insurance company has taken into account their personal satisfaction with the entire claims experience.  Thanks Allstate!

The shop is trying to talk you into OEM auto glass, which of course, costs a little more than an aftermarket windshield.  Why should you pay more for a piece of glass than you absolutely have to?  There are a couple of very legitimate reasons that OEM glass is a better choice, and when considered, often overshadow the small difference in price.

From the shop’s point of view, the main difference between OEM and aftermarket glass is quality.  While all windshield manufacturers are required to follow the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards,  OEM glass is made with the same tooling and has identical fit and form as the factory installed windshield.  Consumers often notice a difference as well, in the clarity or coloration of the aftermarket glass as opposed to their original auto glass.

And for those hoping to someday trade in their car – dealerships know the difference.  They often refuse to accept cars with aftermarket glass, or subtract the cost of re-replacing the glass from the trade in value.

But the number one reason to choose OEM glass, and paramount to all the others is – Safety.  The windshield is critical in supporting the roof of the automobile in rollover accidents as well as being a component in the personal safety restraint system.  Airbags are meant be be used in conjunction with seat belts and are built to be supported by the windshield, which keeps the airbag in front of the passenger An ill fitting windshield can actually dislodge upon impact, leaving the roof unsupported and the passenger cabin open in those crucial seconds immediately afterwards.

So while it’s up to the customer to decide what is best for them, we think the difference in the value of an OEM windshield greatly outweighs the difference in cost.