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GoogleA windshield insurance claim with a mobile shop in Greater Sacramento usually starts with a call or message to the shop, then the claim is opened with your insurer, the insurer confirms coverage and authorization, and the glass is replaced at your home or workplace. California’s Motor Vehicle Glass Act, Senate Bill 988, signed in September 2026, sets the order for insurance-paid work: the glass shop may not contract with you until you have made a first-party claim and the shop has received a claim or referral number, and it must give you a good faith estimate, an itemized invoice and, when a calibration is done, written notice of whether it was successful. Coverage and what you pay still depend on your policy.
This guide walks through the steps and the paperwork you should receive. It is written by Mavi Auto Glass, a locally owned, 100% mobile auto glass company based in Roseville that helps drivers with auto glass insurance claims across Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Elk Grove, Folsom and the rest of Greater Sacramento. Coverage, deductibles, approvals and payment decisions are always made by your insurer.
How does a windshield claim with a mobile shop work?
It moves from your first message to the finished installation in 5 steps.
- Contact the shop: share your vehicle information, photos of the damage and the name of your insurance company.
- Open the claim: report the damage to your insurer or its glass claims administrator, with the shop’s help if you want it, and get the claim or referral number.
- Insurer review: your insurer verifies coverage, the deductible and authorization.
- Schedule the service: the shop schedules the work at your home, workplace or another suitable location, with the required notices and estimate.
- Complete the work: the glass is replaced and, when required and authorized, the ADAS calibration is performed.
What paperwork should you receive on an insurance glass job?
SB 988 lists what the glass shop must give you. The table shows each item and when it comes (SB 988, Civil Code 1784.53 and 1784.54).
| When | What the shop must provide |
|---|---|
| Before the service | Whether your vehicle has ADAS, whether calibration is recommended and whether the shop will calibrate it |
| Before contracting | Confirmation that a first-party claim exists and a claim or referral number |
| Before contracting | A good faith estimate of the fees and costs you will be charged |
| Before the service | An updated estimate |
| After the work | An itemized invoice and, upon payment, a receipt |
| After a calibration | Written notice of whether it was successful |
What can a glass shop not promise you?
Several things are off limits under SB 988. Watch for these.
- That the work will be paid entirely by insurance at no cost to you, unless your insurer has verified the coverage
- That your insurer approved the work, unless the shop verified it directly and has written or recorded confirmation
- A gift card, cash, rebate or other incentive in exchange for filing a claim
- A contract that transfers your policy rights to the shop, which is void for contracts entered on or after January 1, 2027
You can still authorize your insurer to pay the shop directly. And you choose the shop and the recalibration facility, as explained in choosing your own auto glass shop in California.
What do you pay on a windshield claim?
It depends on your policy. Glass damage from road debris is usually handled under comprehensive coverage, and your deductible applies unless your policy has glass coverage that lowers or removes it. When the replacement costs less than the deductible, paying directly is often simpler. More detail is in insurance and windshield replacement in California, and the effect on your premium in whether a windshield claim raises your rate.
Mavi Auto Glass helps with auto glass insurance claims from the first contact, does the work at your location and performs ADAS static and dynamic calibration with its own Autel equipment. Mavi Auto Glass assists with the claim process but cannot guarantee coverage or claim approval.
Getting ready to start a windshield claim
Have your policy number, the date and cause of the damage, photos and the vehicle’s year, make, model and VIN ready. Check your declarations page for comprehensive coverage and the deductible. Once the claim is open, keep the claim number at hand, and at the end of the job keep the itemized invoice and the calibration result together with your claim records.
