--- title: "Is rock chip repair free with insurance in California?" url: "https://maviautoglass.com/blog/is-rock-chip-repair-free-with-insurance-in-california/" description: "Why rock chip repair is often free with insurance in California, what GEICO and California Casualty say and what a glass shop may not promise" content_signal: ai-train=yes, search=yes, ai-input=yes --- # Is rock chip repair free with insurance in California? Why rock chip repair is often free with insurance in California, what GEICO and California Casualty say and what a glass shop may not promise Rock chip repair is often free with insurance in California, but only because many insurers choose to waive the deductible for repairs, not because state law requires it, and it depends on your policy. You need comprehensive coverage, since liability-only insurance does not pay for your own windshield. GEICO, for example, says it will waive your deductible when you have your glass repaired if you have the appropriate coverage, and California Casualty says windshield repairs are completed at no cost to you while replacements are subject to your deductible. A full replacement usually means paying your comprehensive deductible unless your policy has glass coverage. The topic is full of conflicting claims online, including a California statute that is cited as a zero-deductible glass law and is actually about something else. This guide is written by Mavi Auto Glass, a locally owned mobile auto glass company based in Roseville that repairs rock chips and helps drivers with glass claims across Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, Elk Grove and the rest of Greater Sacramento. It uses insurers’ own pages and the statute texts, and explains what a glass shop is and is not allowed to promise. ## Does California law require free rock chip repair? No California statute we found requires insurers to waive the deductible for rock chip repair. Some states do have glass deductible laws. Florida statute 627.7288 says the deductible of a policy with comprehensive coverage does not apply to windshield damage, and South Carolina section 38-77-280 says physical damage deductibles do not apply to automobile safety glass. One page online cites California Insurance Code section 10270.7 as a zero-deductible glass law. That section is about family expense disability insurance, a kind of health and disability coverage, and does not mention vehicles, glass or deductibles ([Insurance Code 10270.7](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=10270.7)). ## What do insurers say about windshield chip repair? Each insurer sets its own rule, so read your insurer’s own page or your policy. The table shows what two insurers publish, quoted from their websites. InsurerWhat its website says about repairsAbout replacementsGEICOWill waive your deductible when you have your glass repaired, if you have the appropriate coverageBroken glass is generally handled under comprehensive coverageCalifornia CasualtyWindshield repairs are completed at no cost to youReplacements are subject to your deductibleSources: [GEICO glass claims guide](https://www.geico.com/claims/glass-claims-guide/) and [California Casualty](https://www.calcas.com/windshield-repair-or-replacement), read in October 2026. If your insurer is not listed, look for the glass or windshield section of its website or ask your agent directly. Lists that name many insurers at once, without linking to each insurer’s own wording, are not a reliable guide to your policy. ## Which chips can be repaired instead of replaced? The usual candidates are small chips and short cracks that do not reach the edge of the glass and are not in front of the driver. GEICO says a chip or crack smaller than a dollar bill could be repairable. Whether a specific chip can be repaired depends on its size, type and location, so a technician has to look at it. - Chips more likely to be repairable: small, clean, not touching the edge and not in the driver’s direct view - Damage more likely to need replacement: long cracks, damage at the edge of the glass, or damage directly in front of the driver - Chips that collect dirt or water become harder to repair well, so protect them with clear tape A [rock chip repair](/service/rock-chip-repair/) stabilizes the damage and helps keep it from spreading. It does not guarantee that the mark disappears or that the glass will never crack, and Mavi Auto Glass explains that and asks for written authorization before the repair. ## What is a glass shop allowed to promise about insurance? Less than many ads suggest. Under California’s Motor Vehicle Glass Act, Senate Bill 988, a glass shop shall not state that a repair or replacement will be paid for entirely by an insurer at no cost to you unless the coverage has been verified by the insurer or its agent. It also may not say the insurer has approved the work without verifying directly and getting written or recorded confirmation, and it may not offer gifts, gift cards, cash or other incentives in exchange for a claim ([SB 988, Civil Code 1784.55](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB988)). So treat a promise of a free repair as a question to confirm, not a guarantee. Mavi Auto Glass helps with the [insurance claim](/service/insurance-claims/), and coverage, deductibles and approval are decided by your insurer. ## How do you check whether your chip repair is covered? Ask your insurer before the repair, using your own policy details. Here is how, in 4 steps. - **Confirm comprehensive coverage:** check the declarations page of your auto policy. - **Ask about repairs specifically:** ask whether the deductible is waived for a windshield chip repair under your policy. - **Ask what happens if it cannot be repaired:** find out which deductible applies to a replacement. - **Get the claim or referral number:** you will need it when the glass shop schedules the work. ## Before you book a rock chip repair Cover the chip with clear tape, take a photo with a coin next to it for scale and note whether it is near the edge or in front of the driver. Check your declarations page for comprehensive coverage and ask your insurer whether chip repairs are covered without a deductible. If the chip has already started to spread, mention it, because a repair may no longer be the right fix.