Insurance Claims for Broken Glass: A Practical Guide

Whether it's a break-in, an accident, or a storm that's taken out a window, most home and business insurance policies cover broken glass in some form. But the process of actually claiming can feel unclear when you're dealing with it for the first time, often while trying to get the window made safe at the same time. Here's a straightforward walk-through of how it typically works.

Check what your policy actually covers

Most buildings insurance policies include accidental damage to fixed glass — windows, external doors, and sometimes conservatories — as standard or as an optional add-on. Contents policies may separately cover glass in furniture or internal doors. It's worth checking your specific policy documents, since 'glazing cover' varies more between insurers than people expect, and some policies exclude certain causes (general wear, for example) while covering accidental breakage and malicious damage.

For rented or leased properties, particularly shops and commercial units, responsibility often sits with the tenant rather than the landlord for shopfront glazing specifically — our guide on what to do when a shop window is smashed covers this in more detail for commercial premises.

What to do before you claim

Insurers generally expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage before the claim is processed — leaving a smashed window open to the weather for days while waiting on a claim decision can actually work against you. This is exactly why making the property safe promptly, usually with a board-up, matters both practically and for the claim itself; see our guide on boarding up a broken window safely for what a proper job involves.

Photograph the damage clearly before anything is cleared or boarded, from a few angles, including anything that shows how the damage occurred (a brick still on the floor, a forced point of entry, storm debris nearby).

Reporting the incident

If the damage resulted from a break-in, vandalism or theft, report it to the police first and get a crime reference number — nearly every insurer will ask for this before processing a malicious damage claim. Keep the reference number along with the crime report details, as you'll likely need to quote it when you call your insurer.

For accidental damage (a ball through a window, a slammed door, storm damage), a police report generally isn't needed, but photographic evidence of the cause and extent of damage still helps the claim move smoothly.

Understanding your excess

Most policies have an excess — the amount you pay towards the claim before the insurer covers the rest. For a lower-cost repair like a single misted or cracked pane, it's worth checking whether the excess is actually higher than the repair cost itself, in which case claiming may not be worthwhile and paying for the repair directly can work out cheaper overall, without affecting your no-claims history.

Getting quotes and using your own glazier

Some insurers will nominate an approved contractor, while others are happy for you to arrange your own repair and submit the invoice for reimbursement — it's worth asking your insurer directly which applies to your policy. Where you're free to choose, using a glazier you trust generally means a faster response and clearer communication than going through a call centre's approved network, particularly for anything urgent.

We're happy to provide a detailed, itemised invoice suitable for insurance purposes, and can liaise directly with loss adjusters where needed for larger commercial claims.

Call Mark on 07535 916982 or request a callback.