Auto Insurance and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) as it applies to windshield replacements and replacement of other pieces of auto glass
In most cases your insurance company will only authorize the use of dealer auto glass parts if your car or truck is a brand new (current model year) vehicle or if aftermarket auto glass parts are not available. There is another way of guaranteeing your insurance company will pay for OEM auto glass replacement – you can elect to purchase what is called an OEM Endorsement. Here is a definition from Nationwide’s web site.
“Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) – Auto parts that come from the manufacturer, as opposed to aftermarket or salvage companies. An OEM endorsement ensures that aftermarket replacement parts won’t be used to repair your vehicle. Policyholders must have comprehensive and/or collision coverage to add this option.”
Often times, dealer parts are the best option for ensuring a quality auto glass replacement but in most cases your insurance company will be unwilling to pay the premium associated with the purchase of these parts, so let’s look at the options . . .
At True Blue Auto Glass, we can often find your original equipment brand in the non-dealership market. For example, we can usually find Carlite (OE) brand auto glass if you have a Ford without buying it at the dealership and paying a premium. If that isn’t possible we can generally find a brand of equivalent quality. The other option to explore is for you to pay the difference between what your insurance company will pay and the cost of an OEM replacement. Depending on the year, make and model, the cost difference could be minor.
Regardless of what we end up using to replace your windshield, you can be assured that it will be the best brand that your insurance company is willing to pay for.
It’s can also be helpful to understand that car manufacturers do not manufacture auto glass. Many times the aftermarket windshield replacements are from the same factory assembly lines as the OEM glass being sold by dealerships.
Our online auto glass quoter works for all types of auto glass, however, the system only quotes aftermarket glass. If you would like to have a conversation about an OEM replacement for your vehicle, please give us a call. We can help you understand your insurance coverage (we work directly with all Pennsylvania auto insurance companies) and assist you in setting up your insurance claim. When we work directly with your insurance company, we are often able to get approval for an OEM replacement if your car is equipped with ADAS, (which stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) These vehicles utilize radar, lidar, cameras, computer imaging, sensors, networking, and other devices to help create a safer driving experience.
As you can imagine, there’s a lot to this topic of OEM auto glass replacement. We’re just a phone call away if you would like to continue the conversation. Thanks for reading!
-Scott
