What does glass-breakage insurance cover?
Glass-breakage insurance, also known as glass insurance, can be taken out as part of a home contents policy or as a separate policy. It covers all building glazing, that is, glass components permanently attached to a house or garage. For example, windows and French doors, glass doors, glass blocks, conservatory glazing, and so on. Glazing in furnishings is also covered, such as glass tables, display cabinets, mirrors, glazed pictures and the like.
With glass insurance it is irrelevant how the glass damage arose. Damage caused by wind or storm, by a third party during a burglary or through vandalism is covered, as is damage caused by the policyholder or their family through carelessness. Only glass damage covered by other policies, such as damage in the event of fire or an explosion covered by building fire insurance, is not covered by glass insurance.
The items covered by glass insurance in detail:
- Windows
- French doors (patio or balcony doors)
- Doors made of glass (front or internal doors)
- Display cabinets
- Conservatories
- Shower enclosures
- Picture glazing
- Mirrors
- Viewing panels of fireplaces or stoves
- Glazing of wall clocks
- Glass components of furniture such as table tops
Which types of glass damage are not covered?
Glass-breakage insurance excludes all hollow glassware such as vases, drinking glasses, terrariums, aquariums or glass lamps. There are, however, tariffs in which terrariums and aquariums, for example, can be included. For glass-ceramic hobs (ceramic hobs) and glass-like surfaces such as Plexiglas or other plastics, the insurance tariffs of the various companies contain differing provisions. Here, only a detailed comparison of tariffs will help.
Glass damage caused by wear and tear is likewise not covered. This includes, for example, chipping, discolouration and clouding due to a failure of the edge seal in multi-pane glazing, as well as other damage attributable to the age of the glass or glass component.
Which types of damage are covered and which are not varies from insurer to insurer. With many insurers the cover can be tailored to your own needs by adding supplementary modules. Many providers, for example, allow terrariums and aquariums or transparent plastic surfaces to be additionally insured.
The items not covered by glass insurance in detail:
- Vases
- Aquariums
- Terrariums
- Photovoltaic systems
- Screens
- Drinking glasses or jugs made of glass
- Glass tableware
- Bottles
- Lamps made of glass
Cost of glass-breakage insurance
The premium for glass-breakage insurance can be calculated using different methods. There are flat-rate calculation models based on square metres of living space or on the sum insured. For special cases there are specific tariffs in which individual items to be insured and their replacement value are listed. The latter is particularly important when especially valuable glass objects are to be insured, or especially expensive glass components such as a glass dome.
In the vast majority of cases the flat-rate calculation bases will be sufficient for sound protection against damage. A precise comparison is only possible on a case-by-case basis, taking all risks into account. In any case it makes sense to compare the benefits and the resulting tariffs of several insurers. To do this, it is best to obtain several quotes from different insurance companies for your specific case, adapting the range of benefits as closely as possible to your needs. Comparison portals can provide an initial point of reference, for example in choosing which insurers you ask for a quote. However, the tariffs only become genuinely comparable once you weigh the quotes for your insured property against one another.
Insurance benefits under glass insurance
It is important to know that glass-breakage insurance only applies at the insured location. If you transport an insured object outside your home, the cover lapses. In the event of glass breakage, the policyholder is reimbursed for the material and repair costs, that is, the labour costs. Also reimbursed are the costs of emergency glazing or boarding-up until the final repair, as well as disposal costs for the destroyed glass. The tariffs differ when it comes to covering additional costs. While scaffolding costs for fitting a replacement pane are usually covered, the owner is often left to bear painting costs for the frame or damaged masonry. Here, too, comparing tariffs is worthwhile.
Country-specific differences
The differences between glass insurance policies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are small. Many Swiss insurance tariffs also cover sanitary ceramics such as toilet bowls and washbasins (lavabos). The Swiss tariffs also tend to be more comprehensive when it comes to ceramic hobs and plastics as well as aquariums and terrariums. But there, too, the exact benefits of individual insurance tariffs can only be correctly assessed by studying the small print in the insurance contracts in detail.
Who needs glass-breakage insurance?
Glass insurance is not among the absolute necessities for a homeowner, and even less so for a tenant. It makes sense when a property incorporates a great deal of glass, so that glass damage is fairly likely. Or when very valuable glass objects in the contents are to be insured. For average houses it is easy to calculate how many annual premiums of glass insurance you would have to set aside in order to be able to pay for glass damage every five or ten years. In many cases you come off better paying for such rare damage yourself.
