Generating about 7.5 million insurance claims per year, vehicle glass damage is the most frequent type of claim. Fortunately, the cost of repair is relatively low, and the opportunity to satisfy policyholders is high. For those reasons, it can be seen as the best type of claim for an insurer to encounter.

It is important to understand how the vehicle glass and automotive industries are evolving and impacting future claims handling. Luckily, in this day and age, there is also growing research about glass breakage. This research can help insurance carriers prepare for these changes.

Evolving Trends

The first key automotive industry trend is placing more glass—and larger pieces of glass—in every car. According to glass makers, the glazed area of a vehicle has increased by 15 percent during the last decade. Some designs, such as panoramic roofs, are actually made of glass that blends right into the windshield. Obviously, the more glass in a vehicle, the greater the likelihood of damage.

Secondly, with a recent focus on energy and gas efficiency, auto manufacturers have made vehicles lighter in weight. As a result, vehicle glass is thinner than ever before—again, increasing the chance for breakage.

Finally, as the automotive industry introduces technologies, there is an increase of technically complex vehicle glass. For instance, more cars have sensors and heads-up displays (HUD), which project vehicle data directly onto the windshield. Some of the newest developments include driving-assistance devices, including lane deviation systems, night vision systems, collision avoidance, and smart cruise control, which may rely on sensors built into the vehicle's glass.

There has also been an evolution of more radical glass shapes with extreme curves, all-glass tailgates, and double and triple curvatures. As these enhancements work their way into more automobiles, they make vehicle glass more difficult to replace when damaged.

All of these advances require the vehicle glass repair and replacement industry to stay ahead of the game, and will require more specialized technicians, better training, and advanced installation tools and equipment. These changes may also result in higher claims costs. Fortunately, most windshield damage begins as a chip and, if repaired quickly, will prevent a more costly replacement. Repair systems have improved vastly during the past decade, making repair a prudent alternative to replacement when a crack is less than six inches long.

Avoiding Replacement

Belron Technical, the research and development arm of Belron, has learned through its research how chips occur and how they spread. One statistic Safelite studies has revealed is that the majority of stone damage is located in the bottom half of the windshield. Ironically, this area is most vulnerable to outside forces, and  a chip here can easily turn into a much larger crack. Swift temperature change is a frequent cause of a chip “running” and becoming a crack—actions such as using the windshield defroster in cold weather or the air conditioner in hot weather contribute to this. Extreme temperatures outdoors can also cause chips to run.

Finally, everyday driving produces stress. Damaged glass is approximately 60- to 70-percent weaker than glass that is still intact, making driving over pot holes and speed bumps even more hazardous. All of these stresses are cumulative, so it is a sure bet that your chipped windshield, if untreated, will crack out eventually.

Stronger Bonds

A two-day testing series of 60 windshields by Belron Technical showed that under high stresses, 90 percent of unrepaired chips cracked out within minutes, while repaired chips had a zero failure rate in the same series of tests. In addition, Belron Technical tested more than 150 windshields in cold weather conditions over 18 months, reporting that 80 percent of chips cracked while those that had been repaired had a zero failure rate.

Why is this? A chip is different in today's thinner glass. Years ago, a “bull's-eye” or “half-moon” chip was very common and rarely cracked out. However, with today's thinner glass, a “starburst” chip is the most common, containing hundreds of tiny cracks that can spread under stress. During a repair, resin fills those micro-cracks, creating a new bond and a structurally sound windshield.

There are many different types of resin on the market—some better than others. Some will shrink, making the risk for further cracking higher. Some will discolor, affecting the visibility of the driver. For this reason, it is unwise to opt for do-it-yourself kits or companies that do not use top quality resins.

In addition to preventing further breakage and being a cheaper alternative to replacement, windshield repair is more environmentally friendly than windshield replacement. In terms of CO2 emissions, repair is nearly 10 times greener and also substantially reduces waste. It is estimated that windshield repair saves 18,000 tons of glass from being sent to the landfill annually.

Driving Customer Loyalty

Finally, a positive repair service has the potential to create policyholder loyalty. In 2010, J.D. Power and Associates released a study finding that the most satisfied auto insurance customer is not one who has never made a claim, but rather one who has made a small claim that was handled with excellence.

With the evolving science of vehicle glass and glass repair, claims management cannot remain static. Understanding the nuances of glass damage and the importance of windshield repair can help mitigate more severe damage while providing a positive policyholder experience.

After all, claims handling really is a “moment of truth” in the P&C insurance industry.