Will my insurance company reimburse me for a window I paid to replace?

Since I just leased my first car, I'm quite new to dealing with insurance companies (I've lived all my adult life in NYC and never had a car until now). Last night there was a robbery in our building that left me with a shattered rear window and a stolen sweater. I just paid $200 for the window replacement. Will Geico (my insurance company) reimburse me for the cost of replacing my window? Or will it make my insurance rate go up?

I'm sorry to hear about the damage (and the sweater!). The good news is that since you are in California, glass claims should not impact your premium. In most locations, it's up to the discretion of the insurer to raise rates based on glass claims but in California, specifically, not-at-fault claims can't be used to increase your rates. You will want to make sure your policy includes comprehensive coverage (which it should be since you are leasing the vehicle).

First, check to see what your deductible is. Since you're new to car insurance in general, understanding the deductible on your coverage is an important step when deciding whether or not to file a claim. You'll have to pay the full amount of the deductible before the car insurance company begins to pay for damages. For example, if your windshield is a particular size/shape/style that costs $2,500 to replace, and your deductible is only $500, you'd get $2,000 paid out for the difference.

Because you only paid $200 for the window to be fixed, it likely isn't worth it to submit this as a claim (and if you do file a claim, you'll still be paying for it if it's under your deductible amount). However, some companies offer separate glass coverage, so it's worth looking over your policy. I would recommend contacting your insurance company to ask specifically about how glass is covered by your policy.

As you get more experienced with auto insurance and what is most important to you, you can adjust your coverage. We suggest getting new quotes a few times per year, anyway, so if you decide you'd like more or different coverage levels you can compare companies and rates to see if there might be a better fit for you. Feel free to give one of our experienced agents a call at 888-255-4364 if you want some help understanding the nuances of coverage when you start shopping again.