What is excess-free windscreen cover?

It is an option, usually added to comprehensive cover, that waives your windscreen excess so a covered glass claim costs you $0 out of pocket. It often covers front, rear and side glass, plus the ADAS calibration, though claim limits can apply.

Is excess-free glass cover worth it in Adelaide?

It often is if you drive chip-heavy freeway routes or a prestige European car with expensive glass, because waiving even one excess can cover the extra premium. If your excess is already low and you rarely chip, it may not be worth it. Compare the add-on cost with your excess.

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Windscreen Excess-Free Cover in Adelaide: What to Look For

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In short: Windscreen excess-free cover is an option that waives your windscreen excess, so a glass claim costs you $0 out of pocket. It is usually an optional add-on to comprehensive cover, sometimes with limits on the number of claims per year. For Adelaide drivers on chip-heavy freeway routes, or in prestige European cars with pricey glass, it often pays for itself. This is general guidance: check the policy limits with your insurer.

Key takeaways

Excess-free glass cover means $0 out of pocket on a glass claim.
Usually an optional add-on to comprehensive cover.
Watch for annual claim limits and whether it covers all glass.
Most valuable on high-excess policies and expensive glass.

If your standard windscreen excess is $300 or $500, excess-free glass cover removes it. Instead of paying that excess on every glass claim, you pay a small extra premium up front and then $0 when you actually claim. For some Adelaide drivers this is a clear win; for others it is money that would sit unused. Here is how to tell which you are.

What excess-free cover actually includes

Your windscreen excess is waived, so a covered glass claim costs you nothing.
It typically covers the front windscreen, and often the rear and side glass too.
The ADAS calibration remains covered as part of the claim.
It usually sits on top of comprehensive cover as an optional extra.

What to check before you rely on it

Excess-free cover is not always unlimited. The fine print worth confirming:

Claim limit: some policies allow only 1 or 2 excess-free glass claims per year.
Glass scope: confirm whether it covers all glass or just the front windscreen.
Sunroof and panoramic roofs: these are sometimes excluded, which matters on European SUVs.
Whether it is included or an add-on: some premium policies bundle it; most charge extra.

When it is worth it for Adelaide drivers

Excess-free glass cover tends to pay off in 2 Adelaide situations. First, if you drive high-chip routes: the northern freeway to Gawler and Elizabeth, the Southern Expressway, and the Port River Expressway all throw stones, and frequent chips add up. Second, if you drive a prestige European car (common through Burnside, Unley and Norwood) where OEM glass and static ADAS calibration make each replacement expensive, waiving even one excess can cover the add-on cost.

A quick test: if the extra annual premium for excess-free cover is less than your windscreen excess, and you expect at least one glass claim over a few years, it usually pays for itself. Run the numbers for your policy.

When you can skip it

If your windscreen excess is already $0 or very low, excess-free cover adds little. Likewise, if you drive a common car with cheap glass and rarely see chips, paying the occasional low excess may cost less than the add-on premium over time. This is general guidance, not financial advice: your insurer confirms the exact premium and limits so you can compare properly.

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