A stone flicks up from a lorry on the expressway. There is a sharp tick, and now a small star sits in the glass. Most drivers in Singapore meet this sooner or later. Here is what to check, what to ask and how it fits with your car insurance.
Deal with the damage first
Look closely, and soon. A chip rarely stays a chip for long. Heat, sudden cooling, rough roads and car wash jets can all spread it into a crack. Note where it sits, then take a clear photo with a coin or key beside it for scale.
Cover it, do not poke it. A piece of clear tape over a fresh chip keeps out dirt and water. Clean damage is easier to fill than damage packed with grime. Do not push at it with a fingernail or a key.
Go easy on the temperature swings. After the car has baked in an open-air HDB car park, the glass is hot. Blasting cold air straight at it puts stress on a damaged spot. Let the cabin cool gradually until the chip is seen to.
Watch your own following distance. Many chips come from debris thrown up by heavy vehicles. A longer gap behind lorries and construction trucks gives stones time to drop. It also gives you more time to react if one does hit.
Repair or replace
Small chips are usually filled. A repair injects resin into the chip and cures it. The original glass and its seal stay in place. The mark often remains faintly visible, but the repair aims to stop it spreading.
Long cracks usually mean new glass. Once a crack runs across the screen, filling it is often not an option. Damage near the edge of the glass can also be harder to repair. Ask the workshop to explain why it recommends one or the other.
Mind the driver's line of sight. Even a neat repair can leave a slight blur. In the area right in front of the driver, that matters more than at the edge. Ask whether a repair there would leave a clear enough view.
Ask about cameras and sensors. Many newer cars carry a camera or sensor behind the windscreen. After new glass goes in, these may need recalibrating. Ask whether the job includes this, and whether the insurer pays for it.
Ask what glass goes in. A replacement screen may be from the car's maker or from another supplier. Ask which one the workshop will fit. Then check what your policy says about it.
Is it legal to drive with a cracked screen?
LTA sets the rules on a vehicle's condition, including its windscreen, and on vehicle inspections. This guide does not cover the detail of those rules. If the damage is more than a small chip, check LTA's OneMotoring site before you carry on driving or book an inspection. If the glass is badly damaged, the plain answer is to get it looked at before the next long drive.
How windscreen cover usually works
Find the windscreen section in your policy. Look in your policy wording for a section on windscreen or glass. It sets out what is covered, any limit on the amount, and any excess. Policies differ, so read your own rather than assume.
Check what kind of policy you hold. A third-party-only policy is built around damage you cause to others. Check whether it includes anything for your own glass. A comprehensive policy is where windscreen cover is usually found, but the terms still vary.
Check the excess on glass. The excess for a windscreen claim may not match the excess on the rest of the policy. Some policies treat repair and replacement differently too. The guide to car insurance excess explains how excess works in general.
Check the workshop rule. Some policies send you to an authorised workshop. Others let you choose any workshop. This can apply to glass work as well. The page on authorised or any workshop sets out the difference.
Does a windscreen claim touch your NCD?
Ask before you claim. Whether a windscreen-only claim affects your no-claim discount depends on the policy. The wording should say. If it is unclear, ask the insurer in writing and keep the reply.
Know what the discount is worth. The no-claim discount is 10% after one claim-free year. It rises 10 points a year to 50% after five. It belongs to you, not the car, so it moves with you to a new car or insurer.
Put a number on it. The site's NCD page uses a 3-year-old Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6, comprehensive, authorised workshop, with a driver aged 40. As listed on 26 October 2026, GST included, the lowest price was S$642.42 at 50% NCD. With no NCD, it was S$1,416.35.
Count the cost of a lost step. The same page works through a claim that cuts NCD from 50% to 20%. If the discount then climbs back 10 points a year, the extra cost over three years comes to about S$825.02 on the lowest prices listed on 26 October 2026. How far a claim cuts NCD depends on the insurer and the claim.
Weigh the glass bill against the discount. If a windscreen claim would touch your NCD, compare the workshop's quote with what you could lose. For a small repair, paying it yourself can cost less than claiming. Get the quote in writing first.
Know what an NCD protector does. An NCD protector is an add-on that keeps your discount after one claim. Depending on the insurer, it is offered from 30%, 40% or 50% NCD. It does not stop the claim being recorded, and some insurers limit how often it can be used.
Making the claim
Go to the insurer directly. Each insurer in Singapore runs its own claims process, mostly online. Going to the insurer directly is usually quickest. The claims page lists where each insurer takes car claims, and how to get advice before you send in a larger or complicated claim.
Keep the paperwork together. Keep your photos of the damage, the date and place it happened, and the workshop's quote or report. Keep the final invoice too. A tidy file makes questions easier to answer.
Separate glass damage from an accident. A stray stone is one thing. A cracked screen from a collision is another, and it may bring other reporting duties. For what must be reported and when, check with the Singapore Police Force and your insurer.
At renewal
Read the glass terms side by side. Windscreen cover, glass excess, workshop rules and NCD treatment differ between policies. These details are easy to skip when only the premium is compared. When you compare car insurance, check these lines as well as the price.
Look at prices for your own car. Premiums vary with the car, the driver and the NCD. The car insurance prices pages show what insurers listed for common cars on a given date. Use them as a guide, then check the policy wording before you sign.
Car insurance through Shenton Brokers
Before you drive off or renew, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. See which cars cost least to insure, or look up your own model's prices from every insurer we compare. Or get a quote with your own details.