You report a cracked windshield and, before the call ends, you are offered a glass shop. Maybe it is put as a convenience, maybe as the next step. Many drivers assume that is how the claim has to go. In North Carolina it is not, and the law goes further than most people expect: it sets out exactly what the insurer has to tell you when it makes that recommendation.
The rule in one paragraph
G.S. 58-3-180 covers any ‘policy covering damage to a motor vehicle’. Part (a) says the policy ‘shall allow the claimant to select the repair service or source for the repair of the damage.’ Part (b) says the amount owed ‘shall be paid regardless of the repair service or source selected by the claimant.’ Part (b1) deals with recommendations. Part (c) sets the penalty for breaking the rule: a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation, through G.S. 58-2-70.
What (b1) requires
If an insurer recommends a repair shop, it has to tell you four things:
- That you are under no obligation to use the recommended shop.
- That you may use the shop of your choice.
- That the amount it pays is the same whichever shop you use.
- Whether it has a financial interest in the shop it recommended.
On top of that, no insurer may require repair at a shop it owns. The NC Department of Insurance repeats the point in its consumer FAQ, in one sentence: an insurance company cannot require you to go to a particular repair shop.
A note on the word ‘repair’
The statute speaks of the ‘repair service’. It does not name glass companies separately, but it covers any policy covering damage to a motor vehicle, and a broken windshield is damage to the vehicle. Put simply: under North Carolina law, you choose who repairs your vehicle, glass included.
Why the fourth point matters
The financial-interest disclosure is the one most drivers never think to ask about. A recommendation can be a genuine help, especially if you have no glass company in mind. Knowing whether the insurer has a stake in the shop it recommends lets you weigh that help for what it is. If you are not told, you can ask.
What to say
You do not need to quote the statute. A plain sentence is enough: ‘I would like Impex Auto Glass to do the work. Please note that on the claim.’ If the recommendation is repeated, ‘Thank you, I am choosing my own repair service’ closes it. Write down the claim number and the name of the person you spoke to.
Choosing Impex? Start here
Send the damage, the vehicle and how to reach you, and mention your insurer. Impex Auto Glass comes back with a quote and can help with the claim.
What choosing your own shop does not change
- The coverage. Glass breakage is still a comprehensive loss in the NCDOI’s list, and your comprehensive deductible still applies unless your policy has full glass coverage.
- The payment. Part (b) says the amount owed is paid regardless of the shop you select.
- Your points. A comprehensive glass claim is not an at-fault accident, so it adds no SDIP points. Insurers may still look at how often you file claims.
If you already said yes
If you accepted a recommended shop on the call and then changed your mind, call the insurer back and say you have chosen a different repair service. The rule in part (a) is about your choice, and nothing in it says the choice has to be made on the first call. If a job has already been booked with the other shop, cancel that booking too.
With your insurer by name
The rule is the same for every auto policy written in North Carolina. We have written the claim steps out for the three insurers Raleigh drivers search for most: Progressive windshield replacement, State Farm windshield replacement and GEICO windshield replacement. Impex Auto Glass, which runs this site, is independent of all of them and works with all major insurance providers. Whether the claim is worth making at all is covered on our page asking does comprehensive cover a windshield.
Questions drivers ask
Can my insurer refuse to pay if I use my own glass shop in NC?
G.S. 58-3-180(b) says the amount owed is paid regardless of the repair service you select. Your deductible and your coverage still apply as your policy sets them.
Does the insurer have to tell me if it owns the shop it recommends?
It must tell you whether it has a financial interest in the recommended shop, and it may not require repair at a shop it owns.
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