Auto Glass Services & Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions
Emergency Services | Serving Minnesota & Wisconsin | FREE Estimates
You absolutely can! Minnesota state law gives everyone the right to choose any auto glass replacement shop they want for their repair work. Your insurance company should provide you with a toll-free number to report your claim, but you should be aware that these calls primarily go directly to national auto glass companies and networks, not to your insurance company directly.
It’s important that you know who you’re dealing with. When you call, ask! Don’t let them fool you or steer you toward their favorite shop. You have the right to choose. Tell them you choose the locally owned and operated Ryan & Gordy’s Glass, your source for high-quality auto glass replacement for over 40 years.
For a FREE brochure from the BBB titled “How to choose an auto glass company,” call or email us and we will be happy to send you a copy.
When you call your insurance company to report a claim, chances are good you’ll be speaking with a third-party, out-of-state vendor who administers the claim. Some vendors will ask where you want your work to be done, while others will suggest shops from their “preferred” list. Still others will go to great lengths in an attempt to persuade you into choosing their company to complete the work.
They attempt to persuade you through fears of out-of-pocket expenses, warranty issues, or emphasizing that the shop you choose isn’t on their “preferred vendors list”. If you have a preference, stand firm. By law, it’s your right! Tell them you want Ryan & Gordy’s Glass to complete the repairs.
When you choose Ryan & Gordy’s Glass, you’re choosing an established facility that uses OEM-quality glass and premium adhesives. We fit every quality standard, guaranteed!
Absolutely! Not all glass companies are the same and have the same dedication to quality. Your vehicle’s windshield is an integral component of your vehicle, working in concert with your airbags and supporting your vehicle’s roof in the event of a rollover accident. It’s imperative you use quality replacement glass, the proper adhesives, and have installation performed by NGA-certified professionals.
You get all that and more with Ryan & Gordy’s Glass. We never use imported glass, only OEM-quality glass and top-quality Sika adhesives. For a FREE brochure on auto glass tips, call or email us today!
The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 212 / 208 standards are the only relevant standards that test for windshield retention in case of a crash. The purpose of the standards is to reduce crash injuries and fatalities by preventing the ejection of occupants from the vehicle. The FMVSS 212 / 208 standards are applicable for passenger cars, light trucks, and buses.
The head-on crash tests based on FMVSS 212 / 208 are performed at 30 mph (48 km/h) and conclude with the vehicle crashing into a stationary concrete barrier. Cars equipped with passenger side airbags, at a minimum, must retain 50% of the windshield periphery on each side of the vehicles’ longitudinal centerline. Vehicles not equipped with passenger side airbags must retain 75% of the total windshield periphery.
The standards are not clear in all respects and leave room for interpretation. Specific climates and vehicle selection can reduce the stress parameters experienced by the bonded windshield, making it much easier to pass the crash test. Sika takes the high road by testing its adhesives to the worst case scenario, allowing us to make our recommendations which are applicable for all situations and reduces the risk to the glass shop.
Ralph Nader, a world renowned safety advocate, former US Presidential candidate, and keynote speaker of the 1st AGRSS (Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards) Council meeting, stated, “The standard should always be applied to the most severe interpretation.” Additionally, Mr. Nader is among Time magazine’s 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century and author of the book, Unsafe at Any Speed.
Testing to the minimum of the standards can result in very short safe drive-away time recommendations. Some adhesive manufacturers claim SDAT in as little as 30 minutes, however, closer inspection of the test method usually indicates that these crash tests were performed using belted dummies and at favorable climatic conditions. But is the vehicle really safe to drive away at real world conditions?