Glass breakage. Which insurance pays?
What is glass breakage?
Perhaps your children kicked the ball too high while playing football and now the neighbours’ window is broken. Or an object has fallen onto your expensive glass coffee table. When a glass item is broken due to an unforeseen event, your insurer treats it as glass breakage. Glass breakage can be caused, for example, by a mishap, fire or storm.
Glass breakage insurance in a nutshell
Glass breakage insurance covers you financially for damage to glass furniture and building components. A distinction is made between building glazing and furniture glass. Glass breakage can be added as an option to your household contents or buildings insurance. The insurance covers the cost of repair or replacement and any installation required.
What is meant by furniture glass?
Furniture glass includes glass items such as table tops, display cabinets, wall mirrors and cabinet mirrors – in other words, objects that are found inside your house or apartment. Furniture glass does not include objects such as spectacles, dishes, glass decorations, lamps or monitors.
How is furniture glass insured against damage?
Glass breakage you cause to your own furniture is covered by the supplementary “glazing” option in your household contents policy. However, any third party who breaks a glass item in your home will need to claim for the damage through their private liability insurance.
What is meant by building glazing?
Building glazing includes permanently installed glass fittings such as windows and the surface of a glass ceramic stove top, but also ceramic toilet bowls and wash basins. Conservatories are also included in building glazing.
How is building glazing insured against damage?
A breakage of permanently installed glass fittings will be covered by the supplementary “glass breakage” option in your buildings insurance policy. If you own your own home, you should therefore include glass building components in your building insurance policy along with your furniture. Tenants do not require any building insurance, as they do not own the glazing of the property. If they are responsible for a breakage to building glazing – for example due to a football hitting the window of their rental apartment – the damage will be covered by their private liability insurance.
What others wanted to know
Our customer advisors can provide answers to selected FAQs. Just tell us what you want to know. We will be happy to help you.
Mario S. (40), Bern
How is glass breakage to your car covered?
If your windscreen is chipped or is damaged in a collision, the damage to the glass will be covered by your partial comprehensive insurance. Car glazing includes not only the windscreen but also the side and rear windows as well as glass roofs. The insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged item.
Alessia E. (29), Dübendorf
How is my mobile phone or television insured against glass breakage?
Devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops and televisions cannot be insured through furniture glass. To cover these items, you will need the supplemental “all risks” cover in your household contents policy. If you drop your mobile phone on the ground and break the screen, for example, the cost of repairing the display or replacing the device will be covered by your insurance – less a deductible – provided the relevant supplement has been included.
Samuele G. (34), Lugano
What insurance do I need for my aquarium?
If your aquarium is broken, different types of insurance apply. The cost of replacing an aquarium will be covered by the glass breakage insurance in your household contents policy (furniture glass). Should there be any water damage within the building, you will be covered by your private liability insurance if you are a tenant or your building insurance if you are a homeowner. Consequential damage to carpets and furniture will be covered by your household contents insurance.
Martina F. (27), Laufen
Do I need glass breakage insurance as a tenant?
As a tenant, you do not require any glass breakage insurance for permanently installed glass fittings such as windows and wash basins, as the glazing of the building is not your property. If you inadvertently cause damage to your landlord’s property, this will be covered by your private liability insurance. For glass breakage to your own furniture (such as table tops and display cabinets), on the other hand, you will need insurance. Glass breakage risk can be covered under a furniture glass supplement to your household contents insurance.
Mario S. (40), Bern
How is glass breakage to your car covered?
If your windscreen is chipped or is damaged in a collision, the damage to the glass will be covered by your partial comprehensive insurance. Car glazing includes not only the windscreen but also the side and rear windows as well as glass roofs. The insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged item.
Alessia E. (29), Dübendorf
How is my mobile phone or television insured against glass breakage?
Devices such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops and televisions cannot be insured through furniture glass. To cover these items, you will need the supplemental “all risks” cover in your household contents policy. If you drop your mobile phone on the ground and break the screen, for example, the cost of repairing the display or replacing the device will be covered by your insurance – less a deductible – provided the relevant supplement has been included.
Samuele G. (34), Lugano
What insurance do I need for my aquarium?
If your aquarium is broken, different types of insurance apply. The cost of replacing an aquarium will be covered by the glass breakage insurance in your household contents policy (furniture glass). Should there be any water damage within the building, you will be covered by your private liability insurance if you are a tenant or your building insurance if you are a homeowner. Consequential damage to carpets and furniture will be covered by your household contents insurance.
Martina F. (27), Laufen
Do I need glass breakage insurance as a tenant?
As a tenant, you do not require any glass breakage insurance for permanently installed glass fittings such as windows and wash basins, as the glazing of the building is not your property. If you inadvertently cause damage to your landlord’s property, this will be covered by your private liability insurance. For glass breakage to your own furniture (such as table tops and display cabinets), on the other hand, you will need insurance. Glass breakage risk can be covered under a furniture glass supplement to your household contents insurance.
