If you’ve ever filed an auto glass claim in Virginia, there’s a good chance your insurance company mentioned a “preferred” or “network” shop before you had a chance to pick one yourself. Some drivers walk away from that conversation assuming they have to use whoever the insurer suggests. They don’t, and Virginia law is specific about why.
The Law That Protects Your Choice
Virginia Code §38.2-517 addresses unfair claims settlement practices under the state’s insurance code, and it draws a clear line. No insurer may require a policyholder or claimant to use a specific repair facility as a condition of paying a claim, and no insurer may engage in coercion or intimidation intended to steer someone toward a particular shop.
That second part matters as much as the first. The law doesn’t just prohibit outright demands, it also prohibits pressure tactics. If an adjuster implies your claim will be delayed, your coverage will be reduced, or your repair won’t be “guaranteed” unless you use their recommended shop, that crosses into territory the statute is meant to prevent.
There’s a second, more specific statute worth knowing too. Virginia Code §59.1-207.5:1, part of the Automobile Repair Facilities Act, prohibits any auto glass shop from advertising or offering to waive your insurance deductible unless that shop is charging no more than the prevailing market rate. This one protects you from a different kind of problem: shops that offer to “eat your deductible” as a hook, then make up the difference by inflating the bill to your insurer, or by cutting corners on materials and labor. If a deal sounds appealing mainly because of what it waives rather than the quality of the work, that’s worth a second look.
What “Steering” Looks Like in Practice
Insurers rarely say “you must use this shop” outright anymore, most companies are aware that’s not legal. Instead, steering tends to show up more subtly:
Being told a certain shop is “in-network” and implying, without stating outright, that going elsewhere will complicate your claim.
Warranty language suggesting only the recommended shop’s work is backed by the insurer, when in reality the auto glass shop itself provides the warranty, not the insurance company.
Being told a non-network shop’s estimate will need extra review or approval, creating friction and delay that a networked shop wouldn’t face.
Repeated calls or scripts nudging you back toward a suggested shop after you’ve already stated your preference.
None of these are illegal on their own in every context, insurers are allowed to recommend shops and explain how their networks work. What crosses the line is when that recommendation becomes pressure, or when your stated choice isn’t respected once you’ve made it clear.
Why This Matters More with ADAS-Equipped Vehicles
This issue has become more relevant as more vehicles on the road include Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), the cameras and sensors behind features like automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist. Windshield replacement on these vehicles often requires camera recalibration, and not every shop is equipped to do that work correctly or at all.
Lawmakers in Richmond have taken notice. A bill introduced in the 2026 General Assembly session, SB767, would require glass shops to disclose upfront whether a vehicle has ADAS, whether recalibration is needed, and whether the shop performing the work is actually capable of doing it. As of this writing the bill is still moving through the legislative process and hasn’t been signed into law, but it reflects a broader trend: other states, including New York, have already enacted similar requirements, and Virginia may follow. We’ll keep an eye on this and update our readers if and when it passes.
Regardless of what the law eventually requires, this is exactly the kind of question you should be asking any shop before you commit, insurer-recommended or not. Ask directly whether your vehicle has ADAS, whether recalibration is required after the replacement, and whether the shop performing the work can do that recalibration in-house.
What to Do if You Feel Pressured
If you’ve made your choice of repair shop clear and you’re still feeling pushback from an insurer, a few things can help. Get the interaction in writing when possible, follow up a phone call with an email summarizing what was said. If a representative claims your chosen shop isn’t covered or will cause a delay, ask them to point to the specific policy language that supports that. And if you believe an insurer has genuinely crossed the line into coercion, Virginia’s State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance handles complaints against insurers operating in the Commonwealth.
The Bottom Line
Your insurance company can absolutely offer a recommendation, and sometimes those recommendations are perfectly reasonable. But the decision belongs to you, not to them. If a representative suggests otherwise, that’s worth pushing back on, and it’s worth knowing the specific statutes that back you up.
We work directly with insurance companies every day and we’re glad to help you navigate that conversation if you run into resistance. If your windshield needs attention and you’re not sure where to start, give us a call, we’ll walk you through the process and handle the insurance conversation with you, not around you.