What to Do If Your Window Is Smashed?

A smashed window is never fun-whether it’s from an accident, bad weather, or something more sinister. The key is to stay calm and act quickly. First step? Secure your home and gather relevant evidence. Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Secure the area

Before anything else, make the immediate area safe. Check for shattered glass on the floor, windowsill, and surrounding furniture and clear it carefully to avoid injuries. Use thick gloves if you have them.

Once the glass is cleared, cover the opening with cardboard, thick plastic sheeting, or a tarpaulin as a temporary measure to keep out rain, wind, and intruders. This is a short-term fix, not a permanent repair, but it limits further damage to your belongings and the property while you arrange a proper replacement.

If the window is on an upper floor or the breakage is significant, keep children and pets well away from the area until it’s properly secured.

Step 2: Document the damage

Before you clean up fully or make any repairs, photograph and video the damage thoroughly. Take shots from multiple angles and make sure the lighting is sufficient to show the extent of the breakage clearly.

If there are signs of forced entry, such as damage to the frame, marks on the wall, or disturbed items nearby, photograph those too. Note the date and time you discovered the damage.

This documentation is essential for any insurance claim or landlord report. Our guide on how to document belongings for insurance explains what to capture and how.

Step 3: Report it to the police if it’s a crime

If the window was smashed deliberately, during a break-in, or as part of vandalism, report it to the police. Call 101, the non-emergency number, unless it’s an ongoing emergency, in which case call 999.

Get a crime reference number when you report it. Your insurer will almost certainly ask for this when you make a claim, and your landlord may need it too. Our guide on what to do if your home is broken into covers the full process for dealing with a break-in.

Step 4: Contact your landlord or insurer

If you’re renting, contact your landlord or letting agent in writing as soon as possible. Broken windows are generally the landlord’s responsibility to repair as part of the structure of the property. Check your tenancy agreement to confirm, and include your photos and a clear description of what happened when you report it. Our guide on tenant vs landlord responsibility for damage and repairs explains where the line sits.

If you own the property, contact your building insurer. Most standard building insurance policies cover glass damage from accidental breakage, vandalism, or break-ins. Check your policy wording to confirm what’s included and what the excess is before making a claim.

For damaged belongings, if the break-in or weather event has damaged items inside your home, your contents insurance may cover the cost of repair or replacement. With Lemonade’s contents insurance, theft and accidental damage from covered events is included. Contact your insurer with your photos, crime reference number if applicable, and a description of what was damaged.

When contacting your landlord or insurer, have your photos, police report if applicable, and a clear account of what happened ready before you call or write.

Step 5: Arrange the repair

Window repairs should be carried out by a qualified glazier. If your landlord is responsible, they’ll typically arrange and pay for the repair directly. If you’re managing it yourself, get at least two or three quotes to make sure you’re paying a fair price.

If the breakage has left your home exposed, make clear that it’s urgent when contacting glaziers. Most can prioritise emergency boarding or replacement. Our guide on how much does it cost to replace windows gives a breakdown of typical replacement costs if a full window is needed.

Don’t carry out permanent repairs before your insurer has assessed the damage if a claim is involved. Temporary measures to secure the property are fine, but permanent work before a loss adjuster visits could complicate your claim.

How Lemonade can help

An incident like a smashed window can feel overwhelming, but that’s where insurance can step in. With Lemonade’s contents and building insurance, you could be covered for both the damage and any ruined belongings caused by break-ins or accidents. Plus, Lemonade makes managing claims easy, so you can focus on getting life back on track.

Before we go

A smashed window is stressful, but acting quickly limits the damage. Secure the opening, document everything before you clear up, report it to the police if needed, and contact your landlord or insurer promptly. Having your documentation ready before you make contact makes the whole process significantly smoother.

With Lemonade’s building and contents insurance, glass damage and theft from break-ins are covered events. 

Frequently Asked Questions