SAN ANTONIO — Debbie Dominguez paid contractor Art Garcia $260 to replace her windshield on Sept. 29, 2023, when her truck's windshield developed a large crack.
She said the contractor had fixed cracks in her windshield before, and did a good job, so when he said it could take a few months to do this job, she believed him.
When the windshield still hadn’t shown up two months later, she started asking for her money back. Then, after five months went by and the contractor blocked her number, she called KENS 5.
KENS 5 contacted Garcia, and the contractor claimed he blocked Dominguez because she would constantly contact him, and because she had become “possessive.”
Regardless, he had someone meet her with a money order the next day.
“I was just wanting my money back to get it replaced, and it happened, so I’m grateful for you guys. I watch KENS 5 all the time,” Dominguez said.
USAA spokesman Andrew Femath told KENS 5 vehicle owners may have additional options to help them avoid this situation altogether.
Femath said many insurance providers, including USAA, will actually pay to fix windshield dings for free as a preventative measure.
“Generally, most insurance companies will have a $0 deductible if you are getting your windshield repaired,” Femath said. “The vast majority of windshield companies repair your windshield for free to the customer and then the vendor deals directly with the insurance company.”
Femath said if a customer is getting the windshield completely replaced, it will not be free and they will need to meet a deductible first.
Additionally, Femath said customers can also use their insurance company to make sure a contractor or business is reputable before getting any work done.
He said vehicle owners should check with their insurance company and ask if there is an approved list of businesses in their area, especially if they are spending several hundred dollars on a windshield replacement.
“I’d pick up the phone and call my insurance company and I'd say, ‘Hey, this is the information and the vendor I’m looking to work with. Are they on any list? Is this an individual we have done business with before?’” Femath said.
Femath also suggested vetting companies through the Better Business Bureau and said customers should look at business reviews before making a decision.
As a general rule, Femath said companies should not be asking for the money upfront to do this kind of work, and customers should be able to pay the same day they get the work done.
After Dominguez received her refund, she was able to contact another company and get her truck’s windshield replaced the very next day.
“It looks amazing, they did a great job, and I’m just happy that I got my windshield,” Dominguez said.
If you have a problem like this, we want to help you fix it! In our series, Call KENS, we do our best to solve problems for our viewers. The number to call is 210-470-KENS, or fill out the form on this page.