National Pothole Day -  is 15th January and the purpose of that is to raise their awareness.

Potholes are formed by a combination of weather and wear. Water gets into small cracks in the road, then freezes and expands in the cold. When the weather heats back up, the water evaporates, leaving gaps in the road surface, which can be worsened by vehicles driving over them. Some 2.4m potholes were reported across England and Wales between January 2020 and December 2022, according to Go Compare. 

 

Type of Damage  that can Occur

Colliding with a pothole could damage your car in a variety of ways, including:

·         damaged shock absorbers

·         broken suspension springs

·         distorted wheels.

·         Pothole impact could also affect catalytic converters, which are pricey to repair. 

 

Get a quote

Does car insurance cover pothole damage?

Yes, it does. You can claim back the cost of repairs from pothole damage on your insurance. 

But you should only claim once you've weighed up the pros and cons.

Rightly or wrongly, insurers regard pothole claims as 'at fault', which means you'll have to pay an excess. If the cost of your repairs is lower than your excess, there's no point in making a claim. 

Then there's the fact that you'll forfeit any 'no-claims' bonus you may have had on your policy, so it could be more expensive when you renew.

If you do claim, you'll need a record of repair costs: a receipt if you've already paid, or a quote if you're paying later. 

It can also help to note down the time and date you hit the pothole and to take a picture of it if it's safe to do so. 

Can you claim compensation from your council?

If you don't want to claim on your insurance, you may be able to recover repair costs from the local authority responsible for maintaining the road.

Again, you'll need a receipt or a quote, and details of where the pothole is, including that potential picture. 

If the council rejects your claim, you can appeal its decision. If it rejects your appeal, you can take it to the small claims court. 

How to help with getting rid of potholes

You don't have to hit a pothole yourself to help remove it from our roads. 

If you spot one while you're out and about, you can report it with the government's report a pothole   webpage.