You’re driving down the road when suddenly—bang! Your vehicle hits a pothole you didn’t see in time.
After the initial surprise, you may wonder whether you damaged a tire, wheel, suspension, or another part of your vehicle. If the damage is significant, another question quickly follows: Will my auto insurance cover pothole damage?
The answer depends on the type of damage, your policy coverage, your deductible, and the circumstances of the loss. Knowing what to do immediately after hitting a pothole can help protect your vehicle and make it easier to decide what to do next.
1. Safely Pull Over and Check Your Vehicle
If you hit a significant pothole, don’t stop suddenly in traffic. When it’s safe, pull into a parking lot, side street, or another secure location and inspect your vehicle.
Look for obvious signs of damage, such as a flat or damaged tire, a bent or cracked wheel, visible tire bulges, fluid leaking under the vehicle, or damage around the wheel or under the vehicle.
Even when you don’t see obvious damage, pay attention to how the vehicle feels when you begin driving again.
2. Pay Attention to Warning Signs
Pothole damage isn’t always immediately visible. You may notice that the vehicle pulls to one side, the steering wheel vibrates, the ride feels different, or you hear unusual noises.
If something doesn’t feel right, consider having the vehicle inspected by a qualified repair facility. Continuing to drive with significant tire, wheel, steering, or suspension damage could create additional problems or potentially make the vehicle unsafe to operate.
3. Document What Happened
If the pothole caused significant damage and you’re considering an insurance claim, document the situation when it is safe to do so.
Take photographs of the vehicle damage and write down the location, date, and approximate time of the incident. If you can safely photograph the pothole without placing yourself or anyone else in danger, that information may also be useful.
Keep any towing, inspection, tire, wheel, or repair receipts associated with the incident.
4. Does Auto Insurance Cover Pothole Damage?
Pothole damage may be covered under collision coverage, depending on the circumstances and terms of your auto insurance policy.
Collision coverage is generally designed to address covered physical damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another vehicle or object. Hitting a pothole may be treated as a collision loss.
If your vehicle doesn’t carry collision coverage, your policy may not provide coverage for this type of damage. Coverage is always subject to the specific terms, conditions, exclusions, and deductible shown on your policy.
5. Your Collision Deductible Matters
Before deciding whether to file a claim, consider your collision deductible and the estimated cost of repairs.
For example, if damage is estimated at $700 and your collision deductible is $500, the potential insurance payment may be relatively small after application of the deductible. A pothole that causes substantial damage to a wheel, tire, suspension, steering components, or other parts could result in a much larger repair bill.
Obtaining an estimate can be helpful before deciding how you want to proceed, provided the vehicle can be safely inspected and driven.
6. Should You File an Insurance Claim?
Not every incident necessarily needs to become an insurance claim. Consider the estimated repair cost, your collision deductible, the extent of the damage, whether additional damage may be discovered, and the coverage available under your policy.
If you’re unsure, contact your insurance agency to discuss your policy and deductible. Your agent can help you understand the coverage shown on your policy, although the insurance company’s claims department will ultimately investigate the loss and determine whether coverage applies.
7. What About Tire Damage?
Tire-related claims can sometimes create confusion. A tire damaged after striking a pothole may be part of a larger collision loss, but insurance generally isn’t intended to pay for ordinary tire wear, deterioration, or routine replacement.
If a pothole damages a tire, wheel, suspension component, or another part of the vehicle, the insurance company will evaluate the circumstances of the entire loss.
8. Report Dangerous Potholes
If you encounter a particularly dangerous pothole, consider reporting it to the government agency responsible for maintaining that road.
The responsible agency may differ depending on whether the road is maintained by a state, county, city, municipality, or another authority. Reporting the pothole can alert the appropriate agency to the hazard and potentially help prevent damage to another driver’s vehicle.
A report to a government agency is separate from an auto insurance claim.
9. Can You Get Reimbursed by the Government for Pothole Damage?
Drivers sometimes assume that if a government agency maintains the road, it will automatically reimburse them for pothole damage. That isn’t necessarily the case.
Government claims can be subject to specific legal requirements, deadlines, notice provisions, and standards for determining responsibility. If you believe a government agency may be responsible for your vehicle damage, contact the appropriate agency to learn about its claim procedures.
10. Know Your Coverage Before the Next Pothole
Potholes are a good example of why it’s useful to understand your auto insurance before you need it.
Review your policy to determine whether your vehicles are covered for collision and which deductibles apply. Knowing your coverage in advance can make decision-making easier when an unexpected loss occurs.
Hit a Pothole? Safety Comes First
If you strike a pothole, focus first on safely controlling the vehicle and determining whether it’s safe to continue driving.
Inspect the vehicle, pay attention to changes in steering or handling, document significant damage, and obtain professional assistance when needed. If repair costs are substantial, review your collision coverage and deductible before deciding whether to file an insurance claim.
Have Questions About Your Auto Insurance?
Oberryman Insurance Agency can help you review your auto insurance policy and understand your collision coverage and deductibles before an unexpected loss occurs. If you live in Northern Virginia or elsewhere in Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C., contact Oberryman Insurance Agency at 703-986-0468 to discuss your auto insurance coverage or request a policy review.
Insurance coverage, claim eligibility, deductibles, exclusions, claim handling, and settlement decisions vary by insurance company, policy, state, and individual circumstances. Claims are investigated and determined by the applicable insurance company based on the facts of the loss and policy terms. Government reimbursement procedures and liability requirements vary by jurisdiction. This article is provided for general informational purposes and is not intended to guarantee insurance coverage, government reimbursement, or a particular claim outcome.
