Home Money Pothole-related car damage repair costs rise – here’s how to claim compensation

Pothole-related car damage repair costs rise – here’s how to claim compensation

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Pothole problems increased in the final quarter of 2024 despite milder weather, with a 17% increase in breakdowns and a 20% rise in insurance claims for damage caused by potholes.

Today is National Pothole Day and problematic craters on British roads continue to wreak havoc on motorists.

Pothole-related breakdowns rose by a fifth in the final three months of last year, the latest RAC data shows.

This was despite weather conditions being milder and drier than normal, meaning new potholes are less likely to form.

RAC patrols rescued 4,709 drivers for calls caused by wear and tear on defective road surfaces, including damaged shock absorbers, broken springs and deformed wheels. That was 669 more than the 4,040 recorded in the third quarter of 2024.

However, separate data from the AA suggests that 2024 was slightly better than 2023 for pothole problems.

The automobile organization estimates the total number of incidents due to potholes, usually due to damage to tires, wheels and suspension, which it attended to last year at 643,318, compared to 647,690 in 2023.

Pothole problems increased in the final quarter of 2024 despite milder weather, with a 17% increase in breakdowns and a 20% rise in insurance claims for damage caused by potholes.

While this is an improvement over 2023, last year it still earned the bronze medal for “worst year for potholes” since 2018.

And the AA also found that a slight decrease in pothole-related incidents has been overshadowed by an increase in repair costs.

In 2023, the average repair cost stood at £250. However, thanks to inflation, delays in the parts supply chain and more advanced technology in cars, the average repair cost has risen to £300.

This means the total cost of pothole damage to vehicles has risen to £579 million in 2024, compared to £474 million in 2023, a 22 per cent increase in just one year.

The RAC puts the average repair figure even higher, with its data showing that drivers can expect to pay an average of £460 if their car needs repair after hitting a pothole for something more serious than a puncture.

This is 43 per cent more than the average cost of pothole compensation claims paid by councils to drivers in 2023, which was £260 per claim, according to FOI data.

Insurance providers have also seen an increase in the average cost of pothole damage, with Admiral Motor Insurance reporting a 20 percent increase last year compared to 2023.

Insurance claims have also risen alongside breakdown figures: Tesco Insurance reported a 21 per cent year-on-year rise in pothole-related car claims, and Admiral revealed that pothole claims have soared a staggering 175 per cent since 2016.

In the last two years alone, Admiral’s claims have increased by 62 percent.

While this reflects the very poor condition of UK roads, the AA believes there is “some light at the end of the pothole tunnel”.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “The Government is starting to push forward policies that should lead to longer-term solutions rather than the recent patchwork approach.”

In last year’s autumn budget, the Government pledged to fix an extra million potholes a year, as well as pledging £500m for local road maintenance between 2025 and 2026.

The Government’s recent announcement of additional funding to fix local roads in England referred to 25 per cent of the funding being withheld until local authorities demonstrate that they are carrying out more proactive maintenance and moving away from the wasteful and piecemeal approach – or “spend money wisely.” as the Government expressed it.

Alice Simpson, of the RAC, said: “The government funding announced before Christmas will hopefully go some way to literally filling in the cracks, providing road users with smoother, safer surfaces.”

“What’s especially positive is that it comes with guidance on using money wisely by performing preventive maintenance, which we hope will prevent more potholes from appearing in the future.”

Roads ARE getting worse and a new report shows that

A recent DfT report showed the percentage of roads receiving repair treatment each year. The decreasing queues worry motorists and city councils

A recent DfT report showed the percentage of roads receiving repair treatment each year. The decreasing queues worry motorists and city councils

These maps show the dramatic increase in A roads considered to be in poor condition over the last decade.
These maps show the dramatic increase in B and C roads considered to be in poor condition over the last decade.

The colored increase in roads considered in poor condition in the last 10 years is bad news

These two graphs show the breakdown of road conditions on A (pictured) and B and C roads using the DfT's headlight category system.
Red suggests immediate work is required, amber indicates remediation is likely required, and green is an appropriate state.

Road conditions A (left) and B and C (right) using the DfT’s green, orange and red color coding system. Green is an eligible state, but red means work must begin immediately

the government Road conditions in England until March 2024 The document highlights that several ‘A’ roads that were previously in good condition have fallen into disrepair.

The report classifies road conditions using a traffic light coding system.

While the volume of “red” roads (those that should be fully investigated due to concerns about their condition) has remained static, the report revealed that the number of A roads moved from “green” status (no work needed) to the “amber” condition. The condition (maintenance may be required soon) has increased over the past two years.

From 2022, the proportion of ‘green’ A roads decreased four percentage points from 72 percent to 68 percent in 2024, while ‘amber’ roads increased three percentage points from 24 percent to 27 percent in 2024.

The report also shows that the number of ‘B’ and ‘C’ roads (which together represent 29 per cent of local authority managed roads in England) now classified as ‘amber’ has increased by 3 per cent, since 28 percent in 2022 to 31 percent in 2024.

The percentage of red roads has increased from 6 percent in 2022 to 7 percent in 2024.

This may not seem like a lot of roads, but the report explains that it is actually equivalent to approximately 500 miles of the ‘B’ and ‘C’ road network.

Our five-step guide to making pothole compensation claims

1. Collect evidence

If you are a motorist looking to file a claim for a repair bill for pothole-related damage, or a cyclist filing a personal injury or damage claim after hitting one on the road, the first step is to take note of where the location of the pothole, the time and date of the incident and take a photograph of the pothole.

A pothole must be at least 2 inches deep for city councils to consider it a pothole.

And it is not just the depth and size of the pothole that city councils will try to use to refuse to pay compensation.

Local authorities can defend a claim if they successfully argue that the pothole was not an obvious hazard, or if they were not aware of it, despite having a reasonable system of inspection and repair.

To improve your chances of having a successful claim, it is It will help show whether the pothole was an obvious hazard or not.

Where possible, take photographs at the scene, in case the council repairs the pothole before you can return to take them.

If you did not do this at the time of the incident, you can return to the scene to take photographs.

You should also take photographs of the damage the pothole has caused to your vehicle (or yourself, if you have been injured).

If possible, take your car to a shop and ask for a written mechanical report on the projected cost to fix the problem caused, or if your engine is undrivable, call a trusted repair center and ask for a quote.

2. Find out who is to blame

To file a claim for compensation, you must first know who should pay.

If the pothole is on a motorway or main road, it is most likely a National Highways (formerly Highways of England) problem.

For local roads you will need to investigate which council is responsible.

Once you have identified the party you need to contact, request a copy of the road maintenance schedules and the number of incidents reported on the particular road over the previous 14 days as evidence that the road has not received proper maintenance or that a pothole has been reported. It has not been addressed.

3.Make the claim

You will need to make a formal complaint to your local authority or National Highways and most responsible parties will have a template you can request from them.

4. What to do if you receive (or don’t) a compensation offer

After you make your claim, you must be notified if you will be awarded compensation.

Although you can still reject the value of the offer if you think it is not enough, especially if you have evidence that the pothole had already been reported but the person responsible had not acted to rectify it.

If the council refuses compensation, you can seek legal advice or bring a case to court.

However, we warn you that this could be a time-consuming process and is probably worth it only if the repair bill is substantial.

5. Final option: Make a claim through your insurance

If you have comprehensive coverage, you can claim pothole damage on your insurance policy.

However, it is worth considering the cost of the damage, as well as any overpayments and whether this action will affect your No Claim Bonus.

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