Dealing With Pothole Damage: Insurance Coverage and Reimbursement Guide

Potholes are a hassle to deal with. You can be careful all you want, but there might be times when you’ll still run over a pothole that’s disguised as a puddle of water or one that’s hidden in a poorly lit area.

Aside from getting in the way of a comfortable driving experience, running over a pothole can lead to a series of problems for your daily driver if left unaddressed. Hefty repair bills usually follow.

Pothole Damage Reimbursement: What You Need to Know

Pothole damage claims are usually reimbursable, but the conditions will largely depend on which state your vehicle got damaged.

California’s Caltrans, for example, reimburses pothole damage claims that are as high as $10,000. However, this figure will require the driver to submit his claim to the California government claims program to be properly compensated.

Where Do Potholes Come From?

As rainwater seeps into the cracks in the pavement, the layers beneath the surface get weak, creating small holes. These holes get bigger each time vehicles pass over them.

Can You Sue the City for Pothole Damage?

You can file a complaint against the local government for failing to fix the potholes, but you can expect the process to be a long one that can go either way.

State law holds the government accountable for dangerous conditions on public property, but keep in mind that this is binding only if the government knew or should have known about the issue.

There are generally two ways you can prove that the local government is liable for your vehicle’s pothole damage.

• Demonstrate that the government had known about the pothole in question all along. 
• Prove that the government had constructive notice, which means that the government knew about the pothole due to a reasonable inspection timeline.

The hardest part about filing a complaint against the local government is proving that they should have known about the pothole in question.

Doing so would mean that you’ll have to pull out all the public records, inspection records, and accident reports that point to how dangerous the pothole is. Also, keep in mind that the claim must be filed within six months of the damage occurred.

Does Insurance Cover Pothole Damage?

If you’re paying for collision coverage as part of your vehicle’s insurance, you’ll likely get reimbursed for repairs related to pothole damage.

Collision coverage includes car damages resulting from a collision with an object, another vehicle, or when the vehicle flips over.

However, filing a pothole damage claim with your insurance provider also has some downsides.

Filing a claim usually means you’ll need to pay a deductible. If the damage is less than your deductible, it’s highly likely that the company won’t pay you back.

On the other hand, damage that costs twice the deductible would mean the company will reimburse you for only half of it.

It’s also possible to end up with higher premiums if you submit a pothole damage claim to your insurance provider.

This is because insurance companies see pothole damages as a single-vehicle accident, which means you’re mostly to blame for the accident unless there’s evidence that another vehicle made you run over the pothole.

Are All States Accountable for Pothole Damages?

Most big cities are liable for pothole damages as long as they’re within the boundary. Counties can also be responsible for pothole damages in unincorporated areas and small cities that pay counties to maintain the streets.

The Right Way to Deal With Potholes

In some cases, you’ll only see a pothole when it’s too close, and you can’t do anything else but go over it.

If you’re about to hit a pothole, be sure to keep your foot off the accelerator pedal and brakes. Applying the brakes tends to compress the suspension and lower the nose of your vehicle, making it more susceptible to body and suspension damage.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn’t swerve to avoid a pothole. Making an angled swerve can cause your front tire to absorb most of the impact. Swerving abruptly can also lead to a collision.

Common Types of Pothole Damage

Here are some of the most common repercussions of driving over potholes.

Tire and Rim Damage

Repeatedly driving over potholes can cause the tires to bulge or get sliced from the edges.

If your tires are underinflated, the suspension takes a hit because there’s not enough air in the tires to absorb the pounding. On the contrary, overinflated tires will also offer too little cushioning.

Suspension Damage

Ball-and-socket setups in the suspension system can come loose when driving over potholes. As a result, you might notice that there’s excessive play in the steering wheel.

Body Damage

Hitting potholes is enough to scrape the bottom of your vehicle, so you might want to think twice before ignoring these small nuances on the road.

Undercarriage Damage

A vehicle that’s bottoming out can get its underside damaged when going over a pothole.

Damaged Plastic Parts

Plastic parts like clips, fasteners, and covers can easily break and might even fall off the vehicle, depending on the impact.

Wrapping Up

Potholes might not seem like a huge problem like collapsed bridges and closed lanes, but they can be stressful to deal with一especially when your vehicle gets damaged because of them.

Fortunately, there’s a high probability that you won’t have to shell out your own money to pay for pothole-related repairs.

Most big cities and counties reimburse drivers for pothole damage claims. Depending on your insurance coverage, your provider can also pay for the damages on your behalf following certain conditions.

In cases where you have no choice but to go over a pothole, be sure to keep your foot off the gas and brakes to prevent your vehicle from nose-diving and letting the suspension absorb all the impact.

Get Replacement Suspension Parts You Can Rely On

It’s best to tackle pothole-related problems involving suspension parts like ball joints, shocks, struts, and tie rod ends before they render your vehicle unusable. Ignoring a damaged or faulty suspension part can lead to more problems with steeper repair costs. Keep your vehicle in peak condition with replacement suspension parts ordered from CarParts.com. 

At CarParts.com, you can get world-class auto parts and accessories at competitive prices. We offer suspension parts like ball joints, shock absorbers, strut assemblies, and tie rod ends, exclusively sourced from trusted manufacturers to ensure you get quality parts that perform to spec. Finding the product that fits your car or truck is easy with our convenient vehicle selector. Once you locate what you need, you can order it in specific quantities or as a bundle with other parts. Expect your new suspension part to arrive in as fast as two business days if you live in the continental US and place your order by 12 p.m ET.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to get a critical suspension part. Check out our extensive selection of suspension parts like ball joints, shock absorbers, strut assemblies, and tie rod ends today!