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Car insurance sometimes covers vehicle damage caused by hitting a pothole. And in some cases, you can hold the city or county liable for damage to your car caused by poor road conditions. Compare scenarios when you are and aren’t covered for pothole damage by car insurance and how to get repairs paid for.
If you have anything less than comprehensive car insurance, you can safely assume that you won’t be able to claim pothole damage. And if you do have comprehensive car insurance, it depends on what kind of damage your car has suffered.
It varies between insurers, but in many cases, you won’t be covered for tire damage of any kind. However, rim damage and additional damage to the axle, bodywork or anything else might be covered by your standard policy.
Generally, the only kind of car insurance that will explicitly cover damage to tires and rims from driving over a pothole is specialized tire and rim insurance.
This is often offered as an extra by car dealers and may be provided by insurance companies or car manufacturers. If you’re considering it, make sure you look at the policy details carefully to determine what is and isn’t covered. It can help cover your wheels for pothole damage, but the quality of this extra coverage can vary widely.
Discover coverage that’s broader than competitors, valuable discounts up to 30% off and perks like shrinking deductibles that reward no claims.
To make a claim for comprehensive coverage, pretend the pothole was a bad driver who ran into you.
The general rule of thumb is that it’s not always worth it to make a claim if the cost of repairs is less than your deductible.
Say your car’s axle was damaged and it will cost $400 to fix. If you have a $500 deductible, you’ll pay more out of pocket to fix it than repairs cost. You might also see slightly higher insurance rates if this isn’t your first recent claim.
It may depend on the circumstances, but typically yes, you will be classified as at fault.
This will be the case unless you can point at another party who was at fault instead, and provide their details so your insurer can claim compensation from them or their insurer.
Unless it’s a very special situation, like if another driver came into your lane and forced you into the pothole, then typically the only other party who might be at fault is the city or county.
It’s possible to find the county liable for damage to your car caused by a pothole, but it works differently in each state. Generally it won’t be easy, and you might need a lawyer’s help.
In some places in the US, it’s possible to go after the city or county for damage to your car caused by a pothole, but it works differently in each state. While the city should have fixed it and therefore should be responsible for all potholes, it’s not that easy. Most counties will fight any blame, or require specific circumstances in order to be held liable.
In the city of Colorado Springs, for example, the county takes no blame for any damage caused by potholes if it hasn’t received prior complaints about the obstruction. If the pothole had been reported less than two weeks prior to an incident, the city would likely deny the claim on the basis that it takes at least one to two weeks to repair a pothole. Even if you manage to hold your county liable for the damages, there is often a limit on the amount that can be paid out, making it even more difficult to recoup repair costs.
If you’re looking for someone to pay for pothole damage to your car, it’s probably easier to go to your car insurance provider than a lawyer.
Compare car insurance companies near you.
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Wondering whether you need to worry about potholes where you live? According to a 2016 report by transportation nonprofit TRIP, road conditions are worst in these big metro areas across the US. Watch out, California drivers!
Whether you’re covered against pothole damages or not depends on whether you have comprehensive coverage or tire and rim coverage. If not, you’ll need to research your policy to find out if you need to make a claim or whether you want to pursue getting repairs paid for by the city for neglecting to repair a pothole.
Compare car insurance policies that cover future damage to your car from bad road conditions.
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