Vehicles
Does car insurance cover pothole damage?
The short answer
Comprehensive policies normally treat pothole damage as accidental damage, so it is covered — but with your excess and a possible loss of no-claims discount. For a buckled wheel or split tyre, a claim against the highway authority is often the better route.
Claiming on your insurance
Third-party and third-party fire and theft policies do not cover damage to your own car, so pothole damage isn't covered at all.
On comprehensive cover the repair is covered, but with a typical £250–£500 excess and a protected-or-not no-claims discount to consider, many repairs are cheaper to pay yourself.
Claiming against the council
The highway authority has a duty to maintain the road. Report the pothole, then claim in writing with photos, the exact location, a measurement of depth and width, the date and time, and repair invoices.
Authorities often defend claims by showing they had a reasonable inspection regime and no prior report. A previous report of that pothole strengthens your claim considerably — check whether one exists.
Evidence to gather at the scene
Photograph the pothole with something for scale and the surrounding road so the location is identifiable, plus the damage to the wheel, tyre or suspension. Dashcam footage helps.
Check these on your own policy
- Photos with scale and a recognisable location
- Depth and width measurements
- Two repair quotes or the paid invoice
- Compare your excess against the repair cost before claiming
Common follow-up questions
Does tyre and alloy insurance cover it?
Yes — standalone tyre or alloy wheel cover, sometimes sold with a car or lease, usually pays with a much lower excess than your motor policy.
Will I lose my no-claims discount?
Usually yes on a fault-free claim where nobody else is liable, unless your discount is protected.