How to claim compensation if your car is damaged by a pothole

Potholes have become one of the biggest problems on Britain’s roads. RAC figures show that callouts regarding potholes were up by a fifth in the last quarter of 2024, compared to the previous three months. 

If your vehicle has been damaged by potholes, here’s how to claim compensation for the damage. 

Collect evidence 

Potholes can cause different types of damage, so make sure you check your entire vehicle over very carefully when collecting evidence. 

These are the most common things you should check for: 

• On your wheels: punctures, bent rims, or other damage to your tyres 

• Under your car: Snapped suspension springs, shock absorber damage 

You should make note of the date you hit the pothole, it’s location and take a photo of it as well as the damage to your vehicle. 

You should also get your vehicle checked over professionally by a mechanic who can then write a report of the damage for you. 

Find out who is responsible for managing potholes 

Usually, it will be the local council who are responsible for maintaining roads in their area. If you’re on a boundary between two council areas, or you’re not sure what council is responsible for the area you are in, make sure to research who you’re supposed to contact about the pothole.  

For most major A roads and motorways, you’ll need to contact National Highways. 

It can be difficult to prove if a council has been negligent with road maintenance. The best way is to ask for copies of road maintenance schedules for two weeks prior to the incident. You will need to be able to prove that the damage would not have occurred if the authorities had fixed the pothole beforehand. 

Report it 

You’ll need to go to the relevant authority’s website and fill in a compensation form. The more information you give, the better. You should include the time, date, and location of the damage as well as photos and a mechanic’s report.  

If you get an offer, but it doesn’t cover the costs of repairs, you can go back and negotiate for a higher offer. You will have a good chance of success if the pothole has been reported previously with no action taken. 

If your claim has been rejected you can take the case to court, but this can be time-consuming and costly. 

Insurance claim 

If you have comprehensive insurance, you can claim for damages this way. 

You’ll need to check your insurance carefully to make sure claiming for pothole damage won’t affect your no claims bonus. 

If you vehicle has been damaged by a pothole, you can make a claim with 1st Central.