Potholes are the bane of any vehicle owner. Potholes can cause damage to your tires, wheels, suspension, wheel alignment, and bumpers. Over time, these can lead to your vehicle’s wear and tear much faster than the usual rate. You might be asking, “Does insurance cover pothole damage?” Fortunately, pothole damage is usually included for certain types of coverage. However, dealing with pothole damage can be tricky, as you have to prove that a pothole caused the damage. Due to this, policyholders should know the criteria for what kind of auto insurance covers pothole damage.
Auto Insurance for Pothole Damage
To get pothole damage repairs covered by insurance, you’ll need to have collision coverage. Collision coverage is an optional add-on to the average auto insurance policy that covers any damage to your car resulting from a collision from things like potholes, guard rails, lamp posts, and other cars.
Other types of damage caused by potholes may require other types of insurance. For example, if you hit another car or a pedestrian because of a pothole, you’ll pay for their damages with your liability insurance. Unlike collision coverage, liability insurance is a requirement for all drivers in most U.S. states.
What Type of Damage Can Potholes Cause?
The risk of severe damage from one pothole incident is very low. Repeatedly running over a pothole can wear out your tires quicker than their regular lifespan. In some less frequent cases, it can cause severe damage to the car’s alignment, suspension, and steering system. In case of these incidents, it makes the most sense to file a claim if you experience these right after a pothole.
Why Do I Need to Act Fast in Case of Pothole Damage?
If you’ve had an incident of driving over a particularly bad pothole, you’ll need to document the incident and any damage your car may have sustained. Also, note the time of the collision and the weather conditions. Documenting the incident can strengthen your insurance claim, as collision coverage doesn’t cover regular wear and tear, especially if you drive in bad road conditions.
Pothole damage can speed up the regular wear and tear of your wheels and your vehicle, so the damage it causes is relatively minor. In most cases, running over a pothole doesn’t lead to any visible damage that meets the amount of your deductible to file a claim. However, repeated incidents can cause wear and tear to the suspension and alignment of your wheels.
However, if you don’t inspect your vehicle for any damage right after the incident, there’s no telling which damage is caused by the pothole, and it can be difficult to claim insurance compensation because of that.
Check Your Local Laws
On top of your insurance covering you for the damages caused by potholes, check your local laws as well. You may be entitled to compensation from whichever local government has jurisdiction over the road where you incurred pothole damage.
States like New York pay for pothole damage for drivers who file a claim. However, keep in mind that filing for reimbursement with the local government can take more time than filing an insurance claim.
Let Dan the Tire Man Provide You with Wheels That Move You Forward
Potholes can affect your driving experience and speed up the wear and tear of your vehicle. In case of major damage to your car’s alignment, suspension, and steering system, you can file a claim if you have collision coverage as part of your insurance package. Otherwise, very minor damage and not having the right add-ons may make it difficult to file an insurance claim.
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