TL;DR
As an FCA-authorised expert broker that has helped arrange over 900,000 policies, WeCovr sees firsthand the devastating financial impact of the UK's deteriorating roads. This article unpacks the shocking new data on pothole damage and explains how the right motor insurance is your essential shield against spiralling costs.
Key takeaways
- Fresh analysis for 2025, based on trends from the RAC and the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), paints a grim picture.
- This epidemic of disrepair is contributing to a colossal annual repair bill exceeding £5.1 billion, a figure that includes everything from tyre replacements to complex suspension and steering alignment work.
- A single, severe impact could easily result in a repair bill running into the thousands, far exceeding the cost of an annual comprehensive insurance policy.
- Choosing the right level of cover is essential.
As an FCA-authorised expert broker that has helped arrange over 900,000 policies, WeCovr sees firsthand the devastating financial impact of the UK's deteriorating roads. This article unpacks the shocking new data on pothole damage and explains how the right motor insurance is your essential shield against spiralling costs.
UK Pothole Plague Drivers Face Billions
The state of Britain's roads is no longer just an inconvenience; it's a national crisis costing motorists billions. Fresh analysis for 2025, based on trends from the RAC and the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), paints a grim picture. An estimated one in three UK drivers will experience damage to their vehicle from a pothole or poor road surface this year alone.
This epidemic of disrepair is contributing to a colossal annual repair bill exceeding £5.1 billion, a figure that includes everything from tyre replacements to complex suspension and steering alignment work. Inevitably, this surge in damage-related payouts is a key driver behind the relentless increase in UK motor insurance premiums, hitting the pockets of every car, van, and motorcycle owner. (illustrative estimate)
In this climate, your motor insurance policy is not just a legal necessity; it is your most crucial financial defence.
The Pothole Problem by the Numbers: A Multi-Billion Pound Headache
The statistics are staggering and reveal the true scale of the UK's infrastructure challenge. Decades of underfunding have left local authorities facing a road repair backlog that the AIA estimates would take over a decade and more than £16 billion to clear in England and Wales. (illustrative estimate)
Here’s what the 2025 projections, based on government and motoring group data, tell us:
- £5.1 Billion+ Annual Repair Bill (illustrative): This is the combined cost borne by drivers for repairs directly attributable to poor road conditions. This figure, extrapolated from AA and RAC data, continues to climb year on year.
- 1 in 3 Drivers Affected (illustrative): A significant increase, reflecting the worsening state of the road network after successive harsh winters and wet summers. The RAC's breakdown data consistently shows pothole-related callouts at record highs.
- 2.2 Million Potholes Filled: While councils are working hard, they filled over 2 million potholes last year, according to the AIA's annual ALARM survey. However, they are fighting a losing battle as new ones form faster than old ones can be repaired.
- £450 Average Repair Cost (illustrative): The AA reports that the average cost for a single pothole-related incident is now pushing £450, often involving more than just a single tyre. A single severe impact can easily run into thousands.
- 10-Year Repair Backlog: The time it would take to bring all local roads up to a reasonable standard, highlighting a systemic and long-term problem.
This financial burden doesn't just disappear. It ripples through the economy, with costs passed on to consumers and, most directly, onto motor insurance premiums. Insurers paid out record sums for vehicle repairs in the last year, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), and pothole damage is a significant and growing contributor.
How Potholes Wreak Havoc on Your Vehicle
Hitting a pothole, even at low speed, can transmit a massive amount of force through your vehicle, causing immediate and sometimes hidden damage. Understanding the potential harm is the first step in protecting your vehicle and your wallet.
The sharp, hard edge of a pothole acts as a brutal anvil against your wheel and tyre. The impact compresses the tyre and suspension components beyond their normal operating limits, leading to a cascade of potential failures.
Common Types of Pothole Damage and Typical Repair Costs:
| Damage Type | Description | Average Repair Cost (2025 Estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Damage | Punctures, sidewall bulges, or a complete blowout. The sharp edge of a pothole can easily slice through rubber. A bulge indicates internal damage and means the tyre needs immediate replacement. | £90 - £350+ per tyre |
| Wheel Damage | Cracked, buckled, or bent alloy wheels. A bent wheel may not hold air or balance correctly, while a cracked one is a catastrophic safety risk and an MOT failure. | £150 - £600+ per wheel |
| Wheel Alignment | The impact can easily knock out the precise geometry of the steering and suspension, known as tracking or alignment. This causes uneven tyre wear, a crooked steering wheel, and poor handling. | £60 - £150 |
| Suspension Damage | Broken coil springs, bent wishbones or control arms, and damaged shock absorbers are all common. This leads to a harsh ride, unsettling noises over bumps, and unsafe vehicle handling. | £250 - £1,000+ |
| Exhaust System | A deep pothole can strike the underside of your car, fracturing, denting, or even tearing off the exhaust pipe, catalytic converter, or silencer. | £200 - £700+ |
| Steering System | Damage to track rod ends, steering rack, and other steering components can make the vehicle difficult to control, introducing looseness or unresponsiveness to the steering. | £150 - £500+ |
A single, severe impact could easily result in a repair bill running into the thousands, far exceeding the cost of an annual comprehensive insurance policy.
A Special Note for EV Owners
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are particularly susceptible to certain types of pothole damage. Due to their heavy battery packs, they weigh significantly more than their petrol or diesel counterparts. This extra weight places greater stress on tyres and suspension components, potentially leading to accelerated wear and a higher likelihood of damage from a sharp impact. Repairing suspension on an EV can also be more complex and costly.
Your Motor Insurance Policy: The First Line of Defence
While claiming compensation from a local council is possible, it's a notoriously difficult and often unsuccessful process. It requires extensive evidence and proof of council negligence. For most drivers, a far more reliable and effective solution is to claim on their comprehensive motor insurance policy.
First, it is vital to understand that having motor insurance is a legal requirement in the UK. The Road Traffic Act 1988 mandates that all vehicles used on public roads must have at least third-party insurance. Driving without it can lead to unlimited fines, penalty points, and even a driving ban.
Understanding Your UK Motor Insurance Cover
Choosing the right level of cover is essential. Let's break down the three main types of private car insurance available in the UK.
| Level of Cover | What It Covers | Is Pothole Damage to Your Car Covered? |
|---|---|---|
| Third Party Only (TPO) | The legal minimum. Covers injury or damage you cause to other people, their vehicles, or their property. It does not cover damage to your own vehicle. | No. |
| Third Party, Fire & Theft (TPFT) | Provides TPO cover, plus protection if your car is stolen or damaged by fire. It does not cover accidental damage to your own car. | No. |
| Comprehensive | Includes everything in TPFT, and also covers damage to your own vehicle in an accident or incident, even if it was your fault. This is the only level of cover that protects you against pothole damage. | Yes. |
Key Takeaway: Only a comprehensive policy gives you the ability to claim for damage caused by a pothole. Given the rising risk, settling for anything less could be a false economy, leaving you exposed to enormous potential repair bills. Surprisingly, comprehensive cover is often cheaper than lower levels, so it always pays to compare.
Business and Fleet Insurance Obligations
For businesses, the legal requirements are the same but the risks are amplified. A single van off the road due to pothole damage means lost revenue, missed deliveries, and operational disruption. Fleet insurance and business vehicle insurance policies are designed to cover these commercial risks. A comprehensive fleet policy is a non-negotiable asset for any business that relies on its vehicles.
As an expert broker, WeCovr specialises in finding the most suitable and cost-effective comprehensive policies for private cars, commercial vans, and entire business fleets, ensuring you have the right defence against the UK's crumbling roads.
Making a Pothole Damage Claim: Insurance vs. The Council
When the inevitable happens and you hit a pothole, you have two potential routes for seeking compensation.
Route 1: Claiming from the Local Council
This involves holding the authority responsible for the road (e.g., a local council or National Highways for motorways and major A-roads) liable for your repair costs.
To succeed, you must:
- Gather Evidence Immediately: If safe, stop and take photos of the pothole (with an object like a shoe or drink can for scale), the damage to your car, and the surrounding road to establish its location.
- Measure the Pothole: If possible and safe, measure its depth and width. Most councils won't consider a defect under 40mm deep as a pothole.
- Report the Pothole: Inform the responsible authority immediately through their website. This creates a record and helps other drivers.
- Get Repair Quotes: Obtain at least two detailed, written quotes for the repair work from reputable garages.
- Submit a Formal Claim: Write to the council's highways department with all your evidence, a clear description of the incident, and your repair quotes.
The Challenge: Under Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980, councils have a statutory defence. They can reject a claim if they can prove they had a regular and adequate system of inspection and maintenance in place and were not aware of that specific defect. Many claims are rejected on these grounds, leaving you to cover the costs yourself. The process can take many months with no guarantee of success.
Route 2: Claiming on Your Comprehensive Motor Insurance
This is often the quicker, simpler, and more certain path to getting your vehicle repaired and back on the road.
The process typically involves:
- Contacting Your Insurer: Report the incident as soon as is practical. Give them the date, time, location, and a description of what happened.
- Arranging Assessment: Your insurer will advise you on getting the vehicle assessed, usually at one of their approved garages.
- Authorising Repairs: Once the assessment is complete and the damage is confirmed to be consistent with the incident, the insurer will authorise the repairs.
- Paying Your Excess: You will need to pay the policy excess towards the cost of the repair. Your insurer covers the rest.
- Considering Optional Extras: If you have a courtesy car add-on, this is when you would arrange for a replacement vehicle while yours is being fixed.
While this is more straightforward, it's crucial to understand how a claim will affect your policy going forward.
How Pothole Claims Impact Your No-Claims Bonus and Premiums
Making a claim for pothole damage on your comprehensive policy is typically treated as a "fault" claim. This is because there is no third party to recover the costs from (unlike a crash where the other driver's insurer pays). Consequently, making a claim will almost certainly affect your No-Claims Bonus (NCB) and your renewal premium.
The Impact on Your No-Claims Bonus (NCB)
Your NCB (or No-Claims Discount) is a valuable discount you earn for each year you go without making a claim. It can reduce your premium by up to 70% or more. A single fault claim can significantly reduce your years of NCB, typically stepping it back by two years.
Example of NCB Reduction After One Fault Claim:
| Years of NCB Before Claim | Typical NCB Discount | Years of NCB After Claim | Typical Reduced Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5+ Years | 60% - 70% | 3 Years | 40% - 50% |
| 4 Years | 50% | 2 Years | 30% |
| 3 Years | 40% | 1 Year | 20% |
| 2 Years | 30% | 0 Years | 0% |
| 1 Year | 20% | 0 Years | 0% |
Should you protect your NCB? Many insurers offer NCB Protection as an optional extra. For an additional fee, this allows you to make one or sometimes two fault claims within a set period without your discount level being reduced. However, your overall premium can still increase at renewal. While you keep your 60% discount, the base premium it is applied to may rise because your claims history is a key factor in calculating risk.
Deciding Whether to Claim
Before claiming, do a simple calculation:
- Cost of Repair vs. Your Excess + Future Premium Increase (illustrative): If the repair cost is only slightly more than your total policy excess (e.g., £400 repair vs £300 excess), it may be cheaper in the long run to pay for the repair yourself. This avoids the claim and the subsequent premium increase over the next few years. For damage costing hundreds or thousands of pounds, using your insurance is almost always the sensible choice.
Protect Yourself: Proactive Tips for Drivers and Fleet Managers
While you can't fix the roads yourself, you can take steps to minimise your risk and protect your vehicle.
For All Drivers:
- Maintain Correct Tyre Pressure: Properly inflated tyres are more resilient to impacts and less likely to be damaged by potholes. Check pressures at least once a month and before long journeys.
- Look Ahead: Scan the road far ahead of you, not just over your bonnet. This gives you more time to spot and safely avoid hazards.
- Keep Your Distance: Don't tailgate. Leaving a good two-second gap to the car in front allows you to see the road surface and react in time.
- Slow Down on Poor Surfaces: If you see a stretch of broken or patched tarmac ahead, reduce your speed significantly. Hitting a pothole at a lower speed drastically reduces the force of the impact.
- Avoid Sudden Swerving: Only swerve to avoid a pothole if it is absolutely safe to do so, without endangering other road users. A sudden jerk of the wheel can cause a worse accident.
- Don't Brake in the Pothole: If you can't avoid it, try to brake before the pothole and release the brakes just as your front wheels hit it. This allows the suspension to be in its most neutral state to absorb the impact more effectively.
- Report Potholes: Use a website like FixMyStreet or your local council's portal to report potholes you see. You could be preventing someone else from having an accident.
For Fleet Managers:
- Implement a 'Pothole Policy': Ensure all drivers know what to do in the event of a pothole strike: where to stop safely, what evidence to gather, and who to report it to internally.
- Driver Training: Include modules on defensive driving and hazard perception, specifically mentioning pothole avoidance techniques and the dangers of driving on poorly maintained rural roads.
- Mandatory Vehicle Checks: Implement mandatory daily walk-around checks for drivers to report tyre condition, pressure, and any unusual noises or handling issues that could indicate underlying damage.
- Utilise Telematics: Use vehicle tracking data to identify drivers who are frequently travelling on poorly maintained routes or exhibiting harsh braking/acceleration. This data can inform route planning and driver coaching.
- Invest in a Robust Fleet Insurance Policy: A specialised fleet policy can offer better value, streamlined administration, and more relevant cover than individual policies. Talk to an expert broker like WeCovr, who can compare the market to find a policy that covers your operational needs and protects your assets from the pothole plague. WeCovr customers also benefit from discounts on other insurance products, providing even greater value for your business.
The Future: Is There Any Light at the End of the Tarmac?
While the government has announced various pots of funding for road repairs, including the £8.3 billion redirected from the cancelled HS2 leg, motoring organisations and local authorities argue it's a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of the problem. (illustrative estimate)
Until a long-term, properly funded national strategy is in place to resurface, rather than just patch, our crumbling road network, the pothole plague will remain a clear and present danger to every UK motorist. This makes choosing the best car insurance provider more critical than ever. The right comprehensive motor insurance UK policy is not a luxury—it is an indispensable financial tool for navigating the risks of 21st-century driving.
Based on consistently high customer satisfaction ratings, WeCovr is committed to helping drivers and businesses find that essential protection at no extra cost.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I claim for pothole damage if I only have third-party insurance?
Do I need to inform my insurer if the council pays for my pothole damage?
Will my motor insurance premium go up after a pothole claim?
What is an insurance excess and how does it work with a pothole claim?
Is it worth adding optional extras like breakdown and courtesy car cover?
Don't let a pothole wreck your finances. Ensure you have the right protection.
Get a free, no-obligation motor insurance quote from WeCovr today. Our expert team will compare policies from a wide range of UK insurers to find you the comprehensive cover you need at a competitive price.
Sources
- Department for Transport (DfT): Road safety and transport statistics.
- DVLA / DVSA: UK vehicle and driving regulatory guidance.
- Association of British Insurers (ABI): Motor insurance market and claims publications.
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Insurance conduct and consumer information guidance.
