In the last two years, nearly 25 per cent of UK motorists damaged their vehicles by hitting potholes, according to a recent survey from consumer group, Which?. However, less than 50 per cent of those motorists filed claims. The two most common reasons for not filing a pothole claim were lack of understanding on how to file a claim and a disinterest in dealing with the hassle of filing a claim.
Despite the perceived hassle, more than half of the motorists who filed claims received compensation. The key to their success was whether the potholes that damaged their vehicles had been reported. Under Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980, a motorist is afforded protection if local authorities were aware of the dangers that a pothole presented, yet failed to fix it. If your vehicle was damaged by a pothole, follow these steps to improve your chances of receiving compensation:
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Visit www.potholes.co.uk to confirm whether a pothole has been reported. If the location has not yet been reported, do so.
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Take photographs of the damage as well as the pothole.
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Collect and save all receipts for any work that is done to your vehicle due to the damage.
