What to do if your vehicle has pothole damage

Once the weather starts to warm up and thawing temperatures cause the snow to melt, it's a sign that spring is around the corner — which means potholes will be, too, even in cities that engage in pothole repairs around the clock. So, how can you protect your car in time for pothole season? Let's talk about what coverage you may want to have, what preventative measures you can take, and what you can do if your car is damaged by an encounter with a pothole.

Potholes may not seem like a big problem, other than the possible annoyance of a flat tire. After all, they're a fairly common occurrence—despite all the pothole repair roadwork you've likely encountered on your drives—and chances are, you've hit at least a few over the years. But hitting a pothole can do more than just flatten your tire.

The sudden jolt could also potentially damage or misalign your car’s suspension or steering system. If this happens, your car may keep pulling to one side. This can greatly reduce your control over your vehicle—and cause irregular wear on your tires (a situation that means you'll likely need to replace them sooner). A strong impact can also damage your shock absorbers and struts, leading to a rougher ride and more wear on your tires.

There are even worst-case scenarios. Potholes can damage your car’s undercarriage and exhaust system—especially if the pothole you hit is deep or if your car goes over it at a high speed. And more problems can surface later: A hard hit, for example, could cause tiny cracks in your wheel rims and damage to the wheel bearing, both of which can lead to costly repairs down the road.

This means you might not be looking at just a damaged tire if you run over a pothole. Your entire vehicle could suffer damage. And minor damages can worsen over time if they’re not addressed promptly. So, even if all you're worried about is low tire pressure, it's always a good idea to have your car inspected after a run-in with a pothole to catch any signs of post-pothole damage.

What about damage to your tire specifically? Unfortunately, if you find yourself driving through a pothole, there are several ways your tire could be damaged.

If you see any of the following after your pothole encounter, you'll need a new tire. And remember, potholes can damage your whole car, not just your tire—so it's always a good idea to go in for an alignment and an overall inspection, including your suspension, as well.

• Flat tire. This is probably the result you’re most worried about: A pothole’s jagged edges can act like a nail, puncturing or tearing your tire’s inner lining and leading to a deflated tire.
• Bulging sidewall or tread. Whether it’s bulges or bubbles, this is a sign that the force of your unfortunate pothole encounter shifted or separated your tire’s internal structure and layers.
• Tread separation. In this damage scenario, the tread of your tire, which is the grooved part that grips the road, starts peeling away from the rest of the tire.

If your car experiences damage caused by running over a pothole, your insurer will generally classify it as an at-fault collision, even if no other vehicles were involved, since potholes are considered "objects". And car insurance policies can cover pothole damage—if you have either Collision or All Perils coverage added to your policy.

If you do have this optional coverage, however, you should consider the extent of the damage and the cost of repairs against the cost of your deductible before you submit a claim. It may make more sense to pay for the damage out of pocket if the cost of repairs is less than your deductible.

If you’ve driven into a pothole and can tell something's wrong with your car, the safe thing to do may be to pull over to the side of the road and assess the damage, if any, done to your vehicle..

Whether there's damage to the rim, a hubcap, the tire, or any other damage to the vehicle itself, take photos of it, if you can do so safely. Make sure to take note of where the pothole is, too.

If it's located on a city road, you can report the pothole by calling your city's municipal services number (in most major Canadian cities, such as Toronto¹, Vancouver², and Montreal³, this will be 311, but depending on where you're located, it may be a different number). You can also check your city's website to see if there's an online system for reporting potholes.

Next, if you think the amount of damage to your vehicle warrants it, you'll want to contact your insurance company to submit a claim. If you're a TD Insurance customer, you can start a claim directly through the TD Insurance Mobile App. In the App, you can also find your nearest TD Insurance Auto Centre or a preferred auto shop where repairs completed on your vehicle benefit from our Lifetime Auto Repair Warranty (conditions apply).

Local governments are responsible for meeting minimum maintenance standards for pothole repair on city roads, so in certain instances, the city may take responsibility for your vehicle's pothole-related damage.

It's also a good idea to report problematic potholes to your municipality. Not only does this get the pothole on your city's repair radar sooner, if you later end up with damage related to that pothole and decide to make a claim against the city, the report may help your claim.

However, similar to submitting a claim to your insurance company, there's likely a specific process you'd need to go through to determine if the city is liable.

Let's take a look at the city of Toronto as an example. If your vehicle was damaged from driving over a pothole on a road in Toronto and you want to make a claim against the city, you need to submit your claim within 10 days of the incident.⁴ Once your claim is received, Toronto's insurance adjusters will conduct an investigation. 

And remember our tip to report troublesome potholes to your municipality? Toronto's claims investigation includes records from the Toronto Maintenance Management System (TMMS)—so if you (or anyone else) had previously reported the pothole involved in your claim, this report, along with the city's response, should be in these records (and may possibly help your claim).⁵

It's important to note that, depending on the season, processing times may be long. If that's the case and your vehicle's damage is severe, it may make more sense to file a claim through your insurer instead.

But what if a pothole sends your car careening into city property, such as a streetlight or guardrails? We’ve talked about the city’s responsibility for damage to your vehicle caused by an unfortunate pothole encounter, but would your car insurance cover damage to city or municipal property in this scenario?

The simplest answer is: Yes, provided you have third party liability coverage (which is mandatory in order to legally operate a vehicle in Canada). This coverage offers financial protection if you unintentionally injure someone or damage their property due to an automobile accident and you must pay for that injury or damage. That said, however, you should always check with your insurance provider to see the extent of the coverage you have.

Even if you avoid rough road conditions or side streets, it can be impossible to avoid all potholes. But there are a few things you can do to minimize the potential impact to your car. Here are some things to consider:

• Slow down. Taking your time and going below the speed limit while driving over a pothole can help reduce the impact to your tires, rims, and other critical components of your car's supporting structure.
• Keep your tires properly inflated. The impact from a pothole is more likely to cause damage if your tires are under- or over-inflated.
• Pay close attention. Keeping your eyes ahead on the road can help you spot potholes before you reach them, giving you enough time to safely avoid them if possible.
• Low-profile tires. Take extra caution around potholes if you have low-profile tires, which newer cars often come equipped with. While these tires are meant to improve performance, they're also more likely to be damaged by potholes than regular tires.⁶

Driving over potholes is inevitable, so it's important to ensure you have the proper coverage to protect you and your vehicle in case your car gets damaged because of one.

If you're an existing TD Insurance customer looking to add or check if you already have Collision or All Perils coverage, you can review and manage your policy by logging into MyInsurance. Or, if you're new to TD Insurance, you can get a quote to get started with a policy that fits your needs and budget.

Sources:

¹ https://www.toronto.ca/home/311-toronto-at-your-service/

² https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-the-city-of-vancouver.aspx

³ https://montreal.ca/en/contact-city

⁴ https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/complaints-claims-compliments/make-a-claim-against-the-city/pothole-claims/

⁵ ibid

⁶ https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/tire-buying-maintenance/pothole-survival-guide-a6158483712/