Claiming pothole damage
In most cases, car insurance does not cover pothole damage to tyres. However, other damage may be covered.
Key takeaways
- Damage to tyres from potholes is not claimable on car insurance.
- More extensive damage to the body of the car may be claimable.
- You'd need a comprehensive car insurance policy to be able to claim anything related to damage to your own vehicle.
Will car insurance cover pothole damage?
Our insurance experts went through the product disclosure statement for 10 different providers and looked at how each insurer treats damage as the result of a pothole. Our findings are summarised below.
| Provider | Is pothole damage covered? |
|---|---|
Tyre damage is not covered. | |
Tyre damage is not covered. | |
Tyre damage is not covered. | |
Tyre damage is not covered. | |
Tyre damage is not covered unless it's caused by an incident which they've agreed to cover. | |
Tyre damage is not covered unless it's caused by an incident which they've agreed to cover. | |
Tyre damage is not covered unless it's caused by an incident which they've agreed to cover. | |
Tyre damage is not covered. | |
Tyre damage as the result of a pothole will not be covered, however more extensive damage to the car may be eligible for cover under loss or damage. |
This research is accurate as of March 2025. Our sources include product disclosure statements, information on provider website pages and online chats used on provider websites.
Can I claim the damage anywhere else?
Given your car insurer is unlikely to cover you for tyre damage relating to a pothole, you might like to lodge a public liability claim with Transport for NSW. Keep in mind though, to be eligible for a claim, you'd have to prove that Transport for NSW was aware of the pothole risk and failed to address it.
Our expert says
Our expert says
"Before making a claim for damage, it's important to assess a few things. 1 - How much is your excess? Because you'll likely have to pay it if the claim is approved. 2 - How much would it cost you to fix the damage without going through your insurer? If the cost to repair is smaller than your excess, it's worth exploring this option. That way, you won't have to pay your excess and your premium won't be inflated at the time of your next renewal due to having made a claim."
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