Pothole damage: document the evidence and make a council claim

If a pothole damages your car, first get to a safe place and check for tyre, wheel or suspension damage. Do not continue driving if the vehicle feels unstable, a tyre is losing pressure or a warning appears. Arrange recovery if needed.

Record the location and damage

Note the road, direction, nearest address or junction, date and time. Photograph the pothole only from a safe position; do not stand in traffic. Capture the damage, tyre and wheel, and keep repair invoices, inspection reports and recovery costs. Write down what happened while details are fresh.

Report the defect to the responsible highway authority using GOV.UK’s pothole service. The road may be maintained by a local council, National Highways or another authority. Keep the report reference and ask which organisation handles the road.

Make a claim with evidence

Check the authority’s claims process and submit a clear timeline, location, photos, invoices and repair assessment. Explain the loss and attach evidence showing the link to the defect. Authorities can have inspection and maintenance records and may rely on statutory defences; a claim is not automatically accepted. Follow the appeal route in any response and preserve correspondence.

Contact your insurer if the damage is covered or if you need help. Check your policy excess and no-claims implications before choosing a route; see how insurance excess works. Do not discard damaged parts before the insurer or engineer has had the opportunity to inspect.

For future travel, keep tyres and servicing current; MOT and servicing checks help identify unrelated issues. This guide is not a guarantee of compensation; the authority assesses each claim under its process.