Pothole Damage, Insurance Claim?

jason589

Hi,
I recently hit a very large pothole when driving to work in my local area. I visited my local garage and they said that as a result of hitting the pot hole, the wheels had become badly misaligned on my car and would need fixing at a cost of £95 excluding vat.

I immediately got onto the local highways department who have sent me out an Insurance Claims form for the incident.

They would like copies of my v5, insurance, tax and mot etc.
I am perfectly happy to send all of this in, but it also mentions about me already contacting my insurer as if this was an accident involving two vehicles.

I have not involved my insurer as it was a pot hole, and if there is any chance of them being involved, I would rather not persue the claim as I am trying to build up my no claims and keep costs down.

Does any one know how the Highways Incident system works? Am I ok to put in a claim and not have it affect my own no claims?

Thanks Jason

Quentin

Yes.

Your ncd will only be affected by any claims made against your policy. (In this case you are making a claim off the council)

jason589

Thanks for your post,but do I need to tell my insurers of this claim? As that can also have an effect on the cost of my insurance as they will think I am a more risky driver.

Quentin

Yes.

Your policy conditions make you inform your insurers about all losses (not just "claims".) Check your policy wording about what you have to inform them about)

You now need to inform them about this, even if you don't proceed with the claim (or even if the council manage to get out of paying)

thenudeone

Now that it's recorded with the council you can hardly claim it didn't happen, so it will have to be declared to insurers (usually for 5 years), which could increase your premium.

For £95, I would have been tempted just to pay it myself, then there would have been no need to declare it. Re-aligning wheels is just a normal wear and tear / maintenance cost, and your insurer would never know. You don't declare every time you get a chip in your paintwork, even though by the letter of the policy, you probably should.

If you have motor legal cover, get them to help. That's what they're paid for.

InsideInsurance

thenudeone wrote: »

I would have been tempted just to pay it myself, then there would have been no need to declare it.

Legally there would be a need to declare it just your chances of being caught would be fairly slim. Most insurers ask about "incidents" not just claims

jason589

Hi thanks for your posts.
I think it is madness that I should have to declare my wheels being misaligned because of a pot hole. I got my car literally a matter of months ago from a proper dealership where it was checked etc before I purchased it hence my pursual of the council. Times are tough I have enough expenses with paying for the car for the next 3 years and if the council are prepared to leave a very dangerous pot hole in the road weeks after it was reported with no warnings or signs, then they are 100% liable in my mind. I don't think I have the motor legal extra as i simply couldn't afford it when renewing. It seems to me that the honest motorist once again gets hit with additional costs for doing nothing wrong! I had absolutely no choice but to drive through this massive crator as there was a car coming the other way and we would have had a smash. Ironically the car on the other side was also swerving for a dangerous pot hole.

I appreciate I could have paid £95 and got it done privately, but I don't think the DVLA would have been too pleased when it came for retaxing my car and I send them a letter saying sorry but £95 of your £120 went on repairing my alignment because of the pot hole in the road so I am a little short.

chanz4

If your dealing with zurick, prepare for a fight, as there isnt always a right for payout google pothole clims