The UK's largest car insurance firm, Admiral, reported a 40% increase in pothole insurance claims in a year. They received a record 1,324 claims for car damage due to potholes in 2023, up from 946 in 2022.
Admiral's previous record year for potholes was 2018, with 1,057 claims, primarily due to the 'Beast from the East' storm damaging roads. The average pothole claim payout also rose by almost a third in 2023 compared to 2022, from £2,378 to £3,070.
The insurance firm attributed the increase to modern vehicles being more complicated to repair, and therefore more expensive. They also mentioned that pothole pay-outs were rising due to the overall increase in vehicle repair costs. Need an insurance quote? - https://www.regit.cars/insurance
Admiral warned that the UK's roads were likely to see more potholes emerging after recent bad weather, such as Storm Henk and the January cold snap.
Adam Gavin, head of claims at Admiral, emphasised, "Potholes are more than just an inconvenience; they can also cause costly damage to your vehicle." He noted that January, February, and March are the worst times of the year for pothole claims, with "more than a third of claims we receive made over this period, as road surfaces become unsettled by freezing temperatures and thaws."
The AA also reported that 2023 is set to be one of its worst-ever years for pothole call-outs. The breakdown assistance firm attended 48,994 callouts in August 2023 to vehicles stranded due to faults caused by potholes—a 13% rise from the same month in 2022.