Pothole Insurance

Vehicles damaged by potholes covered under optional Collision Coverage car insurance

Mar 28, 2023 | 4:38 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – This time of year striking a pothole, is almost as common as seeing one. As melt water makes its way down city streets, working it’s way through cracked pavement and cement, it begins to pool up, only to freeze overnight and thaw again come morning. With that freeze / thaw cycle, the blacktop most of us take for granted, takes a real beating day after day, something city yard crews know all too well.

If you find a hole on city streets that’s cause for concern, the city’s 311 hotline is there to report it, and city crews will log the location and make the rounds to fill it in on their next patching rotation. But,the city yard only has jurisdiction over the streets of Prince George, if you’re on a Provincial highway, which are also known to house car killer potholes this time of year, it’s a bit of a different story. Either way, no matter the jurisdiction of the street, if you strike a pothole and damage your vehicle the story stays the same: the repair costs will come out of your own pocket, as neither the city nor the province can be held liable for road damage… but as Tracy Hoffman from ICBC explains, if you opted for collision coverage on your car insurance, you’ve still got the option to file an insurance claim.

In much the same vein as your windshield glass deductible, collision coverage works to offset the cost of unexpected, and believe it or not, collisions between your car, and the road itself, actually count. But the bottom line, as any insurance broker, claims agent, first responder, or mechanic will tell you, is to always to aire on the side of caution, and drive according to conditions.