Less than 10% of compensation paid for potholes

Reviewed by: Greg Wilson
Founder & Insurance Expert

Written by: Katie Gawley
Insurance Content Writer

Fact-checked by: Quotezone Editorial Team

This content follows our Editorial Guidelines

Last Updated: 13 January 2026
Read time: 5 min

Motorists in England applied for more than £10 million in pothole compensation damage from county councils during 2024/25, yet less than 10% of those claims were paid out. 

Research from car insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk, using data gathered from Freedom of Information Requests (FOI) from 13 county councils across England in Q4 2025, shows a large sum of unsuccessful claims – as 92% of drivers say the council compensation process needs to be made easier.*

Although the total number of reported potholes has decreased across the county councils – with 233,047 reports being made between April 2024 and March 2025, compared to a reported 276,932 in the previous 12 months – thousands of drivers applied to their local council for help with repair bills for their pothole damaged vehicles. 

In December 2024 the government announced a record £1.6 billion investment to fill potholes and repair roads in 2025 to 2026, while also encouraging the public to help by reporting potholes in their area.**

Despite this investment, a recent survey conducted by Quotezone found that 73% of drivers believed potholes in their area had gotten worse over the past 12 months, with 95% saying they should be able to claim compensation from their local council for damages.***

From the data gathered across the county council areas from April 2024 – March 2025, nearly 10,000 drivers applied for £10.2 million in compensation from local county councils, with only £666,712 successfully approved for payment – that’s just 6% receiving funds to help with repairs.

If motorists hit a pothole and damage their vehicle, they have two main options for compensation, they can either claim off their car insurance or they can claim against their local council or road authority.

The latter requires strong and detailed evidence to make a successful claim, such as the specific location, date and time of the incident, photographs of the pothole and the damage to the vehicle, preferably time stamped and receipts or several quotations for repairs to be made.

Drivers will also need to keep any broken parts of the vehicle in case further inspection is required. Additional information can also be helpful, such as a witness to the incident. Note, some councils may say the pothole needs to be a certain width or depth before compensation is considered.

Commenting on the data, Quotezone CEO and car insurance expert Greg Wilson said: “Despite record government investment to fix the UK’s pothole problem, a recent Quotezone survey shows the public feel more needs to be done.

“Potholes can be a double-edged sword for motorists, claiming for vehicle repairs off the car insurance policy will likely risk the driver’s no claims bonus, potentially making future premiums more expensive, and our research suggests it can be a challenge to get compensation from local councils and road authorities.  

“Councils are under immense pressure but that doesn’t change the reality for drivers with costly damage. A clearer, more transparent claims process would go a long way in restoring trust and ensuring motorists aren’t unfairly left out of pocket – with 95% of drivers saying they should be able to claim off their local council.*”

It’s important for drivers to contact their insurance provider even if they don’t wish to make a claim and it needs to be done quickly, failure to notify the insurer could cause problems if a claim is needed further down the line.

As a price comparison site, Quotezone can help drivers find savings on all sorts of motoring products, such as car, fleet and van insurance.

References:

*Quotezone.co.uk’s findings are based on a randomised survey of 1,000 respondents across the UK during December 2025, which represents a margin of error of approximately 5% at a 95% confidence level.

**https://www.gov.uk/government/news/seven-million-more-potholes-to-be-filled-next-year-as-public-urged-to-report-roads-in-need-of-repair

***Quotezone.co.uk’s findings are based on a randomised survey of 1,000 respondents across the UK during October 2025, which represents a margin of error of approximately 5% at a 95% confidence level.

All 21 English county councils were asked for the data via an FOI request, 13 responded within the timeframe with the full requested information.

Additional Information – From the various county councils:

 These figures refer to vehicle damage only. Results are based on the date the claim was notified to the council. These figures may include multiple reports for the same pothole defect.

Please note the initial estimate figure for compensation is the reserve allocated to the claim when it is received. The estimate will be based on any invoice or quote received from the claimant or based on the handlers best estimate in the absence of supporting documentation. 

The initial estimate figure is the anticipated cost of the claim regardless of whether it has since been settled, repudiated or still ongoing. 

This article is intended as generic information only and is not intended to apply to anybody’s specific circumstances, demands or needs. The views expressed are not intended to provide any financial service or to give any recommendation or advice. Products and services are only mentioned for illustrative rather than promotional purposes.