If you’ve driven around Champaign-Urbana recently then you are well aware of the abysmal condition of the roads, and the Windsor Road pothole situation has been well documented. While we wait for repairs that may take months, know that if your car is damaged by a pothole that the chances of being reimbursed by the city is very slim. The News-Gazette reports that 62 people have asked Champaign for reimbursement due to pothole related damage in the past three years. Of those 62 incidents only three claims were paid for a total of under $1700. Urbana has received 6 damage claims so far in 2014 and have not paid on a single one.
From an insurance standpoint, filling a claim with your insurance carrier due to pothole damage is classified as a single car accident for which the driver is considered at-fault. Your collision deductible will apply before your carrier will pay out on a claim, and your premium could go up as a result of any pothole-related claim. So please, slow down and be aware of potholes! Although it is the city’s duty to keep the roads free from harm, you could be on the hook financially for their lack of upkeep!