What To Do If Your Car Hits a Pothole

Call me back

×

Did you know?

You can make changes to your policy, download documents, update personal details, and more through the online dashboard.

Log in to dashboard

×

Speak to us

0861 60 01 20
Our customer care agents are ready to assist you.

OR

Let us call you back Continue Call Back Request

×

Thank you, we will call you shortly.

An agent will give you a call within 24 hours.

Please call me back

Please enter a name.

Name contains invalid characters.

Please enter a contact number.

Please enter a valid contact number.

Please enter a valid email address.

{{SelectedReason ? SelectedReason : 'Why are we calling you?'}}

{{reason.name}}

Please select a reason.

Select date and time

{{SelectedDate ? SelectedDate : 'On which day should we call you?'}}

{{date.name}}

Please select a suitable date.

{{(CurrentCallbackTimeSlots.length !== 0 && !callbackTimeslot) || SelectedDate == null ? 'What time of the day is best for you?' : (CurrentCallbackTimeSlots.length === 0 && SelectedDate !== null) ? 'Timeslots not available for today' : SelectedTimeRange}}

{{time.name}}

Please select a suitable time.

Please call me back

Select time slot

{{t.name}}

Thank you

Thank you for submitting your contact information, we will contact you soon!

Thank you for your interest {{Callmeback.Fullname}}
A consultant will call you on the {{displayDate.getDate() + '' + DaySuffix(formatDate(callbackDate).getDate())}} of {{months[displayDate.getMonth()]}} {{displayDate.getFullYear()}} at {{TimeToMeridiem(TimeSlot)}} A consultant will contact you soon!

Knowledge Hub

Insurance

What to do if your car hits a pothole

5 min read

What to do if your car hits a pothole

Insurance May 29, 2019 By Budget Insurance

What to do if your car hits a pothole

Insurance May 29, 2019 By Budget Insurance

One of the major irritations for motorists on South African roads is the dreaded pothole. Roads across the country are covered in them and for many, there is no way to avoid coming up against some on a daily basis. Pothole damage to your vehicle can be expensive and time-consuming to fix, so here are a few things to consider:

How to avoid potholes:

Always be on the lookout for new road potholes, especially if you drive the same route every day. Make a note of where they are situated.
Avoid driving too fast, so you can avoid them by carefully swerving around them.
Keep a gap between yourself and the vehicle in front. If they swerve or brake suddenly due to a pothole, you don’t want to risk hitting them.

What to check for after hitting a pothole:

Pull over when it’s safe to do so and do a quick scan of your car:

A burst tyre is a common result of hitting a pothole. Even if it doesn’t blow, it may still have suffered damage.
Check wheel rims for dents.
Check the undercarriage for any damage, which could cause leaking fluids or rust.

Whilst driving, look out for these signs of damage:

You may feel your steering wheel ‘pull’, which could be an indication that your wheels are no longer correctly aligned.
If your car feels like it’s swaying or out of control, especially on the turns, you may have damaged the suspension.
The exhaust may start to make strange noises after hitting a pothole.

What to do if you detect damage:

Take a photo of the pothole and any damage caused.
Phone your insurance company to request information about cover for pothole damage.
You can report a pothole to [email protected].

While potholes may be a constant on South African roads, you can make sure you are sufficiently covered for any damage with Tyre and Rim guard, which allows you to claim for accidental damage to your vehicle’s tyres and rims.

The information contained in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.

For an affordable insurance quote, click here.