When you’re driving down the road and hit a pothole that
results in damage to your car, did you know the state or city in which the incident
occurred could reimburse you for the damages? In fact, if it occurred on a state road the Rhode Island
Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will pay for up to $300 worth of damage,
if your claim is approved.
In order to be properly reimbursed for pothole damage you
must follow the steps below and always remember, timeliness is important.
1. Within 7 days of the incident, the registered vehicle
owner must submit a letter to RIDOT stating the exact time, date, and location
of the incident.
- The letter must be post marked or received within 7 calendar days of the incident.
2. You have up to 60 days to provide the following:
- A copy of a police report, a tow receipt or an auto club report verifying the incident
- A copy of the valid RI registration for the vehicle
- Copies of itemized, paid receipts with a proof of payment provided and the current odometer reading must be on the repair bill
If the damage occurred
on an Interstate highway, and your car was not disabled or you do not have a
tow receipt or auto club report, often times the State Police is the correct
agency from which motorists should seek a pothole incident report form.
There are no
guarantees with any claim made to RIDOT, and the pothole claim law only applies
to cars registered in Rhode Island. The pothole law is only effective for
non-residents if their vehicle is registered in a state that has a reciprocal
pothole law – meaning that such a state would afford similar protections to
Rhode Island-registered vehicles in its state.
If you decide to file a claim with your auto insurance
company, pothole damage can only be covered if you have collision insurance and
your collision deductible would apply.
If possible, take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and the
pothole, if it is safe to do so, to help process the claim.
For more information on filing a claim through your
insurance provider or with the state please call Hunter Insurance at 769-9500.
For filing claims in Massachusetts, call massDOT at 877-623-6846 or visit www.massdot.state.ma.us.
For filing claims in Connecticut, call connDOT at (860) 594-2000 or visit www.ct.gov/dot.
RIDOT Rules and Regulations for Pothole Claims
For more information on filing a claim with RIDOT visit www.dot.ri.gov/faq/claiminfo.asp
