Your time is valuable, and we have new options available. Our customers can access their policies online to make self-service changes via HUB MyAccount, or contact us via alternate methods here.

Skip navigation

Pothole Season is Here, So Drive Carefully

March 28th, 2016  |  Auto

With fluctuating temperatures this winter, you can be sure to expect a bumpy drive this spring. Now repair shop owners can confirm that they’re seeing more business than usual thanks to pothole related damages.

According to Huffington Post, Ben Lalonde, president of My AutoPro service centres in Ottawa said that “It's probably the worst year I've seen in the last 10 to 15 years.”

Jack Bayramian of Decarie Garage in Montreal says that pothole damage makes up about 30% of his annual revenue.

If you’ve already damaged your vehicle this spring, you can file a claim with your city for damages. However, due to the extensive volume of claims and limited funds available, very few people get paid. Only then, the amount usually isn’t very much. Municipal governments are struggling to keep up with filling the holes themselves and there’s only so much money they allocate to the problem.

Since most pothole damage costs $300 - $500 to repair, most people are left paying out of pocket as auto insurance deductibles are typically higher, especially if you want to save money on your premiums. Even if the damage is slight, filing that claim will likely result in more money lost for you in the long run.

Most people don’t bother reporting pothole damage to their insurance company unless it’s really bad.

There’s no tally for how much Canadians spend every year on repairing pothole damage, but in the U.S. it’s an average of US$3 billion.