Reviewed and approved by Samuel Corso, licensed Texas insurance agent.

Does car insurance cover pothole damage in Texas?

Often yes, if you carry collision coverage. If your policy is liability-only, there usually isn't anything on it that pays to repair your own car.

Most people get stuck on the second question, not the first. The claim is usually small, the deductible comes off first, and a bent wheel or knocked-out alignment can cost less than the deductible. So "is it covered?" often turns into "is it worth filing?"

Here's what we'll cover: which coverage usually pays and why, what the deductible does to the check, damage limited to a tire or wheel, what the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) tells drivers to do, whether a claim can affect your premium, and what to do in the first hour.

Which coverage usually pays

Texas auto policies split damage to your own car between two coverages, and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) defines them separately.

Collision coverage "pays to repair or replace your car after an accident." TDI's glossary adds that it "pays for damage to your car without regard to who caused an accident."

Comprehensive (other than collision) coverage "pays if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, flood, vandalism or something other than a collision."

Hitting a pothole means your car strikes the road surface, so by those definitions pothole damage generally sits with collision. The "without regard to who caused an accident" part matters too. There's no other driver to blame after a pothole, so collision coverage is usually the part of your policy that can pay.

Comprehensive covers a different kind of road damage. TDI's list of what most policies cover includes "Damage to your car because of fire, hail, theft, flood, flying gravel, or hitting an animal (if you have comprehensive coverage)." A rock thrown up into your windshield is the flying-gravel case. Dropping a wheel into a hole in the road is usually treated as a collision. How your insurer classifies a specific loss depends on your policy wording and the facts, so if you're unsure, ask your agent.

Do you have collision coverage?

The state minimum doesn't include it. TDI: "Texas law requires you to have at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for property damage. This is called 30/60/25 coverage." That liability coverage pays for damage you do to other people. It doesn't pay to fix your own car, and a pothole has no other driver.

Beyond the required coverages, TDI says: "You can choose whether to buy the others."

If your car is financed, you probably have it. TDI: "If you still owe money on your car, your lender will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage." An older, paid-off car may have dropped it.

Your declarations page will tell you. TDI: "The first page of your policy is the declaration page. It has a summary of your policy, including your coverages, dollar limits, and deductibles." Look for a collision line and the deductible next to it. Our guide on what car insurance is required in Texas covers the minimum in more detail.

What the deductible does to the check

A collision claim carries a deductible. TDI: "You must pay a deductible for collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims. A deductible is the amount of a claim that you must pay yourself."

TDI's own worked example happens to use collision: "if you have a $1,500 collision claim and your policy has a $500 collision deductible, the insurance company will deduct $500 from your claim amount and pay you $1,000."

That's why a small pothole claim often isn't worth filing. TDI's claim advice: "get repair estimates. If the cost of repairs is about the same or less than your deductible, you may decide it's not worth filing a claim."

Get the estimate before you call it in. Pothole damage isn't always visible from outside the car, and bent suspension parts or a damaged wheel can cost more than the tire you can see.

Damage limited to a tire or wheel

This is where "is it covered?" gets hardest to answer in general. Policies differ in how they handle damage limited to a tire or wheel, as opposed to damage that also reaches the suspension, steering, or body. It's worth asking your agent before you file:

• How does my policy handle damage limited to a tire or wheel?
• Would bent suspension or alignment damage from the same impact be handled as a collision claim?
• What's my collision deductible, and would the whole repair be above it?

If the only damage is one tire, the repair may well cost less than your collision deductible anyway. Then the coverage question doesn't come up.

Two optional coverages can help while you sort it out:

• Towing and labor. TDI: this coverage "pays to tow your car if it can't be driven. It also pays for labor to change a flat tire or jump-start your battery."
• Rental reimbursement. TDI: it "pays for you to rent a car if yours is stolen or being repaired after an accident. Some policies also pay for taxis or ride-hailing services."

Both have caps. TDI: "towing and labor, and rental coverages have dollar limits. This is the most the company will pay, even if the cost is higher."

What TxDOT tells drivers

TxDOT has its own page on pavement-condition claims. For vehicle damage from highway conditions, its advice is: "If desired, you should contact your insurance company, and report the incident of property damage to them."

That makes your own policy the practical starting point. Whether a city, county, or the state will pay for anything is a question for that government body, not for an insurance guide. This page covers what your own coverage does.

Reporting the pothole itself is a separate step, and it's worth doing so the next driver doesn't hit it. TxDOT's Report an issue form has a "Road needs repair" option for roads TxDOT maintains. TxDOT notes: "For immediate hazards like a mattress, ladder, or other dangerous debris on the road, call 911. This form is not monitored 24/7." If the pothole is on a city street, your city's public works department or 311 line is usually the place to report it.

Will a pothole claim raise your premium?

It can. TDI: "your home and auto premiums can go up if you file claims. You could also lose any discounts you're getting for being claim free." TDI also notes that "Auto companies can raise your premium if you've had accidents or gotten traffic tickets." How a company treats a single-car pothole claim at renewal varies by company, so it's a fair question to ask your agent before you file.

Claims history also follows you between insurers. TDI: "Most insurance companies get a report from the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) to learn your claims history. Because most companies use CLUE, they can learn about home or auto claims you've filed, even if the claim was with another insurance company." Our guide on do car insurance claims follow you in Texas explains how that works.

This is one more reason to compare the repair estimate with your deductible first. A claim that pays out only a little more than the deductible can still show up in your claims history.

What to do in the first hour

• Get somewhere safe. If the car isn't safe to drive (a flat, a bent wheel, a warning light, or it pulls hard to one side), stop where you can and call for a tow rather than driving on it.
• Photograph the damage and the pothole, if you can do it safely. TDI's accident advice includes "Also get pictures of street signs and road angles." A photo of the hole with a street sign or mile marker in the frame is useful later.
• Write down the location: road, direction, nearest cross street, exit, or mile marker, plus the date and time.
• Get a repair estimate before filing, and compare it with your collision deductible.
• If you file, don't wait. TDI: "Tell your company about the accident as soon as possible. Most companies have deadlines for filing claims."
• Choose your shop. TDI: "Your insurance company might give you a list of body shops, but you can take your car to any shop you choose."
• Report the pothole to TxDOT or your city so it gets fixed.

Our guide on how a car insurance claim works in Texas walks through the rest of the claim process.

What to do with this

• Check your declarations page for collision coverage. No collision usually means no coverage for pothole damage to your own car.
• Note your collision deductible. It comes off the check, and it decides whether small claims are worth filing.
• Look for towing and rental reimbursement. Both are optional, and both help most when the car can't be driven.
• After a hit, get an estimate first, then decide whether to file.
• Report the pothole so it gets repaired.

Key facts

• Collision is usually the coverage. TDI: collision "pays to repair or replace your car after an accident" and "pays for damage to your car without regard to who caused an accident."
• Comprehensive covers other road damage. TDI lists "flying gravel" among comprehensive losses; a pothole impact generally falls under collision.
• The minimum doesn't include it. TDI describes the minimum as "30/60/25 coverage" and says of the other coverages, "You can choose whether to buy the others."
• Lenders usually require it. TDI: "If you still owe money on your car, your lender will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage."
• The deductible comes first. TDI: on "a $1,500 collision claim" with "a $500 collision deductible," the company pays "$1,000."
• Small claims may not be worth it. TDI: "If the cost of repairs is about the same or less than your deductible, you may decide it's not worth filing a claim."
• TxDOT's advice. For vehicle damage from highway conditions: "contact your insurance company, and report the incident of property damage to them."
• Premiums can rise. TDI: "your home and auto premiums can go up if you file claims."
• TDI's Help Line is 800-252-3439.

Sources: Texas Department of Insurance — Auto insurance guide (CB020), FAQ: Auto insurance, claims, coverage issues, and more, Auto insurance glossary, Were you in a wreck? Tips for auto insurance claims, Will my premium go up if I file a claim?; Texas Department of Transportation — Pavement condition claim resolution process, Report an issue. TDI's Help Line is 800-252-3439. Coverages, limits, deductibles, and exclusions vary by company and by policy; your own policy wording governs. This page is general information, not legal advice. For a question about your own policy, read the policy, ask your agent, or contact the Texas Department of Insurance.

Take the next step

Most people find out whether they carry collision coverage right after the hit, standing next to a car with a flat tire.

You can check in a minute now instead. On your declarations page, look for a collision line, the deductible next to it, and whether towing and rental reimbursement are listed. If the deductible is higher than you could comfortably pay tomorrow, or collision isn't there at all, you can change that before the next pothole.

Credify is a licensed insurance agency in Texas. We compare quotes from multiple licensed Texas carriers in one short form, with no obligation. Each insurer is solely responsible for its own products. If you're reviewing the rest of your auto coverage, how to compare auto insurance in Texas is the guide to read next. 📞 Talk to Credify 24/7.