The Shoulder
The Shoulder
66
calm-crow-587

Hit a pothole at highway speed, bent something underneath — do I even bother filing a claim?

So this happened last Tuesday and I'm still going back and forth on what to do. I was merging onto the highway in the rain and there was this absolutely massive pothole that was basically invisible because of the standing water. Hit it going maybe 55 mph and heard this awful thud/clunk combo.

The body of the car looks okay-ish — one hubcap is cracked and there's a small scuff along the wheel well — but the steering wheel now pulls hard to the right and there's a vibration I can feel through the floor when I'm above 45. Took it to a shop and they said something in the suspension or steering linkage is likely bent. Haven't gotten the full estimate yet.

Here's my problem: my deductible is $1,500 and I'm only 25. I've been on my own insurance for like two years and finally have decent rates. I'm genuinely scared that filing a claim for what might be a $1,800–$2,000 repair is going to spike my premium for the next three years and I'll end up paying more in the long run than if I just paid out of pocket.

Also — is this even something worth looking into with the city or county? The pothole was genuinely dangerous and I saw at least two other cars swerve around it after me. Would that go anywhere or is that a total waste of time?

I know nobody can make this decision for me but has anyone been in a similar spot where you had to weigh the claim vs. out-of-pocket math? What did you end up doing and did you regret it?

14replies

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14 replies

  • 21
    genuine-marten-902

    I was in almost the exact same situation about a year ago — hit debris on the highway, messed up my suspension, debated the claim forever. I ended up paying out of pocket because my shop came in just under my deductible anyway. But honestly the thing I wish I'd done first was just call my insurance company anonymously — like, not as a claim, just to ask how a hypothetical claim in that range would affect my rate. Some agents will actually tell you. Saved me a lot of guessing.

  • 13
    silent-seal-310

    Whatever you do, don't file and then withdraw the claim. A lot of people don't realize that even a claim you cancel can still show up on your CLUE report and affect your rates. Once you open that door it's hard to close it cleanly. Get your repair estimate first, compare it to your deductible, and then decide — don't just call it in the moment you're stressed about it.

    • 5
      patient-neighbor359

      Going through something similar right now. Did following up actually move the needle for you?

  • 14
    spry-elk-971

    Former adjuster here. A single not-at-fault or single-vehicle incident on an otherwise clean record usually doesn't spike rates as dramatically as people fear — but it really does depend on your specific carrier and state. Some insurers have accident forgiveness baked in if you've been with them long enough. Check your policy documents or call and ask about forgiveness programs before you assume the worst. Also, if the repair comes in close to your deductible, it is almost never worth filing. The math just doesn't work out.

    • 7
      steady-parent738

      Seconding this. The same approach worked for me last year.

  • 9
    bold-bison-330

    Get the full estimate first. Everything else is just anxiety math until you have that number in hand.

  • 19
    kind-fox-816

    On the city/county pothole angle — that's actually a real thing and worth a few minutes of your time. Most municipalities have a claims process for road hazard damage. You'd typically need to show the pothole was a known hazard (reports from other drivers help), that they had reasonable time to fix it and didn't, and document your damages. Success rates vary a lot by jurisdiction and these claims can move slowly, but if you have photos of the pothole and witness accounts of others swerving, that's a decent starting point. Not legal advice, just context on how that process generally works.

    • 3
      steady-commuter342

      Same boat here. Did anyone mention a deadline to watch out for?

    • 7
      level-overpass848

      Adding this: keep copies of every email. It mattered for me.

  • 22
    plain-fox-084

    This might sound off-topic but — did you feel any jolt through your body when you hit it? A 55 mph pothole impact can be surprisingly hard on your neck and lower back even if you don't feel it right away. Adrenaline masks a lot. If anything feels off physically in the next few days, please get it checked out before you assume it's nothing. Just mentioning it because people focus on the car and forget about themselves.

    • 15
      spry-kestrel-323

      How long ago did you buy the car and is it financed? If you have a lienholder they may have requirements about keeping the vehicle in good repair that could affect your decision. Also curious what 'pulls hard to the right' actually looks like — is it a slow drift or does it actively fight you? That changes the urgency of the repair a lot.

    • 4
      patient-commuter669

      Seconding this. The same approach worked for me last year.

  • 18
    steady-swan-227

    The fact that you're thinking this carefully at 25 about premium math and long-term costs honestly puts you ahead of most people. Whatever you decide, you're approaching it the right way. And hey — car can be fixed, you're okay, that's the main thing.

    • 2
      gentle-traveler522

      Appreciate the detailed write-up. Saving this for later.