Pot Hole Damage – City of San Diego Reimbursement Claim

This time of year in San Diego there are many pot holes that seem to crop up over night.  In many cases you may fall victim to one that can ruin your tires and wheels.  I have seen some cars deploy air bags if the impact is severe enough.  What you may not know is that you can file a claim with the City of San Diego to have them reimburse you for the expenses you incur as a result of a pot hole that has not been addressed.  Treat a pot hole incident as you would any other accident; follow these steps and you may be successful in getting your money back:

1.  Document the time, date and location of the incident.  Take pictures of the damage to the car, the location of the pot hole, and the surrounding area.  Notate the nearest cross street.

2. Report the pothole to the City of San Diego.  Follow this link to call it in and get the name of the representative that assists you. Keep in mind that if you are the first person to report the pot hole, the city may not honor your  claim; however it is best to report the pot hole as it shows your concern and if it was previously reported it strengthens your claim.

Report Potholes Here!

3.  Get your car repaired as soon as possible.  Keep all receipts and information that is used in order to fix any damage related to the incident.  The longer you wait after the occurence, the less likely the city will be to honor your claim.

4.  Submit your claim.  Gather all of the invoices, pictures, and the time/date and representative name that you reported the hole to, and fill out the needed forms.  Here is the link to the claim form from the City of San Diego:

Claim form from the City of San Diego

5. Follow Up!  The squeaky wheel always gets the oil, so continue to follow up on your claim.