£20 Million in Pothole Pay‑offs
Drivers in Northern Ireland have been handed back a hefty bag of cash – over £20 million in road‑claim settlements over the last five years. A total of 19,999 public‑liability claims, mainly for potholes and raw road surfaces, came in between April 2020 and March 2025, costing Stormont a cool £20.6 million.
2024/25 – The Numbers Don’t Lie
- Total settled by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) – £5.1 million, a whopping 2.5× the £2 million paid out five years earlier.
- Only 14 % of the 4,696 claims last year were personal‑injury cases, yet they racked up about 76 % of the payout (£3.9 million).
- Vehicle‑damage claims hit £1.1 million, up 15 % from 2023/24.
- Property damage jumped 97 % to £122 k.
Where the Potholes Cost the Most
Belfast North tops the list with £692 k in claims, followed by Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon (West) at £580 k. The lightest spots are Causeway Coast & Glens (West) at £39 k and Derry City & Strabane close behind at £41 k.
Beyond the Money – Legal & Medical Bills
Adding the £12.1 million spent on legal costs and accident medical fees, the overall cost of road claims since 2020 climbs to a staggering £32.7 million.
Potholes Still the King of Chaos
Five‑eighths of all DfI claims last year were for potholes, a nightmare our cars nightly. A recent survey by CompareNI.com revealed that 91 % of Northern Irish drivers report pothole trouble in their area, and 96 % think repairs aren’t getting done fast enough.
Top Claim Hot‑Spots
- Largest: Lisburn & Castlereagh with 540 pothole claims.
- Lowest: Causeway Coast & Glens (West) with just 54.
Ian Wilson, Managing Director at CompareNI.com, says:
“Potholes are like that terrible cliché in movies – they keep showing up no matter how hard you try to avoid them. They can chew up your suspension, mess with steering, and throw a wrench in your tyre life. Not to mention the risk of serious accidents. If your insurance covers pothole damage, remember it could dent your no‑claims bonus, potentially raising your premium. Parts and labour have gone up, so repairs often eclipse your policy’s excess. In that case, an insurance claim makes sense. And if you’re hit by a pothole, do as the Department for Infrastructure recommends: document the damage, snap photos, and keep measurements. That’s your best evidence when filing a claim.”
How to Dodge Pothole Ouches
Life hacks:
- Keep those tyres on the right pressure.
- Avoid puddles; they hide the danger.
- Check navigation apps for “road trouble” alerts.
- If a small dent shows up, fix it fast to stop it from becoming a monster.
CompareNI.com helps hundreds of thousands of drivers each year snag savings on car insurance, and even niche products like taxi, van, and bicycle coverage.
Want the latest on this? Subscribe to get real‑time updates right on your device.
