Derry ranks lowest of all Council regions for pothole and public liability claim payouts
Motorists in Derry & Strabane ranked lowest across the North in terms of payouts for pothole and other public liability claims in Northern Ireland over the past year.
The data is contained in a new report accompanying a survey by car insurance experts at CompareNI.com, which found that 91% of drivers in the north have issues with potholes in their area, and 96% of respondents saying they weren’t being fixed quickly enough.
Figures show that in 2024/25, the value of claims settled by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) amounted to £5.1m - more than double the amount paid out five years ago (£2m).
While personal injury claims made up just 14% of the 4,696 claims received last year, they accounted for about 76% of the total compensation awarded (£3.9m).
Meanwhile, vehicle damage compensation last year amounted to £1.1m, a rise of 15% on 2023/24. A further £122,000 was awarded in property damage – a year-on-year increase of 97%.
Belfast North was the most expensive area in terms of compensation last year at £692,000 followed by Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon (West) at £580k.
Only a fraction of that £5msum however was paid out to claimants in Derry & Strabane at £41,283, by far the lowest of any Council area in Northern Ireland.
Over the past five years meanwhile there have been almost 20,000 public liability claims between April 2020 and the end of March 2025, costing Stormont £20.6m in payouts.
In addition to the £20.6m in compensation over five years, the NI Executive spent a further £12.1m on various legal costs and medical fees, taking the total cost of road claims since 2020 to £32.7m.
Since Stormont got back up and running last year the Department of Infrastructure has rolled out a programme of works to try and address widespread road defects and potholes on public roads, but the scale of the problem has meant road users in various areas are still experiencing issues.
Ian Wilson, Managing Director of CompareNI.com said: “Potholes are consistently one of the biggest bugbears for drivers, leading to costly repair bills for thousands of motorists in Northern Ireland every year.
“Not only can potholes and other road defects cause serious damage to vehicles, including to suspension, steering alignment and tyres, but they also increase the risk of serious accidents and injuries.
“While standard fully comprehensive car insurance should cover pothole damage, it is worth remembering that making a claim though your provider could see you lose your no claims bonus, potentially increasing the cost of your premium.
“However, pothole damage to vehicles is becoming more expensive due to the increased costs of parts and labour, meaning the repair bill will typically be higher than the excess on the insurance policy – in which case, drivers may look to their insurance for help.
“Drivers who experience damage from potholes can also contact the Department for Infrastructure and seek compensation, but they will need proof the damage came from a pothole, so it is important to take photographs and measurements to use as evidence in the claim.”