Potholes are an absolute nightmare for any driver - and the costs of repairing any damage can spiral into hundreds of pounds.
If you hit a crack or a pothole in the road, the process of filling in a claim form can seem daunting or confusing.
The ECHO asked Liverpool Council how many drivers in the city claimed to the local authority for pothole damage last year.
In a Freedom of Information request submitted to the Council, the ECHO also asked how much the authority paid out on these settlements.
It shows that between January and October 2019, Liverpool Council received 186 pothole claims.
The number of these claims that were settled is not specified in the response, but the council's response revealed £10,697.48 was paid out to drivers.
More claims were submitted in February and March than any other months of the year, with 47 claims each in 2019.
The council received 14 claims across September and October, but none of these claims resulted in a payment to drivers.
February 2019 was the most expensive month for the council in pothole compensation payments, with £3,938.78 paid out to drivers.
Mayor Joe Anderson has previously told drivers that any legitimate claims for pothole damage to their cars will be paid out , despite the council’s ongoing financial challenges.
The city leader said in a meeting in April 2018 that motorists do not need to take legal action against the council for damages as they will pay out for all fair claims.
But how do you claim against the city council for such damage and how do you know when a claim is appropriate?
This is everything you need to know about car damage council claims from the team at MoneySavingExpert.
A pothole is a road defect that causes an immediate risk or hazard - but drivers need to be able to prove the pothole is responsible for the damage.
The money advice site says: "To claim for the damage, you'll have to prove the pothole caused it – that the repairs you're having to shell out for were specifically caused by your impact with the pothole. Your mechanic should be able to put this in writing for you.
"If your vehicle already had a problem, and the pothole made it worse, you can still claim but you won't get the full repair costs back."
When it comes to finding who to claim against, the site advises: "Different authorities are responsible for maintaining certain types of road, so you'll need to check who to contact.
"To find out what road you're on, first check the road name on a map or sat-nav. If you're still stuck, you can contact Highways England for help.
"When you call up the relevant company, ask if claim forms can be sent to you, or if you can download them online."
The guidance says: "If your vehicle's been damaged and you believe the authorities haven't maintained the roads properly, how much you can claim for generally depends on the extent of the damage.
"Typically, car damage claims tend to be around £300-£500. Some drivers who've claimed have successfully recouped the entire amount – in other cases, they've won part of the cost."
To find out more, you can visit MoneySavingExpert's dedicated guide to claiming pothole damage here.
