With Moose Jaw well into the 2022 pothole season, SGI says that they have seen a significant uptick in motorists submitting claims for vehicle damage from the road cavities.  

SGI Spokesperson, Tyler McMurchy says as of the end of May, pothole claims have been through the roof provincially and locally here in Moose Jaw.  

“We have seen 246 claims and that is essentially more than we’ve seen the previous two years combined,” says McMurchy. “2020 and 2021 to the end of May we only saw 241 claims altogether.” 

“For Moose Jaw we’ve seen a similar pattern. We’ve seen 13 claims from 2022 to the end of May. In 2021 there were only five claims and in 2020 there were six to the end of May, we again have seen a substantial increase in claims of that type,” adds McMurchy. 

SGI does not have a specific category for potholes, but they do have a category called roadbed collisions of which potholes are a part. 

If one does collide with a pothole resulting in damage to your vehicle, McMurchy says that incident would be covered by SGI, with the exception of a flat or damaged tire. 

“If there’s damage to, for example, the body of your car or the suspension, you will have coverage there.” 

If the motorist has standard plate coverage, then a deductible would have to be paid by the motorist for the damage to be repaired. If the motorist has a package policy, then the deductible will be lower for the repair.  

Submitting a claim for pothole damage is the same process as a regular collision. Motorists can submit the claim via SGI’s Auto eClaim, visit a claims centre, or call SGI. Information such as your driver's license number, vehicle registration, and Autopac policy number will need to be provided to submit your claim.  

Following the pothole collision, the motorist will have two years to submit their claim, but McMurchy recommends doing so as soon as possible.  

In Moose Jaw, those that wish to report a dangerous or problematic pothole can do so via the City of Moose Jaw App. Residents will then go to the Request for Service section to report a pothole. The app is available on Android and Apple app stores. The requests of service app allows residents to report any issues straight from their phone and covers all areas of the city from potholes to outdoor rinks to playgrounds. 

To prevent your car from being the next victim of a pothole, McMurchy shared some ways to keep an eye out for them.  

“The key is to be able to see that pothole well before you encounter it with your vehicle. Don’t tailgate so leave a lot of room in front of you, remain undistracted, and just watch your speed and make sure you’re traveling at the speed that would allow you to avoid that pothole.” 

McMurchy’s last note was to avoid violent swerving when dodging potholes, as that may put the driver into oncoming traffic and a possible collision.