What part of my policy covers my car if I hit a pothole?

I came home from work last night and hit a big pothole. The street lights are dim in my neighborhood and I couldn't see it before it was too late. Now my insurance company is telling me that it was a collision and I have to pay my deductible. Why would this be my fault?

The resulting damage from hitting a pothole is actually considered an "At Fault" accident and would be covered under the collision portion of your policy. The reason this is the case is because insurance companies expect drivers to operate their vehicles safely and watch for hazards in the road to avoid frivolous claims. Their thought is that, "If you are paying attention while driving then you will see the road hazard and avoid it." Even if the street lights are dim, your insurance company will expect that you are driving safely enough to notice the pothole in your headlights and avoid it. Unfortunately, this is going to be considered an accident.