OLD FORGE -- Potholes can be a pain for drivers but how much does it cost when you hit a hole and damage your car?
Driving around northeastern and central Pennsylvania is not easy these days. It's rare to find a road without a pothole this time of the year.
Tire centers and auto body shops like the business when it comes to fixing these cars but drivers say they are sick of it.
“I recently had to have all my tires rebalanced because of the shimmies.”
Elaine Kinsley took a trip to the auto body shop after hitting a few potholes in Scranton.
“$45 to have those tires rebalanced. I hope I don't need an alignment.”
Take a drive along Main Street in Old Forge and on only about a mile stretch there are12 potholes and drivers are coming by and swerving to avoid.
“That's the only way you miss the holes, driving like a drunk. It's pathetic, you know, but where do you go?” asked Nick Cappellini of Old Forge.
But if you just can't avoid bad roads and end up with some front end damage, experts say your auto insurance might cover it.
“That would be covered under your collision, minus your deductible."
Michelle Avvisato at the Joyce Insurance Group says if you file a claim your rate might go up but if the damage is under about $1,000 you should be OK.
“Especially if it's a pothole and you do damage to your tire, it's not going to cost you over $1,000 so, your rates shouldn't go up,” Avvisato said.
But Joe Neri, a manager at an auto body shop in Old Forge says most of his customers don't want to deal with the insurance companies so they just pay it themselves.
“You'll pay 300,400 bucks on some of these tires. That's why these people are paying out of pocket. Some can't even afford a new one,” Neri said.
If you run into a problem with pot holes, the insurance expert we spoke with says to check with your local insurance agent. Depending on your company and vehicle deductibles and rates can vary.