Between 2021 and 2025, 3,016 compensation claims were filed in Flanders over damage caused by poor road conditions, according to figures provided by Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder in response to a question from Brecht Warnez.
The Agency for Roads and Traffic paid out a total of €2,359,231.07 in compensation over the period. However, compensation was awarded in only about one in three cases.
The highest number of claims was recorded in 2024, when 772 were submitted. Antwerp accounted for the most, with 309 claims, followed by Flemish Brabant with 130 and West Flanders with 128.
In 2025, the total fell again to 539 claims.
Warnez said the 2024 peak requires closer examination. He said more claims point to more road damage, which comes at a cost, and questioned whether the agency’s catch-up effort is progressing quickly enough to prevent further damage.
The minister’s reply shows that potholes and subsidence were the main causes cited in successful claims.
Warnez called for greater prevention. He said repairing a pothole in time costs society far less than processing a damage claim months later, and argued for sufficient maintenance funding, faster detection and shorter repair times.
