This year again, melting snow offers a view of the grave condition roads and streets are in that is typical of spring. Larger and smaller potholes, stripped asphalt, pieces of aggregate picked up from the road surface that are tossed by the wheels of vehicles into the windscreens of oncoming vehicles. When combined with occasional ice and blizzard, very unpleasant conditions for car driving are created. Due to these reasons, vehicle owners submit to BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS (hereinafter – BTA) every day of the week by 82% more claims on average for damage caused to vehicles, compared to previous weeks.

The most often indicated damage is cracks in front windscreens that are formed due to stones tossed by the wheels of oncoming vehicles. Dozens of accidents have been caused by icy roads and blizzards that reduce visibility. Due to these factors, drivers were not able to control their vehicles and they slid into ditches or did not manage to stop at an intersection and crashed into the vehicle standing in front of them.

A relatively large number of claims has been received regarding torn‑off protective parts from the bottom of a vehicle when driving into heaps of snow, as well as regarding damage caused by snow removal machinery to vehicles in parking lots. They had their sides scraped, doors dented, or handles torn off. Losses to vehicle owners have been caused by even insufficiently secured yard and garage gates, which, at the moment of driving through them, were blown into the sides of vehicles by gusts of wind.

Likewise, there is an increase in the number of claims regarding punctured tyres and deformed disks when driving into potholes. Potholes concealed beneath puddles pose a particular danger, since they are not immediately noticeable and a part of drivers cannot even manage to react and reduce speed in front of puddles.

«No one is fully protected from icing of the road, potholes, and pieces of flying aggregate; however, every driver can take the necessary steps so that there would be as small losses as possible. One can endure intense blizzards in parking lots or drive so slowly that it would be possible to react to a traffic situation in conditions of poor visibility. Knowing that every spring season hefty potholes are formed on our roads, it would be wise to slow down in front of puddles and cross them more slowly, thus reducing the risk of puncturing tyres. Driving more slowly and keeping a larger distance will also reduce the risk of tossing pieces of aggregate. If you still happen to encounter troubles, we recommend immediately contacting your insurer who will consult you on what to do; moreover, CASCO policy with a broad insurance cover will reduce financial losses,» as options for actions suggested by BTA Insurance Claims Handling Department Director Kārlis Liepiņš.

About BTA
BTA Baltic Insurance Company is one of the leading insurance companies in the Baltics, offering the broadest range of non-life insurance services in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. BTA employs more than 1,000 employees in the Baltics. The sole shareholder of BTA is Vienna Insurance Group AG (VIG), the leading insurance group both in Austria and in the entire Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. Around 50 insurance companies in 30 countries form a Group with a long-standing tradition, strong brands and close customer relations. The more than 25,000 employees in the VIG take care of the day-to-day needs of more than 22 million customers. VIG shares have been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1994. The VIG Group has an A+ rating with stable outlook by the internationally recognised rating agency Standard & Poor's. VIG cooperates closely with the Erste Group, the largest retail bank in Central and Eastern Europe.

Additional information:
Elīna Zvejniece
Marketing and Public Relations Department Director
BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS
e-mail elina.zvejniece@bta.lv
phone: +371 66936074, mobile: +371 29374827