You can file the following types of claims against the City of Providence:

• Personal injury
• Automobile or property damage
• Pothole

All claims petitions must be filed with claimants’ original signatures on the petition (no photocopied or e-mailed claims petitions).

Personal Injury Claims

Download and complete the Personal Injury Claim Form. Claimants must include information pertinent to and in support of the claim.  This information should include:

• detailed description of incident
• medical bills (forward when available)
• photos (if available)
• date/time/location of incident
• witness statements
• police reports
• any additional supportive documentation

Property Damage Claims

Download and complete the Automobile or Property Damage Claim Form.  Petitioners must submit either:

• Two estimates for the damage repair (if repair has been completed, the actual repair bill may be substituted for one of the estimates)

A detailed description of the incident must be written in the blank portion of the form, and the bottom portion of the form must be completed and signed.  If the petition is not completed in detail with a full description and signature, the submission will not be filed and will be returned to the claimant.

Pothole Claims

If a claim is specific to automobile damage related to a pothole in the City of Providence,  claims must be filed within seven days from the date of the incident as per Rhode Island General Laws, Section 24-5-13.

All claims must be filed with Office of City Clerk for proper filing at the following address:

Office of the City Clerk
Providence City Hall
25 Dorrance Street, Room 311
Providence, RI  02903

Petitioners are not required to utilize the form above, but must include the same requested information in any letter meant to serve as a petition. Filing questions may be directed to the Department of the City Clerk at (401) 680-5248. The City Clerk is responsible for accepting the filing of a claim, but has no further involvement in the process. Once a claim has been filed, it is turned over to the Law Department for handling. Please address all inquiries to the Law Department at 401-680-5333.