What To Do If Auto Insurance Doesn't Cover Towing

Once the adrenaline from being in a car accident ebbs away and you've exchanged insurance information with the other driver, one of your practical concerns will be getting your vehicle towed to your home or an auto body shop if it's not in a drivable condition. However, this may be challenging to do if towing is not included with your insurance policy and you don't have the cash to pay for it out of pocket. Here are a couple of options available to you in this situation.

Check for Roadside Assistance is Offered by Other Services

Many companies in a wide variety of industries offer roadside service as a benefit or a feature that can be added on to an account. For example, many cell phone providers offer roadside assistance plans for a monthly fee that is usually tacked onto the telephone bill. It may be possible that you signed up for this plan and forgot about it or it's something offered for free by a company you do business with.

Take a moment to check your accounts to see if this is a benefit available to you. For instance, many major credit cards offer roadside assistance. Depending on the type of card you have, the service may be free or you may have to pay a reduced fee. Even the reduced fee option can still be beneficial, however, as towing at the regular rates can be anywhere from $200 to $400 or more based on the circumstances.

Have the Tow Company Hold the Vehicle

Another option is to have the towing company take the vehicle to its storage lot until you can get the money together to pay the bill. While many towing companies are happy to do this for you, be aware that they do charge a fee for this service. Towing companies can charge between $50 and $80 per day, which adds up quickly even if payday is only a few days away. Having your car or truck in storage may also make it difficult for the insurance adjuster to inspect your vehicle to determine how much you'll get to repair or replace it, so you may want to use this option as a last resort.

However, if the other driver was at fault for the accident, you can usually submit a claim to that person's insurance provider for the amount you paid for towing and storage and the company will typically include the amount in any settlement payment it offers you.

There may be other options available for paying the cost of getting your vehicle towed after an accident. Talk to the towing company, such as EMERGENCY TOWING, for assistance.  

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