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Roadside Assistance: What Will Insurance Cover?


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Roadside Assistance: What Will Insurance Cover?

Until an incident six months ago, I mainly considered my car insurance to be something I would use if an accident occurred. After being stranded at work with a car that wouldn't start, I learned there was more to my plan than that. There is a whole section that has to do with roadside assistance. The guy driving the tow truck asked if my insurance covered emergency calls and I said I didn't know. He asked me the name of the company and then called his boss. After a quick word with my provider, he found out that I was covered in full. If you are not sure if your car insurance covers roadside assistance, let me tell you how to find out. After going over specific clauses in the contract, I'm betting you are covered for everything from a flat tire to a dead battery.

Can't Wait For The Tow Truck To Arrive? 3 Steps You Should Take Before Leaving Your Vehicle

Most towing companies prefer that you wait with your vehicle until the tow truck arrives. While this may be the preferred way of getting things done, the fact is that it is not always possible for the vehicle owner to remain with the car until the tow truck gets there. In some instances the owner may have other obligations they need to attend to or the remaining with the vehicle may not be safe due to severe weather or a bad location. No matter what the reason is that you choose to leave your vehicle before the tow truck arrives, there are a few things that you will want to do before walking away.

Make Sure To Remove Valuables 

Most towing companies do not offer any coverage for personal items that are left inside your vehicle at the time your vehicle is towed. The same is true of most repair shops. In order to ensure you do not take a financial loss if items come up missing or damaged, it is important to remove all valuables and personal information from the vehicle before the tow truck arrives. 

Take Pictures Of Interior And Exterior

While the towing company will do everything they can to help prevent your vehicle from being damaged during the towing process, the possibility of damage occurring will always exist. In the event that damage is done to the vehicle, you will want to have documentation of the vehicle's condition before it was towed in order to assist you in filing an insurance claim. The easiest way to do this is to take pictures of both the interior and exterior of the vehicle before it is towed. Having these pictures can make a world of difference when it comes to proving that the damage occurred after the vehicle was in the towing company's possession. 

Clearly Communicate Location Of Key

The tow truck driver will require access to your vehicle in order to safely tow it. If you are unable to drop the key off directly to the towing company, you will need to leave the key with the vehicle. Using a magnetic box to hide the key on the exterior of the vehicle will allow you to lock your car doors before leaving the scene. If you do not have a magnetic hide box, you can hide the key under a floor mat or in a sun visor. Regardless of where you choose to hide the key, you will need to make sure you clearly communicate the location of this key to the towing company so that their driver is able to access the vehicle. 

Contact a towing company to learn more.