Is Towing Covered By Insurance?

In hopes that you are asking this question prior to urgently needing to know, there are three investigations you should execute to make sure that you will be covered in a traffic towing situation. When this service is needed, it is needed; there is no other option for getting your car to safety, and you do not want to find yourself watching your car being pulled away as you wonder how much of your extra cash is about to be wisped from your wallet.

If you drive a new car, you may be in luck. You were probably told at signing by your car salesman, but it may have slipped your mind. After all, one of the reasons consumers like to keep newer cars is to avoid break down situations that require the service. However, most new car warranties come with a roadside assistance policy. The number to call in the situation is probably printed on a back window somewhere in your vehicle or inside the owner's manual, but if you cannot find the number, call your dealer. He should be able to tell you if you are covered and where to call if the service is needed.

Why would you need roadside assistance such as towing when you are in a brand new car? Flat tires, shattered windshields, or fluke breakdowns do not discriminate old from new vehicles, so investigate the possibility before the situation presents itself.

If you do drive a vehicle that is under a warranty that includes roadside assistance there is no reason to carry the extra service on your regular car insurance. In the event of an accident that will be covered by insurance anyway, towing will be included as a needed service, but as a roadside assistance service, you do not need it in your policy until your new car warranty runs out. This could save you a few dollars a month, so it is worth checking out.

You need to understand the difference in roadside assistance and accident insurance to truly understand what kinds of clauses you need on your policy. A vehicle crash that will normally be covered by your insurance or an offending driver's insurance will not tap into a roadside policy. If towing is needed to remove a car from traffic or the onset of further danger, then the bill will be picked up as a part of your accident insurance. It is situations such a flat tires, shattered windows, blown engines, dead batteries, etc. that will not be covered by regular insurance, but will still require towing service. This is when a roadside policy will come into play. If and when your new car warranty runs out, make haste to add a policy to your existing insurance. The small increase in premium is worth the peace of mind.