Generally, it’s normal for you to be in shock when involved in a road accident. You might be frustrated, traffic banking up behind you, and all you want is getting your vehicle off the road and getting out of there. Then in a twinkle of an eye, boom, a tow truck driver arrives to help move your car, and you felt so calmed you could about hug them. So do you jump at the first third party tow truck driver to arrive on the scene and trust that they’ll take care of the whole mess? You probably don’t want to. Read along as we’ll talk you through what to do in this situation.
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Why You Should Not Engage With Third-Party Tow Truck Services
Most third party tow truck drivers take advantage of your state of mind after an accident. They get you to sign dubious documentation while you’re stressed out and drain you from towing service. More so, some of these dubious contracts also contain mostly unpleasant terms, like forcing you into using a particular repairer who’ll charge you inflated fees for repairs or storage. This is because these third party tow truck drivers get a commission of the repair cost from the repairer workshop. Furthermore, on some occasions, they even add more damage to your car to increase the repair cost. In turn, they get a higher commission from the panel workshop.
Why Should I Bother, My Insurer Will Pay For The Bills?
Yes, you may think why should I care, since my car insurance company will pay for the damage. However, what you don’t know is–the charges might be above what your insurer covers under your policy. In this situation, you might be left to foot the bill.
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So What Should I Do?
No matter how frazzled or frustrated you are when you are involved in an accident; you need to stay calm and do the following.
- Call your insurance company: Before you hurriedly do anything funny or sign any document, you need to call your insurance company to assist for help. They will have an authorized towing truck for you and inform you what to expect.
- Reread your cover: Towing policy varies from insurance company to another, and you may not be covered for towing. It’s a good idea to study your product disclosure statement to check your coverage limits.
- Don’t just sign: You should never sign a blank or incomplete towing authority form. Be sure it contains the full address of where the car is being towed to that is the panel workshop and the towing fee.
- It’s your decision: You get to choose where your car is towed to.
- Take your time: You might want to take some time to reconsider your options; in that case, get the car towed to your home. That way, you won’t be charged storage fees, although you might end up paying for two tows, which is worth it if you carefully take the best decision.
While you might think it is safe to use third party tow truck drivers, well, it’s always not. If you have a crash, we recommend you call your car insurance company as soon as possible and let them organize the tow. That is your best option.
