If your car broke down or you got a flat tire, now might not be the best time to figure out how your towing or roadside assistance coverage works on your insurance.
But, just in case you are. Here are some useful facts about the towing coverage on your auto insurance policy.
Towing Coverage
Towing coverage or roadside assistance is a great coverage you can add to your auto insurance policy when you carry Physical Damage Coverage.
Now, not all auto insurance policies are treated equally and each insurance carrier will have different coverage limits or ways you can collect or use the coverage.
Most auto insurance companies will give you roadside assistance or towing coverage based on the following methods
- Number of miles
- Dollar figure reimbursement amount
If your auto insurance policy includes towing coverage for a specific amount of miles, then that is the farthest your policy will pay to tow your vehicle.
This could start at up 15 miles or go as high as 100 miles per tow.
If your policy covers you for a certain dollar amount, that is the most that the insurance company will pay, you will be responsible for the difference. These limits could be $50-$100 per assistance.
Who should I call for a tow?
Unlike roadside assistance through your vehicle loan or a program like triple AAA, auto insurance towing coverage can differ not only on the amount but also on how to activate it.
Insurance companies will either pay you back using a reimbursement program which puts the responsibility on you, the consumer, to contact and dispatch a local towing company. Or the insurance company will require you to call their towing assistance number in which they will dispatch their preferred vendors.
If the insurance company dispatches the towing company, they will also take care of the invoice, leaving less responsibility to you.
What should I do next?
Hopefully, you are not on the side of the road trying to figure out this coverage and you are reading this to prepare yourself in case something happens.
If that is the case, discuss with your insurance agent to verify the type of coverage you have. Whether it is a reimbursement program or an actual 800 number you need to call. If that is the case make sure you have the 800 number in your car and ready for use.
If you don’t have an insurance agent or want a review of your insurance then click the button below to schedule a review with one of our trusted insurance advisors.
