Wrecker Service In Greenville, SC
FAQ's
If you have been in an accident, you very likely have questions…. We have the cost common answers right here!
If you get into a collision and your vehicle is no longer safe to drive, it’s very likely that you’ll need to have it towed to a repair shop or a body shop. But before you call to have your vehicle towed, it’s important to know your rights and know what to look out for when the tow truck driver arrives. While most tow truck drivers are honest professionals, there will always be a bad apple out there, somewhere in the realm of services that try to take advantage of people who are shaken up in a stressful situation. Any person can be especially vulnerable after being involved in a collision. But here’s some good news! There are some steps you can take to avoid getting into a sticky situation before determining if or when you need to have your vehicle towed. Before you let anyone tow your car anywhere, you’ll want to always:
- Call your car insurance company first, even if it’s outside of business hours. Your insurer can tell you what to do next, advise you on reasonable towing rates or tell you the rates they are able to pay out according to your policy coverage. They can also help make sure there’s no unnecessary delay in having your car repaired by their affiliated teams. In some cases, they may even be able to arrange to have one of their preferred repair facilities pick up your damaged vehicle for you. If you can’t get in touch with your insurer right away, or choose not to use your insurance company to find a tow company for you, you can still have your vehicle towed, but keep the rest of the tips on our handy list here in mind, AND keep all receipts and documents related to your tow, as many insurance companies can reimburse you for some or even all of the expenses, depending on your policy coverage.
Determine that your vehicle actually even needs to be towed. When you’ve been in a collision, your first instinct may be to hurry and call a tow truck. But the reality is, you may be able to drive your vehicle away from the scene safely yourself. They important thing to always remember is safety! If you can answer yes to these questions, it’s likely okay to drive your own vehicle instead of getting a tow:
- Is your vehicle free of fluid leaks?
- Are your headlights and taillights still working properly?
- Are all of your mirrors intact?
- Does steering and braking feel right?
- Is your hood still able to close securely?
- Did your airbag remain intact?
If you can’t answer yes to all of these questions or you have another reason to believe your vehicle may not be safe to drive (if the airbags have deployed or there’s damage to the wheels or your rim could be damaged, as one example), it’s better to have your vehicle towed. If there’s a police officer at the scene of the collision, you can also ask them to help you determine whether your vehicle is safe to drive. Police officials are very helpful and knowledgeable in roadside situations, and their primary concern is your safety as well as the safety of the other drivers in our communities.
- Consider calling your insurance company for roadside assistance services, often drivers have coverage they are not even aware of! If you are unable to get results with them, remember to keep all receipts and documents related to your situation with your car, and often you can get your money back through your insurance company, or your roadside assistance company.
- Adequately prepare your vehicle for the actual tow! Before your vehicle is moved, take detailed photos of the damage and the collision scene — and don’t forget to include the inside of your vehicle too. You should also remove all of your personal valuables and any necessities from your car before you give access to any third party.
- Make sure the tow truck that shows up is the one you called — or, if you didn’t call it yourself, make sure it’s from a reputable company. Tow trucks and tow operators are continually out driving around, but that does not mean they are a vetted company tow operator. Sometimes tow companies lacking integrity will even try to convince you your vehicle needs to be towed when it’s still drivable. If a tow truck seems to show up at the scene too quickly, but you didn’t call it and you can’t confirm it’s from a reputable company, proceed with caution.
- Tell the driver exactly where you want or need to have your vehicle dropped off. You can either have it towed to one of your insurance company’s preferred repair facilities (which your insurance company typically arranges ahead of time) or a repair facility of your choice, or your favorite mechanic. It’s important to understand that you have the right to decide who can tow your vehicle and where you want it to be taken to — a reputable tow truck service should not insist on taking your vehicle to a specific location unless the police provide directions on where to take your car, but a reputable tow company can usually give a local recommendation if you’d like.
- Be sure to read the paperwork provided by the police as well as tow truck driver carefully and fully before you sign it or make any type of payment. The tow truck driver needs (should actually!) to provide you with an itemized invoice to review, not a blank contract or blank work order. Generally, this is simple statement; “Rollback transport 18 miles for a gray 2019 Nissan Rogue” Make sure that you’re only agreeing to pay to tow your vehicle to the location of your choice, not signing a work order or agreeing to have your vehicle repaired by a specific facility. Never sign a contract that doesn’t specifically outline what you’re paying for and where your vehicle is being towed to, and again, keep a copy of all the documents related to your vehicle to ensure your insurance company has everything they need to get you any money back that may be due to you.
- Make sure the quoted cost is reasonable. Your insurer’s claims line should be able to look into reasonable towing rates for you if you’re not sure. Depending on where you live, there may be standardized rates that tow truck drivers have to stick within those guidelines, and there may also be a maximum up-charge limit as well. You should be able to find your local tow rates on your insurance companies website if you can’t get in touch with your insurance company for guidance over the phone.
- We can’t stress this enough; keep the receipt and any paperwork provided by the tow driver or the police. You’ll likely need to provide it to your insurance company so they can reimburse you if your policy includes coverage for towing or other roadside issues.
While these tips are based on general rules that apply in most locations, towing laws and regulations vary by state, county and city even. It’s always a good idea to make yourself aware of the towing laws where you are driving around at in case you ever need to get your vehicle towed. If you have questions about your car insurance coverage or want to make sure your policy includes towing, contact your car insurance broker directly about your specific policy coverage, as the police nor the tow operator can really answer those questions.