Quick Answer: Your collision coverage deductible typically applies to accident towing costs, but roadside assistance coverage may pay for towing without a deductible. Check your policy details immediately. Some insurers waive the deductible for total loss vehicles or cover towing separately under different policy sections.
What To Do
Call your insurance company first before authorizing any towing. Get claim number and towing authorization.
Ask the adjuster specifically if towing falls under collision coverage (has deductible) or roadside assistance (usually no deductible). These are separate coverage buckets and the difference matters. Roadside assistance is often a small add-on, sometimes as little as $5-10 per year on your premium, and it pays towing costs directly with no deductible regardless of fault.
Request towing to your preferred shop if the vehicle is driveable. Insurance must allow reasonable choice of repair facility. If the insurer tries to route you to a preferred shop you don’t want, you can push back. You have the right to choose your own repairer in most states.
Get written estimate from tow operator before authorizing service. Accident scenes create urgency, but prices vary wildly. Hook fees alone range from $50 to $150 before the per-mile charge even starts. Don’t let urgency pressure you into signing a blank authorization.
Keep all receipts including towing, storage, and cleanup fees. Submit everything to your insurer for reimbursement. Insurers sometimes miss secondary charges like winching fees or after-hours dispatch surcharges unless you specifically document and submit them.
Ask about storage fees at the towing yard. These add up daily and may not be fully covered. Many policies cap storage reimbursement at a set daily amount, typically $25-40 per day, which may be less than what the yard actually charges.
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What It Might Cost
Most accident towing runs $100-300 for local distances. Your deductible applies to the entire claim, not just towing. If your deductible is $500 and total repairs are $3,000, you pay $500 total, not $500 plus towing costs. Towing is folded into the overall claim amount, so it rarely increases your out-of-pocket cost once you’ve hit the deductible.
The exception is if the damage is so minor that the entire repair bill, including towing, comes in under your deductible. In that case you pay everything yourself. For example, if towing costs $175 and repairs total $400, and your deductible is $500, you absorb the full $575 with no insurer contribution.
Storage fees typically run $20-50 per day. Get your vehicle out quickly or ask your insurer about preferred storage facilities with better rates. After 3-4 days, storage alone can outpace the towing charge. Some yards charge a gate fee on top of the daily rate when you retrieve the vehicle, so ask upfront about all fees before you leave the car there.
If your car is declared a total loss, the towing and storage situation changes. Many insurers handle storage differently once a total loss determination is made, and they will often negotiate directly with the yard. Push your adjuster to move quickly on the total loss assessment to stop the storage clock.
Common Questions
Q: Does towing after an accident count as a separate claim that raises my rates? A: Towing is usually part of your collision claim, not a standalone claim, so it doesn’t add a separate incident to your record. Your rate impact, if any, comes from the collision claim itself, not from the towing charge within it.
Q: What if the other driver was at fault? Do I still pay a deductible for towing? A: If the other driver is clearly at fault and their liability coverage pays out, you should recover towing costs from their insurer with no deductible on your end. If you go through your own collision coverage first to move faster, you can often get your deductible refunded once fault is settled through subrogation.
Q: Can I refuse the tow truck called by police and wait for my own? A: Yes, in most cases you can. If the vehicle is not blocking traffic or creating a hazard, you can ask the officer for a short window to call your insurer or a preferred company. Police-dispatched tow trucks are legitimate but often more expensive, and you have no obligation to use them if the situation is not an immediate safety issue.
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Stay Safe
- Never argue with tow operators about insurance coverage at accident scenes
- Get tow truck license numbers and company information for your records
- Take photos of vehicle position before towing if safely possible
- Ask police for incident report number to provide your insurance company
- Don’t sign blank authorization forms, even under pressure
Need roadside help? Visit Tow With The Flow for real answers when your car breaks down.