Quick Answer: Often yes, but it depends on which coverage you carry. Collision coverage typically pays for towing your own car after a crash, even when you’re at fault, and a roadside assistance add-on may cover a basic tow too. Liability coverage does not pay for your car at all. Check your policy for collision, towing and labor, and roadside add-ons. If you’re unsure, pay the tow and file the receipt.
Does Fault Change Whether My Insurance Covers the Tow?
No. Being at fault doesn’t cancel towing coverage. What matters is which coverages are on your policy, not who caused the crash.
Here’s how each one treats a tow after an accident you caused:
- Collision coverage: Pays to repair your car after a crash regardless of fault, and towing from the scene is generally treated as part of that claim. You pay your deductible on the repair, not a separate fee for the tow.
- Roadside assistance or towing and labor add-on: Pays for a tow up to a set distance or dollar limit. Some insurers cap it at a modest amount, so a long tow can leave you with a balance.
- Liability only: Covers damage and injuries you cause to other people. It pays nothing toward your own vehicle or your own tow.
- Comprehensive: Covers theft, hail, fire, and similar. It generally does not apply to a crash you caused.
If you have liability only, expect to pay for the tow yourself.
What Do I Do at the Scene Before Worrying About the Tow?
Get safe first, then deal with the car. If anyone is hurt or the cars are blocking traffic, call 911 before anything else.
- Turn on hazards and move the car out of live lanes if it still drives and no one is injured.
- Call 911 for injuries, fluid spills, or a blocked road. A police report also helps your claim later.
- Photograph both vehicles, plates, the road, and any debris before anything is moved.
- Call your insurer’s claims line (the number is on your insurance card or app) and tell them you need a tow.
Don’t admit fault to the other driver at the scene. Stick to facts and exchange insurance information.
Will My Insurer Arrange the Tow or Do I Pay Up Front?
Your insurer may dispatch a tow, but many drivers end up paying at the scene and getting reimbursed. Ask on the claims call whether they’ll send a preferred provider or want you to use the tow already on scene.
Police sometimes call a rotation tow company to clear a wrecked car off a highway. You’re allowed to ask where the car is being taken and what the rate is before it’s hooked. If you pay out of pocket, get an itemized receipt showing hookup, mileage, and any storage. Insurers reimburse covered tows against receipts.
The mistake that costs people money: letting the car sit at the tow yard. Storage fees stack daily, and your insurer may not cover charges that pile up from delay. Call your claims adjuster the same day and get the car moved to your chosen shop.
If it’s a 2 a.m. crash on the interstate, our guide on [what to do when your car breaks down on an interstate at night](/car-broke-down
Photo: Pexels
-on-interstate-at-night-what-to-do/) covers staying safe while you wait.
What Will the Tow Cost Me Out of Pocket If I’m Not Covered?
A local tow typically runs roughly $75 to $200, and accident recovery costs more when the car needs winching, flatbed loading, or highway clearing. Rates vary a lot by city. For a sense of local pricing, see towing costs in Houston or what a tow runs in New York City.
Extra charges to watch for on an accident tow:
- Winching or recovery if the car is off the road or in a ditch
- Flatbed required for all-wheel drive or heavily damaged cars
- Daily storage once the car reaches the yard
- After-hours or gate-release fees to retrieve belongings
Ask for the total in writing before the driver leaves the scene.
Does Using Insurance for the Tow Raise My Rates?
A tow alone rarely moves your rate. The at-fault accident does. A roadside assistance tow is usually not treated as a claim, but a collision claim for an at-fault crash commonly affects your premium at renewal.
If damage is minor and the repair would land near your deductible, you might pay out of pocket and skip the claim. Ask your agent that question before you file, not after. If your tow is the only cost and your add-on covers it, using roadside assistance typically won’t hit your record the way a collision claim does. For how often those add-ons can be used, see GEICO roadside assistance usage limits.
Photo: Pexels
Common Questions
Q: Does collision coverage pay for towing after an accident I caused? A: Usually, yes. Collision pays for damage to your car regardless of fault, and towing from the crash site is generally handled as part of that claim. Confirm the details with your insurer, since policy wording varies.
Q: What if I only have liability insurance? A: Liability covers the other party’s damage and injuries, not your car or your tow. You’ll pay for your own towing unless you have a separate roadside assistance membership like AAA.
Q: Will my insurance pay for towing if my car isn’t drivable but wasn’t in a crash? A: Only if you have a roadside assistance or towing and labor add-on. Collision doesn’t apply without a crash, so a breakdown tow comes out of your pocket or your add-on.
Q: Can I choose which tow company hauls my car after a wreck? A: Generally yes, unless police order a rotation tow to clear a hazard. Ask where it’s going and what it costs before it’s hooked, and tell your insurer promptly.
Q: Who pays for the tow if the other driver caused it? A: The at-fault driver’s liability insurance should cover your tow as part of the damages, but claims can take time. You may need to pay first and seek reimbursement, so keep every receipt.
Need roadside help? Visit Tow With The Flow for real answers when your car breaks down.