Insurance covers towing only if your policy includes it. A roadside assistance add-on usually pays for a breakdown tow, and collision coverage typically handles a tow after a crash. Liability-only policies generally pay nothing. Without coverage, Boston-area tows typically run $50 to $125 in published local rates, so check your policy first.
Which part of my policy pays for a tow?
It depends on why the car is being towed. A dead battery, flat tire or mechanical failure falls under roadside assistance, which is an optional add-on or a separate membership rather than a standard feature. A tow after a collision is normally a claim under collision coverage, with towing treated as part of the loss.
Liability-only policies pay for damage you cause to other people, not for moving your own car. If that is all you carry, the tow is yours to pay.
How do I find out what my policy says before the truck arrives?
Open the declarations page or the insurer's app and look for a line labelled roadside assistance, towing and labor, or emergency road service. Then check the limits. Some policies cap the tow by dollar amount or by miles, and anything past the cap is billed to you.
If you cannot find it, call the number on your insurance card. Ask whether you pay the tow company directly and get reimbursed, or whether the insurer arranges the tow itself. Those are different processes, and it is better to know which one applies before the truck is hooked up.
What if my insurance does not cover it, or I need to pay up front?
Published figures from local providers for a standard Boston-area tow typically run $50 to $125. Published figures for 50-mile tows range much wider, from $75 up to $600. Those are market numbers, not Boston Towing Service's prices. A quote is based on your vehicle and the route, so call Boston Towing Service at the number on this site and give the pickup spot and destination.
Ask for a written or texted total before the truck leaves. Keep the itemized receipt either way. It is what you submit if your insurer reimburses a covered tow, and what you keep if it does not.
- Ask whether your insurer needs to approve the tow company first.
- Photograph the vehicle and the scene before it is moved.
- Get the receipt with the pickup and drop-off addresses written on it.
Does it matter where the car is going?
Yes, for coverage limits. Boston Towing Service covers 22 communities around Boston, and a tow to a shop inside that area is a different bill from a long-distance haul. If your policy caps towing by distance, tell the dispatcher the destination up front so the quote and your cap line up.
Does car insurance cover towing after an accident?
Often yes, if you carry collision coverage, because the tow is treated as part of the loss. Liability-only policies do not pay to move your own car. Confirm with your insurer before you agree to a destination.
Does insurance cover towing for a dead battery or flat tire?
Only if you have roadside assistance on the policy or through a separate membership. Standard auto policies do not include it by default. Check your declarations page for a roadside or towing and labor line.
Will I get reimbursed if I pay the tow company myself?
Many insurers reimburse a covered tow if you send the itemized receipt, but it depends on your policy and its limits. Ask before the truck arrives, and keep the receipt showing the addresses and the total.
How much is a tow if my insurance does not cover it?
Published local rates for a standard Boston-area tow typically run $50 to $125, with long-distance tows ranging higher. Those are market figures, not a quote from Boston Towing Service. Call with your pickup spot and destination for a price.