Boston Towing After an Accident: Questions for Your Insurer

After a collision, your insurer can tell you what your own policy says about towing, and the tow company can tell you where the car will sit and how that is charged. Ask both before the vehicle is hooked up, once everyone is out of danger. One answer does not stand in for the other, so keep them separate in your notes.

The call to your insurer

Policies differ, and the wording of yours is what counts. Some include roadside or towing terms, some make them an optional add-on, and some tie them to a claim. Rather than guessing, ask a representative to explain your own document in plain terms. For a broader look at the idea, see our general piece on insurance and towing.

Have these questions ready:

• Does my policy contain towing or roadside terms, and do they apply when the cause is a collision?
• Is there a cap, a per-event limit, or a distance limit I should know about?
• Do I pay the tow company first and submit a receipt, or can the insurer arrange payment directly?
• Does the insurer prefer a particular shop, yard or tow company, and is that preference a requirement or only a suggestion?
• Does opening a claim change how towing and storage are handled?
• Who do I call if the vehicle moves to a second location?

Write down the representative's name, the date, and any reference number. If something sounds surprising, ask for it in writing or check the policy wording yourself.

Questions for the tow company

A tow after a crash is different from a simple breakdown. Bent suspension, a jammed wheel or leaking fluid can change which equipment makes sense. Describe the damage honestly and let the dispatcher decide whether the car needs a flatbed or another approach. Do not assume the method; ask.

• What will the quote include, and what could be added later, such as winching, extra labor or waiting time?
• Is the amount for the hookup and transport only, or does it include a drop fee at the destination?
• Who will be on scene, and how will I confirm that the arriving truck is the one I called?
• What form of payment is accepted, and will I get an itemized receipt?
• Can the driver photograph the car when it is loaded and again when it is unloaded?

Mention anything that affects loading: a locked steering column, wheels that will not turn, an electric or all-wheel-drive car, low ground clearance, or personal items inside. Say plainly if the car is blocking a lane. Do not try to move a damaged car yourself to make it easier.

Choosing where the car goes

Three destinations tend to come up: a body shop, a storage yard, or your home. Each carries a different bill and a different next step, so decide with the insurer's answer in hand when you can. If you do not yet know which repair shop you want, ask the insurer whether a short stay at a yard is acceptable and how storage is treated under your claim.

Confirm the destination before the truck leaves. An address on a shop's website is not proof that the shop will accept the car, so phone the receiving place and ask:

• Will you take the car today, and is anyone there to sign for it?
• Is there a lot or a locked gate, and how does after-hours drop-off work?
• Is there a storage charge, when does it begin, and who do I contact to retrieve belongings?
• Will you need the insurer's claim details before starting an estimate?

Whether you or the insurer has the final say over the destination can depend on the situation and your policy, so ask rather than assume. If a police report or another party's insurer is involved, tell your own insurer where the car ended up.

Paperwork worth keeping

A small folder, paper or phone, saves repeated phone calls later. Keep the following together:

• The tow company's name, the driver's name, and the truck description or plate if visible
• The pickup spot and the drop-off address
• Time stamps from the call, the arrival and the unloading
• Photos of the car taken before it was moved, if you can take them safely
• The itemized receipt and any gate or storage paperwork
• Your insurer's claim number and the name of whoever you spoke to

Anything left in the vehicle should be noted in writing. Ask the destination how and when you can collect it.

If you are calling from the Boston side of the map

Boston is the city this site is written for, but the operator listed for it, Tito's repair shop and towing, has Somerville, MA as its listed base. That is useful to know before you phone. Ask where the truck would start from and what arrival estimate the dispatcher can give for your pickup spot; this article cannot tell you, and a listing is not a promise of speed or coverage.

The service-area list also names Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy and Dorchester among others. Appearing on a list does not mean a truck is stationed there, so if your crash happened in one of those places, say the exact cross streets and ask whether they can reach you. The Somerville page is a place to read how the business describes its home area.

Another good question for this operator: the listing shows a repair shop connected to the towing business. Ask whether they would estimate damage on a car delivered to them, and whether you are free to send the car somewhere else instead. Treat their answer as information to compare with your insurer's, not a replacement for it.

When you are ready to call

Gather your location, the vehicle type, what the damage looks like, whether the wheels turn, and the destination you have in mind. Then use the contact page to reach the business and run through the questions above. Take notes as you go, and compare them with what your insurer told you. If two answers disagree, ask the insurer again before you agree to pay or sign anything.