Having Your Vehicle Towed After an Accident: What Are You Options?
It can be a startling experience to be involved in a traffic accident. Naturally you should firstly ensure that you (or anyone else travelling in your vehicle) did not receive any injuries in the accident. And of course, you need to work out what to do with your vehicle. It might be the case that some towing companies will show up at the scene of the accident and offer to tow your vehicle. This is certainly an option, but there are a few other choices that might be preferable.
Your Insurance Company
You need to contact your insurance company immediately—at the scene of the accident if possible. Use your smartphone to look up their after hours emergency contact details. Under the terms of your policy your vehicle might need to be towed to a repair centre that has been authorised by your insurance provider. In a best case scenario, your insurance provider can even arrange for this to happen, contacting a towing company on your behalf. You don't want to be in a situation where your vehicle is towed to a repair centre that does not meet the terms of your policy.
A Preferred Repair Centre
Perhaps the damage is minor (although still sufficient to warrant a tow) and you do not wish to make an insurance claim. You are still entitled to contact a towing company of your choosing and have them take the vehicle to a repair centre of your choosing. You do not have to authorise your vehicle to be towed to a repair centre that has been recommended by a towing company that might have showed up at the scene of the accident.
Without a Preferred Repair Centre
However, if you do not have a preferred repair centre and you do not need a centre that has been authorised by your insurance provider, then by all means, you can take the recommendation of a towing company that might have showed up at the scene. Your vehicle will still be towed and repaired, although it will simply be taken to a place that you are unfamiliar with.
It's important to know that your vehicle cannot be towed unless you sign a towing authorisation (although the police can do this on your behalf in the case of a severe accident), and so you should not feel pressured into signing anything unless you are sure that this is the best option for you.
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