By Makenzie Crutcher on September 24, 2021 in Travel
You’ve found yourself in a pickle. When you were happily motoring to work, you heard the terrible noise of your tire popping and then releasing all its air. While this isn’t ideal, it’s not the end of the world, we promise. If you know how to do a quick tire swap and have a spare tire – you’ll be back on the road in no time. However, you might need to call Roadside Assistance or a towing company to help get you back to action.
Pro Tip: Be sure to pull your vehicle all the way off the road and avoid driving any additional miles before checking the damage.
Towing tips.
If this is the first time you’ve had your car towed, we’ll cover some basic tips about the process.
- Remove all necessities and valuables from the car. Think wallet, sunglasses, insurance card, purse, etc.
- Touchbase with your insurance provider. Depending on the situation, your insurer might have recommendations of towing companies they’ve worked with in the past or advice on how to get towing costs covered by your policy.
- Check and confirm quoted cost. If you received a quote when you called, be sure that’s the price you’re receiving! During a stressful time, it’s easy to overlook these things but don’t get sucked into extra costs.
- Re-read any paperwork before signing. The paperwork should note the location to which you’re towing the car, the price (in invoice form), and any other relevant information. Double check it’s all correct before signing and paying the company.
One last side note! Towing companies don’t JUST tow cars – although, yes, that is a service they provide. Most towing companies can remove stuck vehicles, assist with tire changes, administer jump starts, and even deliver gas!
How much does it cost to tow a car?
Now that we’ve gotten the logistics out of the way, let’s jump into the cost. Our friends at J.D. Power say, “The national average cost of a tow is around $109, but rates may vary, and you should expect to pay between $2.50 and $7.00 per mile.”
A couple of elements go into the towing price calculator:
- Base fee (varies with different companies)
- Miles towed
- Location of pickup
- State of the vehicle
- Date (holidays and weekends can increase prices)
J.D. Power lists average prices based on distance:
- 5 miles or less: $35-125
- 40 miles: $125-175
- 100 miles: up to $600
These guesstimates can help you decipher if a towing company is trying to overcharge you or give you an awesome deal. The healthy skeptic in you should be wary if a company is promising to charge you WAY less than these estimates…read the fine print on that invoice before signing and letting them take your car!
Say’s Roadside Assistance
You might be asking, “But what if we have a policy with Say?” We’re glad you brought that up. While some insurance companies offer roadside assistance as an additional option, here at Say we never want to leave you stranded. That’s why Roadside Assistance is included in every policy, up to $100 per incident.
Conclusion
If you can avoid needing a tow, you’re one lucky duck. However, now you’ll know more about the process – making you more prepared than ever!
When in doubt, your car insurance company should be able to answer any additional questions that may arise on the road. If you’re a Say customer (or thinking about becoming one), give our customer service a call at 1-800-225-5729 and they’ll be happy to answer all your questions!