It’s an unpleasant experience when you can’t locate your parked car. It starts with wondering if you parked in some other place. Then you wonder if it has been stolen. And if neither of those are true, you may suddenly realize that it has been towed.
Do You Know Why Your Car Was Towed?
A towed car may be a surprise. For instance, if you look around and notice No Parking, Construction Zone, or Fire Lane signs that you just didn’t see when you parked. Or, maybe you inadvertently blocked someone’s driveway or parked on private property. These mistakes happen. Unfortunately, they turn into a real hassle if your car is towed.
A towed car may not be a surprise in some cases and may be even more painful because it means the law has caught up with you. Having driving license or registration violations, such as a suspension or expired registration, will mean a trip to the motor vehicle department. If your car is towed because of having excessive parking tickets, this will mean a trip to traffic court also.
Now What?
The first thing to do is to call the police to make sure your car was towed and not stolen. The police will likely have the towing information or will be able to point you in the right direction, such as to the impound lot.
Next, clear up any legal issues. If you have outstanding fines, pay them. If you need to reinstate your license, do it. You will not be able to remove your car from the impound lot until you are all clear on any outstanding tickets, fines or suspensions.
Once this is done, call or go to the impound lot. You’ll have to pay fees, which include the towing charge plus an amount per mile the vehicle is towed and perhaps a flatbed fee or boot removal fee. There will also be a charge for vehicle storage, and finally, a release fee to get your car out. It’s not cheap!
Auto Insurance and Towing
Unfortunately, your car insurance towing coverage does not cover towing that was not initiated by you. For instance, if your car breaks down and you call the towing service, you’ll likely be covered. But, if your car is towed because you have too many parking tickets, you likely won’t be covered.
Sometimes cars are damaged during the towing or storage. In this case, you can file a claim with your auto insurance company. If you have collision coverage on your car, this will likely help you pay for the damage. Of course, you will have to pay your deductible first.
While auto insurance may not help you get out of a legal jam that results in your car being towed, towing insurance can help you defray costs if you need a tow. Use the fast and easy InsuranceWins form to find out what coverage is right for you.
