1. Have your broker or insurer on speed dial
Always call him/her/them first to ensure that you know which towers are approved and which aren’t.
Insist that the towing company first receives permission before touching your car – some service providers will say that they are affiliated with certain insurers when they aren't and then go on to charge you exorbitant fees.
2. Make sure you have recourse if something goes wrong
If a car is towed by an approved service provider your insurer can assist in the event of something going missing, such as a car battery or spare wheel or if your car gets scratched. If not, it could be difficult to hold the company involved accountable.
3. Be careful what you sign for…
When signing over your car to a towing company know what you are signing for – some charge a rental cost per day or there may be other costs of which you are not aware or that your insurance company may not cover.
4.Save money…
Towing is the first aspect in managing the life cycle of a car’s repairs – for example, if it is towed to the wrong place or ends up with the wrong panel-beaters it could make things tricky down the line.
In addition, using an unapproved service provider could compound the average cost of a claim – there could be storage, security and release fees etc, meaning your premiums could eventually increase unnecessarily.
By following the correct procedure, up to 40% or even more could be shaved off your claim.
5.Choose the right insurer
Some insurers have incident managers to oversee towing and other related activities on behalf of the organisation.
This will ensure that your towing experience is pleasant, cost-effective and efficient.
Follow Women24 on Twitter and like us on Facebook.