Are you on your way back from vacation and your vehicle suddenly breaks down? Unfortunately the repairs to be carried out are too important that they will have to be carried out in the garage, in this case towing will be the only solution. It may also happen that you want to transport your broken down car to your home and entrust the repairs to your appointed garage, in which case, it is essential to know the steps to take to benefit from a quality towing and coverage by your insurer.
Car towing, what does the insurance cover?
In most cases, towing a broken down vehicle is essential when the breakdown cannot be repaired on site, so a vehicle transport company should be used to transfer the vehicle to a nearby garage or one in your city for repairs. This decision can be made by your insurer, but you can also decide on transport in order to benefit from the services offered by your usual garage.
Thus, the transfer costs will be covered in full by the insurance, unless your contract has a deductible (intervention mileage limit). Some options in the contract can also provide you with a replacement car loan for a maximum of 7 days. Note also that if your car has broken down abroad, the insurance can cover the repatriation of the driver and passengers, which means that the company will have to pay for taxi, plane or train fares.
If necessary, the insurer also reimburses the cost of accommodation if you have to sleep overnight in a hotel. Since there are many coverage’s that may or may not be included in the contract, it is best to always check which options are mentioned in your insurance contract. To learn more about the transportation of immobilized vehicles, click here.
Transport of immobilized vehicles; what are the steps to be taken?
As the international or national road transport of a broken down vehicle is fully covered by the insurance, do not take the initiative to contact a breakdown mechanic or towing company yourself. The first thing to do as soon as the breakdown occurs is to inform your insurance company and ask for assistance in other cases the intervention of the service providers contacted will not be covered and you will not be reimbursed for the costs incurred.
You will also need to check the assistance clauses on your contract such as the mileage deductible (make sure your position does not exceed 25 or 50 km), the services offered (varying according to the duration of the immobilization: hotel expenses, plane or train ticket, etc.). The procedures are more or less the same whether it is an international or national transport. The most important thing is to be well informed about the guarantees and services included in the contract.
How to choose an international towing company?
To choose the right vehicle transport company on a platform to ensure quality work, you will have to take into account different selection criteria:
- Registration on the insurance list
- Geographical proximity
- The proposed quote then compare the prices and services with 1 or 2 other quotes
- The references and years of experience of the establishment
- The speed of the intervention, especially if the breakdown occurs at night