7 Safety Tips While Choosing a Towing Agency In California

  • Home
  • /
  • Blog
  • /
  • 7 Safety Tips While Choosing a Towing Agency In California

7 Safety Tips While Choosing a Towing Agency In California

Choosing a Towing Agency

A towing service can be a matter of great help when your vehicle has suddenly broken down or has met with an accident. But there are some towing agencies that follow illegal towing practices in California to gain huge amounts of money from vehicle owners. A lot of people have reported such cases where the towing firm has charged them an excessive towing fees in exchange for their towing services. If you are a vehicle owner, then it is your responsibility to be aware of such malpractices and to exercise some precautionary measures to avoid such incidents.

Here is a list of the most effective tips on how to outsmart towing company to avoid unlawful towing practices.

1. Don’t Accept Unsolicited Help from a Towing Service

Usually, the towing service comes to help when you or someone close to you has called them and asked for assistance. If you ever come across a towing service that comes out of nowhere and asks for your insurance details and other personal information, then don’t give away such details immediately. Sudden help in an emergency situation may lure you to utilize it, but try to learn more about the towing service provider before allowing them to tow your vehicle. You can ask as many questions as you want until you are sure of the legitimacy of the business and the quality of the services offered.

2. Call Your Insurance Agent For Help

In most cities, the towing service is called by the police, so you need not worry in that case. If the police fail to call the towing agency for help, then the best way to seek assistance is by calling your insurance agent. The agents have a good network and can refer you to the best and most reliable towing service provider in the area. Since the service provider has been recommended by your insurance agent, you can rely on their services completely.

Car Insurance agent

 

3. Never Share Your Insurance Details

Always remember that a genuine towing agency will never ask for your insurance details. If the towing personnel ask for your insurance details, then it should tell you that it is a predatory towing company. Your insurer already knows every detail relating to your insurance policy, so there is no need of the towing personnel to ask you the same. A lot of people have been trapped into this scam, as they ended up sharing all their confidential insurance details with the unethical towing companies in California, USA.

4. Get Everything Documented

Before you proceed with using the towing services, make sure you have everything in writing. This is one thing that the unscrupulous service providers always fear but the genuine ones won’t mind putting everything down in writing. When you decide to get the service contract in writing, the terms of service and payment become legally enforceable. You can always stay safe by getting the terms and conditions written before you allow a person to tow your vehicle. This will save you from unnecessary hassles at a later stage.

Documented

5. Know the Towing Destination

Always insist on knowing the final towing destination, as the amount of towing fees charged will be in accordance with the total number of miles towed. To make unethical gains from you, some towing agencies may take your vehicle to a repair shop of their choice, where you will be charged an unnecessarily high amount for the vehicular repair. Your insurance policy allows you to take your car at any repair shop you want unless your car manufacturer or insurance clause specifically recommends a particular repair business. If the towing service provider refuses to disclose the destination point, then you should not avail his services.

Towing Destination

6. Call the Police for Safety

Some cases have been reported where the tow-man refused to leave and forcefully towed the vehicle against the wishes of the owner. If you get the slightest of hint that the agency is not genuine, just ask them to leave. If he still insists on towing your vehicle and refuses to leave, then you should immediately call the police. Precaution is always better for safety and long term well-being.

Police for Safety

7. Take Collision Coverage

The collision coverage is an insurance policy that covers all the expenses related to repairs, towing, and storage even if you were found guilty of having caused the accident. By buying higher collision coverage, you can easily drive your expensive car without the fear of ending up with huge repair or towing expenses, in case of an accident.

Collision Coverage

Conclusion

You can always follow any additional safety tips that you deem fit, but make sure that you take note of all the above-mentioned tips for your own benefit. With vehicle towing scams becoming more common in recent times, it is your responsibility to take the necessary precautionary measures. Finding the perfect insurance policy for your vehicle is also a good option to choose as most car insurance policies cover the towing and related expenses. If you ever get stuck with your vehicle on a highway, then instead of hurrying and ending up with the unlawful towing in California, keep calm and follow the above-mentioned tips before handing your car over to any agency. Your patience will surely keep you safe from towing scams and other fraudulent practices.

0 0 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
32 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Hector Uva
5 years ago

Thanks for the tips on choosing the right towing company for your safety and for your needs. I agree that you should be looking for a company that your insurance recommends and trusts as well. It’s probably a lot easier to have a towing company picked out before an emergency occurs so you have one less thing to worry about.

Taylor Anderson
5 years ago

My father’s car is having problems starting, so he needs to get it towed to the mechanic’s place. I like how you mentioned that he should make sure the towing company understands where they will be towing the truck. Another great tip I’ve heard is to check out their business on the BBB, as this will help you see their reviews and credentials.

Millie Hue
5 years ago

It really helped when you said that the insurance companies have a good network of companies just like towing services, so it would be better to ask recommendations from them. I will definitely do this even before I experience any problems. I just think that it is possible for my car to break down anywhere due to being a used vehicle and ten years of age already. Thanks!

Cherry Bosch
5 years ago

I like how helpful this article is beacuse of it’s information

Bethany Birchridge
5 years ago

My little brother’s car is rather old, so he may need to his car towed in the future. It was helpful when you mentioned that he shouldn’t share his insurance details with the towing service, as genuine towing companies will not ask for those details. These tips could help my brother find a great towing service, so thank you for sharing them.

Arya Smith
5 years ago

Thanks for explaining that having everything in writing will assure you that the process will be done legally. I will keep that in mind if ever I would need the help of a towing company. My vehicle would probably need that in the future because it is already over 10 years old. My mom passed down that car to me that is why it is old and might have issues someday.

garypuntman
5 years ago

I agree that before you hire a towing company, you need to determine where they will be towing your vehicle to. That will influence the amount they will charge as well, like you said. It will also make things go quicker if they know where they will be going.

Amy Winters
5 years ago

I like your suggestion to get everything in writing before having your car towed to save yourself hassle down the road. My husband and I recently moved to a new area, and I want to find a towing service to use so we can call on them quickly in case of emergency. I didn’t realize the importance of documenting the details, so thanks for sharing that advice!

Ridley
5 years ago

It’s good to know more about choosing a towing service. I like how you said that everything needs to be documented and in writing. If we hire a good company to help us tow our car, they won’t have a problem offering everything in writing. That’ll just be a chance for them to prove their reliability.

Derek Dewitt
5 years ago

I like your point about knowing the final tow destination and price before committing to a towing company. I think it’s always important to get a quote from these companies. This usually helps me narrow down my choices and know they are trustworthy.

Taylor Bishop
5 years ago

Thanks for explaining some advice for finding a towing company. I’m glad that you mentioned you should always know what the final towing destination will be, because the towing fees charged are affected by the total number of miles towed. That said, perhaps it could be good to know if the towing location is near where you need it to be, especially if you don’t want to travel far to get your car back.

Quinne Elliot
5 years ago

I might be going on a road trip this summer, as I need to return all the extra stuff that my relatives decided to drop on me as an “inheritance” after my grandma died. However, I’m worried about what to do if my car breaks down of I get into an accident. I love how you mentioned that if I do break down, I should call my insurance agent for help, as they have the network to find a great towing service in the area. Thanks so much for all the great tips on how to get safely towed.

Kate Welling
5 years ago

You mentioned that when we choose a towing company, we should be sure to know the towing destination. I can see how this would make everyone’s life easier! I’ve never needed a tow, but I’ll keep these tips in mind in case I ever do.

Hazel Owens
5 years ago

That’s good to know that the number of miles you have your car towed will determine the fees. My son’s car wouldn’t start this morning and still won’t, so I’m looking to have it towed to get repaired. I’ll have to find a towing service and an auto shop that are nearby so they won’t have to drive a lot of miles to have my son’s car towed.

Mark Murphy
5 years ago

I really appreciate your tip to ask as many questions as you can before you hire a towing company so you can get a good idea of the quality of their service. My wife and I have been thinking of getting our son a towing service that he can have on call since he likes to go on long road trips and we don’t want him to get stranded. Before we chose a towing service, I will be sure to ask them enough questions to know their quality!

Sariah Meagle
5 years ago

In case I am in an emergency, I will be sure to call my insurance agent to know which towing company to call. I’ll be sure to keep my insurance details to myself so that they will just charge me a fair amount. If possible, I’ll try to get everything documented so that the insurance company will know what’s wrong with my car.

Hazel Owens
5 years ago

Thanks for the tip to get everything in writing so you can make sure that you have the terms of service and payment written. This is helpful since I think we have to have my son’s car towed since we can’t get it to start. We’ll have to find a towing company that will give us everything in writing so we’ll know how much it’ll cost to tow it to a mechanic.

Sariah Meagle
5 years ago

In case I need towing from a long distance, I’ll be sure to call my insurance company to help to find a good towing service that I can trust. I am grateful that you mentioned that I shouldn’t share my towing information for my own safety as well. I believe I should get everything documented as well so that I’m aware of the charges I’ll pay for.

Millie Hue
4 years ago

I like that you suggested reading the terms and conditions first before anything else to ensure that we will have no hassles in the procedure. I will follow your advice now that I need their services since our truck got stuck in the muddy area of the farm. Plus the accelerator also has a problem now that is why we can’t just let it run to its fullest. This will assure us that we get the service we deserve and expect from them.

Arya Smith
4 years ago

Thanks for pointing out that we must choose a towing company that is allowed by your insurance provider. I think that is really helpful so that we will be assured that the fees will be covered. I will follow your advice now that we need their services for my car that is stuck in our farm due to the muddy area when it rained.

Taylor Bishop
4 years ago

Thanks for explaining how you can pick a good towing agency. It’s good to know that you should try to get the service contract in writing. It sounds important to also go over all the details in the contract and ask any questions so you understand the terms to the fullest.

Angela Waterford
4 years ago

Thanks for the advice that I should not take up unsolicited help from any towing companies. When I call one, I’ll be sure to get everything documented as well so that I can keep up with the costs and be aware of it. I think it would be advisable for me to know the towing destination so that I’ll be safe and be able to protect myself in case I’m not.

Eli Richardson
4 years ago

It’s great that you highlighted to always learn more about the towing service before giving away any personal information. I’m glad you informed so many great tips in this article about towing services. Next time I come across a towing service asks me for my insurance card out of nowhere I’ll ask as many questions possible just like you are suggesting.

Daphne Gilpin
4 years ago

Thanks for explaining that we should choose a towing company who gets everything documented. I need to find a 24 hour towing service to use. Your article helped me know what features to look for in a good towing service.

Stefan Bradley
4 years ago

It’s good that you mentioned how you should have your towing destination in mind when hiring a service. My uncle needs help towing his old truck this summer. I’ll let him know that he should consider his destination prior to calling a towing service.

Jane Burt
4 years ago

I appreciate how the article explains that before you hire a towing agency, you should make sure to get everything in writing so you can stay safe. We are needing to hire commercial towing services but we want to make sure that we know the terms and conditions of using the company. We will make sure to get everything in writing first.

Eli Richardson
4 years ago

It was explained here to document everything before calling a towing service. It makes sense you would want to do this to get the terms and conditions written before towing your vehicle. I would consider this info if I’m ever in a situation of needing a towing service.

Randy Chorvack
4 years ago

I love that you said to get everything documented. This will protect you and help if you want to file a personal injury case. My wife’s car just broke down, so she’s looking for towing services. I’ll make sure to tell her what I learned so that she can stay safe.

Vivian Black
4 years ago

I love your tip about getting everything documented and making sure that all of the things you have are legally enforceable and you stay safe with what you are paying for. My husband got into an accident recently and we had to pay a high price for his car to get towed from the site. We will keep these tips in mind when searching for a professional service.

Ron Booker
4 years ago

I appreciate the tip about getting everything in writing before having your vehicle towed to save yourself hassle down the road. My cousin’s car broke down, and he needs to call a towing company to take his car to a mechanic. These tips could help my cousin find a great towing service, so thank you for sharing them.

Shaylee Packer
4 years ago

As you mentioned, it is a good idea to know the towing destination so you know where you can go pick up your car later. It is also good to know the fees upfront, and if your car insurance will cover the cost of the tow. I will have to keep this in mind, if I ever need these services in the future.

Eli Richardson
3 years ago

I’m glad you mentioned it’s important to get everything written down when dealing with a towing service. The other day, my sister’s car broke down while she was getting to her job, and I had to pick her up. She needs to get the car towed as soon as possible because it’s her only way to move around the city, so she needs to find a reliable service for it. I’ll be sure to tell her what you mentioned about being extra careful when choosing one. I appreciate your tips on what to consider before and during hiring a towing… Read more »

Popular Posts

I have a my Towing Services Account.

Forgot your password?

Remember me

New to Towing Services

Please register to continue.

With your my Towing Services account, you can:

Forgot Password?

Enter your email address to reset your account.