Does My Car Insurance Cover Towing?

You’re driving on some forlorn road in the middle of nowhere. It’s dusk and you’re hungry. You can’t wait to get to your destination. Suddenly the driver behind forgoes the safe driving distance and bang! Their car hits the back of yours. That’s when you start to wonder ‘does my car insurance cover towing?’

As expected you discover your car won’t start. Your neck hurts and your stomach’s grumbling even more loudly. This is not the time to be asking whether your car insurance covers towing; it’s a time to already know it does.

And sure – Uber Eats might deliver you dinner while you’re stranded, but they can’t tow your car back to safety…

Incident verses breakdown

Whether you’re covered for towing is based on two things: The policy you choose and whether you have roadside assistance. That’s because not every incident that requires towing meets the same conditions.

For example, every car has its quirks. And no matter how new or well-serviced your car is, it can still break down. When this happens, you’ll specifically need to have roadside assistance for breakdown towing.

Towing in the general sense covers you for driving incidents. Like collisions, storms, fires and more. More on this below. And speaking of collisions, read about the potential for one in ‘is it illegal to eat while driving?’ All in all, this is why it pays to have the right car insurance plan and to add on roadside assistance. Your plan should suit your driving, your car and of course your pocket. You need a plan that gives you a helping hand when you most need it and includes towing.

Do you know if your car insurance plan covers towing? Let’s give you an answer.

Will my car insurance cover towing when I need it?

Towing is one of the most valuable perks of a great car insurance plan. Some plans include it by rote but not all do. This is why it’s good to read your insurance provider’s product disclosure statement (PDS) – here’s ours – before you sign up.

A plan that includes the cost of towing usually covers temporary storage of your car too. Temporary meaning that costs are covered from when you make your claim to when it’s settled.

Speaking of claims, a good way to choose an insurance provider is by selecting one that has a fast, simple and reliable claims process. You want to be back on the road as soon as possible, right? Read how to make a comprehensive car insurance claim in six simple steps.

Our comprehensive car insurance does cover towing

When you get a comprehensive car insurance plan with us, you can rest assured your car insurance does cover towing (and more) for claimable events. Towing is an added benefit with comprehensive insurance. Pssst – ‘added’ means it’s automatically included and you won’t pay more for it. Nice!

Oh and if you’re wondering about the ‘comprehensive’ bit before the ‘car insurance’ bit, that’s because this plan offers the widest range of coverage benefits at the best value for money.

Read up on it in our article: Comprehensive Car Insurance in Australia: Your Guide.

To tow or not to tow

Any incident PD Insurance covers that results in your car being unsafe to drive means we pay reasonable costs for towing it somewhere safe, e.g. a repairer.

If you’re wondering what type of incidents we cover, wonder no more. Here’s a list:

• Collision or impact. When you squish over 20 million vehicles into regional and metro driving spaces, no matter how good your defensive driving is, accidents happen.
• Fire. We Aussies know how quickly fires can burn. And we know fires don’t take hostages, instead burning everything standing in their blazing path (cars too).
• Flood. Flooding makes driving dangerous – read how to stay safe in wet road conditions when driving during La Niña and other times of the year. Slippery roads aren’t the only vehicle danger; flooding can also soak your car so badly it won’t start! You won’t want to leave your car behind in some boggy flood; that’s why it helps to know your car insurance will cover towing.
• Malicious damage. Who damages someone else’s car??? But sadly, this does happen. We’re not suggesting anyone has a personal vendetta against you… We mean general vandalism where someone takes out their rage on your car through no fault of yours!
• Theft/attempted theft. You don’t want to be in this position so read our tips to avoid a stolen car situation and how to help prevent car theft through simple daily habits.
• Hail and storm. If you’re driving when a hailstorm hits or don’t have a garage, those golf size rocks can inflict a massive amount of pain on your car. Check out these car hail protector options to keep your car safer and ensure your insurance will cover you regardless.

Check out these giant hail stones that kept drivers confined to their cars:

Comprehensive car insurance for towing assurance

Still wondering ‘does my car insurance cover towing?’ If you’re with PD Insurance on a comprehensive car insurance plan the answer is yes!

And did you know for an additional $89/year (at the time of writing) you can get around the clock roadside assistance added to your plan? That way you’ll also be covered for towing in case of breakdown. Now that’s mileage for your money! Click below to get started.