Towing services for automobiles are widely available in the United States; as a result, most people who own cars will need towing assistance at some point throughout their lives. Towing costs may add up quickly if you are not covered by an insurance policy that includes roadside help or do not belong to a club that provides roadside assistance. When you find yourself in need of a two and don't have a savings account for unexpected expenses, it may be tough to pay one.
Towing services may include more than just moving a car from one location to another, which is something that some people might not understand. The rates that are charged might change based on your situation, the kind of services that you need, the location that you reside in, as well as the towing firm. On the other hand, there is sufficient uniformity in the pricing structures of various towing companies for you to get a good idea of the overall cost of getting your vehicle towed.
Key Takeaways
The cost of a tow is around $109. However, this number may vary widely based on the dimensions of your car as well as the distance it has to be transported.
No matter how far your car has to be hauled away, the "hook up" service will still cost you around $50 as the basic rate.
If you have roadside assistance via your insurance company or a club like AAA, you may drastically cut down on the expense of having your vehicle towed in the event that it breaks down.
Why Would I Need Someone to Tow Me?
There are several situations in which you could want the aid of a tow truck. A few of them can be prevented, but the vast majority of them cannot. If you are involved in an accident that renders your car inoperable, or if a technical problem stops your vehicle from starting, you will need the aid of a tow truck.
On the other hand, it is possible to prevent some of the most typical situations in which a tow truck is required. Have you ever turned your lights off but left them on by mistake, so draining your battery? If you have a set of jumper wires in the trunk of your vehicle, you may be able to avoid making an expensive call to a towing service. In a similar vein, it is important to keep an eye on the gas gauge and to get familiar with how to repair a flat tire (and keep a spare tire in your trunk).
The Typical Price of a Tow
According to J.D. Power, the average price of a tow in the United States is $109. The specific charges change depending on your region, but you may anticipate paying anywhere from $2.50 to $7 per mile on average. There is a greater possibility that the increased price amount will apply to heavy-duty vehicles. The expense rapidly becomes significant. The following is a rough estimate of the total amount that you could end up having to pay:
- Locating a technician in the immediate area might be of great assistance in lowering the price of your tow.
- In the range of 5 to 7 miles: $30 to $100 40 miles: $100 to $250 every fifty miles; $250 to $600 per hundred miles
What kinds of services can one expect from a towing company?
Towing firms conduct a great deal of other work in addition to merely towing vehicles. Even if you aren't sure you need a tow, it's always a good idea to call a towing business for assistance just in case. The following are some examples of additional services that are often provided by towing companies:
- Gas delivery
- Jump beginning
- Unlocking door
- Altering of tires
- Moving a car or other vehicle
- Rescuing you from your predicament if you are trapped
What Factors Determine How Much a Tow Will Cost?
On the website of a towing business, it will likely be impossible to identify a particular monetary value. Towing charges, on the other hand, are pretty standard, which means that you can estimate a rough price. Towing rates typically begin at $50 but may easily go as high as $100 depending on the kind of tow and the location of the vehicle that has to be towed.
In many cases, the "hook-up cost" or "base price" is $50, regardless of the distance that your car has to be towed, whether it is one mile or twenty miles.
A higher price tag is often associated with more mileage. In most cases, the cost of a normal tow is less than that of a flatbed tow. The cost of a tow after being in a vehicle accident might be much greater.
There is a possibility that you may be responsible for additional fines that will significantly drive up the overall price if your car is towed and impounded.
Roadside Assistance
When you want a tow, roadside help may be of great benefit to you. Policies may come with a variety of different options for covering roadside help. Coverage limits of $50, $100, and $150 are available from a few different auto insurance companies.
There is often a limit placed on the number of miles that may be driven under the coverage. For instance, your insurance company could give coverage of up to fifty dollars for a tow of up to twenty miles. Sometimes the coverage is determined not by a money amount but rather by the number of miles driven. It's possible that certain insurance plans may be set up to pay for a tow of up to 100 miles, regardless of how much the towing firm bills for its services. Before deciding to get insurance, you must have a comprehensive grasp of your coverage. This will guarantee that you are not confused about how much coverage you have or how to proceed if you need a tow.
Even if you haven't signed up for roadside help, your auto insurance policy would probably pay for the towing of your vehicle if it was involved in an accident that resulted in a covered loss if it was deemed necessary to do so. It is beneficial to have this coverage since the cost of being towed away from the site of an accident might be far higher than the cost of getting towed away from the scene of a typical mechanical issue.
Contacting your auto insurance agent is the best thing to do if you have any inquiries about the coverage you have for roadside assistance.
It's possible that your agent will be able to submit your claim for you and arrange for a tow truck to come to wherever you are. Everything is dependent on the policy. Calling the towing service should have you back on the road in no time, but if you want to make a claim on your auto insurance, be sure to save the receipt.
There are many different varieties of roadside help, and your insurance agent is not the only place you can get it from. Towing costs are often covered by the majority of the most basic AAA plans, which cost less than one hundred dollars annually and vary depending on the area. The most advanced designs will cover towing for at least 100 kilometers.
Membership in some organizations, such as AAA, may come with additional benefits, such as free jump starts in the event that your vehicle's battery dies, savings on lodging and vacation spots, and even loans and banking services if you so want.
Questions That Are Often Put to Rest (FAQs)
In general, how much does it cost to have a vehicle released from a tow yard?
If you were parking illegally or for any reason that leads to your vehicle being towed, you will be required to pay a fee in order to get it back. This might be as little as $50 or as much as several thousand dollars. The overall price will be calculated based on the location from where your vehicle was towed, the reason it was towed, and the length of time it was kept on the lot after it was towed.
Where can I locate someone to haul off my vehicle?
You have the ability to summon someone to tow your vehicle if you are a member of a roadside assistance service via your auto insurance company or a club such as the AAA. You may be able to discover a towing service by calling the non-emergency number for the local police department, but this will depend on where you are. If you have access to a cellular connection, you may also do a search online for local tow firms to identify those that have openings.