Even though car accidents are common on South African roads, no person is ever prepared for an accident, and many people don’t know what to do after the incident. At the time you may feel confused, angry, fearful or embarrassed, and these emotions can cloud your judgement – causing you to make the wrong decision when it comes to towing your vehicle.

If you have been involved in an accident it’s essential that you stop your vehicle, phone the necessary emergency services and then contact your insurance company. Assess the damage to your vehicle to determine if it’s still driveable or if it needs to be towed. It’s important to know if you have towing cover, as your insurance company will then send an authorised tow truck to assist you. If your insurance company does not cover towing, they may still help but costs will be for your own pocket.

Don’t be pressured into letting any tow truck operator tow your vehicle, no matter how friendly, polite or insistent they are. When you use an unapproved operator your insurance company will not cover the costs, and you won’t have any recourse if something goes wrong.

These are the steps to follow if your insurance policy has towing cover:
– Call your insurance company’s dedicated towline – this information is included in your insurance policy schedule.
– It’s imperative that you place the call, and not another person, as you want to ensure you’re speaking to your insurance company.
– Ask for a reference number for the towing service.
– Check the reference number of the tow truck operator to make sure the numbers match.
– Before your vehicle is towed, get all the operator’s details, including the driver’s full name, the company’s physical address, contact numbers and the tow truck’s registration number.
– Get clarity about where it’s being towed to.
– Remove all your valuables from your vehicle before it’s towed.

If you are involved in an accident it’s important that you know your rights. These include: 

– You are protected from the unauthorised removal of your vehicle.
– The responsibility for moving traffic obstructions lies with the police officer, not the tow truck driver.
– No tow truck driver or police officer can force you to use a specific towing company. 

You can’t avoid an accident but you can take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your valuable possessions. Contact your nearest Indwe branch today and speak to an advisor about your cover in the event of an accident.