--- title: Towing and Roadside Assistance FAQ description: Simple answers about towing and roadside assistance claims. Learn when insurance does and does not pay for towing, breakdowns, lockouts, and roadside help. --- Simple Help for Insurance Claims # Towing & Roadside Assistance Simple answers about when insurance does and does not pay for towing, roadside help, and breakdown-related expenses. [What Does Insurance Not Cover?](/what-insurance-does-not-cover-after-a-breakdown) [Talk to a Friendly Human](/staff-directory) Important ### Towing & Roadside Assistance Not Automatically Included It is very important to understand that **towing and roadside assistance are not automatically part of comprehensive and collision coverage** in an auto insurance policy. Comprehensive and collision coverage may help with vehicle damage in certain covered situations, including some accident-related events. But services like towing after a breakdown, jump starts, flat tire changes, and lockout help usually require separate roadside assistance or towing-related coverage to be listed on the policy. That means having comprehensive or collision coverage does **not** automatically mean the insurer will pay for towing after a mechanical breakdown. When your vehicle breaks down, towing questions can get confusing fast. This page is designed to make things easier. Below you will find **simple, direct answers** about what insurance may cover, what it does not cover, and what steps you may need to take next. In general, towing for a breakdown is only covered when roadside assistance or towing-related coverage is listed on the policy. Towing after an accident may be handled differently depending on the coverages involved. ## Quick Answer Flow ### Do you have towing or roadside assistance on your policy? ### Yes? You have towing or roadside assistance on your policy. **Insurance may pay for towing** related to a breakdown, subject to any mileage, dollar, or service limits on the policy. ### No? You do not have towing or roadside assistance on your policy. **You arrange and pay for the tow directly**. Insurance does not reimburse towing costs for a breakdown without towing or roadside assistance coverage. ### Was the tow related to an accident? ### Yes? The tow was related to an accident. **Towing may be included** as part of a covered claim when collision or comprehensive coverage applies. ### No? The tow was not related to an accident. Mechanical breakdown towing is only covered when **roadside assistance or towing coverage** is listed on the policy. PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown. ### Quick Summary: **Towing for a breakdown is only covered when roadside assistance is listed on your policy.** Without that coverage, you can still get a tow, but you would arrange it yourself and pay the towing company directly. Accident-related towing may be treated differently depending on collision or comprehensive coverage. ## What Roadside Assistance Usually Includes These services are typically only available when roadside assistance is actually listed on the policy. **PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown.** 🪝 ### Towing ⚡ ### Jump Starts 🛞 ### Flat Tires 🔐 ### Lockouts 🔋 ### Battery Service **Related Breakdown Coverage Help** : For a broader explanation of what insurance usually does not pay for after a vehicle breaks down [Read What Insurance Does Not Cover After a Breakdown](/what-insurance-does-not-cover-after-a-breakdown) ## Frequently Asked Questions Is towing automatically covered by my insurance? No. Towing is only covered if roadside assistance, towing and labor, or a similar towing-related coverage was added to the policy. If that coverage is not listed, insurance does not pay for towing after a breakdown. **PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown.** How do I know if I have towing or roadside assistance? Your policy would typically list something like Roadside Assistance, Towing & Labor, or Emergency Roadside Service. If you are not sure, a representative can check your policy for you. **PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown.** My car broke down. What if I don’t have towing coverage? You can still arrange a tow with a local towing company, but you would pay the towing company directly. Insurance is not able to reimburse towing costs for a breakdown when roadside assistance is not on the policy. **PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown.** Is towing covered after an accident? Sometimes. Towing after a covered accident may be handled under collision or comprehensive coverage. Towing for a mechanical breakdown is different and generally requires roadside assistance coverage. Each situation depends on what happened and what coverages are on the policy. Can insurance call a tow truck for me if I don’t have coverage? No. Without towing or roadside coverage, insurance cannot dispatch or arrange towing for you. Can I pay for the tow and submit the receipt later? If towing coverage is not included on the policy, submitting a receipt later will not result in reimbursement. Payment remains between you and the towing company. Can I choose where my car is towed? If towing coverage applies, you may be able to choose a destination within any mileage or cost limits on the policy. If towing coverage does not apply, you may still choose where the vehicle goes, but you would be responsible for the cost. What about jump starts, flat tire changes, or lockouts? Those services are usually part of roadside assistance too. Without roadside assistance on the policy, those services generally are not paid by insurance. Will adding roadside assistance now cover this breakdown? No. Coverage changes apply after they are added and do not apply to something that already happened. Why is insurance so specific about towing? Insurance is a contract that pays for what is listed on the policy. That structure helps avoid confusion and makes sure coverage is handled fairly and consistently. ### We're Famously Friendly Humans RIGHTSURE’s Famously Friendly Humans are here to help make insurance easier to understand. [Meet Our Team](/staff-directory) ### We're North America’s Most Awarded RIGHTSURE is recognized for service, innovation, and building a better insurance experience. [View Awards](/awards-verified-rightsure) ### We're More Than Just Insurance RIGHTSURE believes in supporting the communities it serves, not just the policies it writes. [Giving Back](/rightsure-gives-back) ## Need Help Checking Your Coverage? If you are not sure whether your policy includes roadside assistance, towing and labor, or accident-related towing coverage, RIGHTSURE can help you review it. [Review My Coverage](https://policy-wizard.com/) [Talk to a Human](/staff-directory) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Is towing automatically covered by my insurance?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Towing is only covered if roadside assistance, towing and labor, or a similar towing-related coverage was added to the policy. If that coverage is not listed, insurance does not pay for towing after a breakdown. — PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I know if I have towing or roadside assistance?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Your policy would typically list something like Roadside Assistance, Towing & Labor, or Emergency Roadside Service. If you are not sure, a representative can check your policy for you. — PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"My car broke down. What if I don’t have towing coverage?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"You can still arrange a tow with a local towing company, but you would pay the towing company directly. Insurance is not able to reimburse towing costs for a breakdown when roadside assistance is not on the policy. — PRO TIP: Your Vehicle Warranty likely covers towing or reimbursement for breadkown."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is towing covered after an accident?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Sometimes. Towing after a covered accident may be handled under collision or comprehensive coverage. Towing for a mechanical breakdown is different and generally requires roadside assistance coverage. Each situation depends on what happened and what coverages are on the policy."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can insurance call a tow truck for me if I don’t have coverage?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Without towing or roadside coverage, insurance cannot dispatch or arrange towing for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I pay for the tow and submit the receipt later?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If towing coverage is not included on the policy, submitting a receipt later will not result in reimbursement. Payment remains between you and the towing company."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I choose where my car is towed?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If towing coverage applies, you may be able to choose a destination within any mileage or cost limits on the policy. If towing coverage does not apply, you may still choose where the vehicle goes, but you would be responsible for the cost."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What about jump starts, flat tire changes, or lockouts?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Those services are usually part of roadside assistance too. Without roadside assistance on the policy, those services generally are not paid by insurance."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Will adding roadside assistance now cover this breakdown?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. Coverage changes apply after they are added and do not apply to something that already happened."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why is insurance so specific about towing?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Insurance is a contract that pays for what is listed on the policy. That structure helps avoid confusion and makes sure coverage is handled fairly and consistently."}}]} ```