Will AAA Tow A Wrecked Car? Find Out Now!

As a vehicle owner, you should be prepared for any emergency that could make you stranded or leave your vehicle on the road for a longer duration. To avoid this type of situation, many vehicle owners register with an organization that offers roadside assistance and towing service.

Many people are, however, curious to know if the organization will be there to tow their vehicle when it is wrecked.

AAA will be there for emergency roadside assistance, provided you are a member. Towing a wrecked vehicle, however, depends on some factors.

For instance, AAA could deny towing your wrecked car if you fail to meet the organization’s requirements. Moreover, in case of any additional payment, the organization will require that you contact your insurance company. Check out this article for more information.

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What are the requirements before AAA will agree to tow a wrecked vehicle?  

Though the organization is popular among vehicle owners and the testimonies of people about these services have attracted more members.

However, the truth is that there are requirements before the organization will agree to tow a wrecked vehicle. This implies that being a member is not enough to be qualified for the service. The following are some of the requirements.

The vehicle  must be registered

Many vehicles are moving on the road. Some are driven by the owners, some are borrowed, while some might be stolen.

Therefore, to avoid being an accomplice in theft or other criminal situations, the organization requires that the vehicle must be duly registered and all the papers must be available before towing any car or a wrecked one.

Be with your membership vehicle 

Upon registration and fulfilling other conditions, the organization will issue a membership card. This membership card qualifies you for all organization’s services.

Before your vehicle will be qualified for towing when it is wrecked or in another emergency, you must be with your membership card. Being a member is not enough for you to call for the service of the organization.

Physical presence

The requirement to be qualified for the organization’s towing service when the vehicle is wrecked is not limited to what has been highlighted above. You must be physically present at the location where the wrecked vehicle will be towed. Afterward, you might be required to follow the towing truck. 

Other emergencies

The requirement highlighted above is the basic things that will be considered. However, in a situation where you are unable to meet the requirement stated above, the organization could agree to tow the vehicle if your vehicle is affecting other road users.

For instance, whether wrecked or not, if your vehicle is obstructing traffic.  

What are the reasons why AAA will refuse to tow a vehicle?

You can depend on the organization when there is a need, provided you can meet the requirements that have been highlighted earlier. However, there are instances where the organization might refuse to tow your vehicle when it is wrecked. This is due to the following reasons.

Membership

The truth is you are unlikely to qualify for any organization service if you are not a registered member. However, the towing distance that you will enjoy as a member of the organization varies, depending on your level of membership. 

For instance, as a basic member of the organization, you will enjoy free 7 miles of towing 4 times annually. If you are a plus member, you will enjoy 100 miles of organization towing service 4 times a year.

If you are on the last level, which is the premier membership, you will enjoy 200 miles once and 100 miles thrice a year. 

Your presence

Irrespective of your membership level with the organization, you must be with your vehicle if you need a towing service or other roadside assistance.

However, the organization could compromise this regulation if there is an emergency. For instance, in a case of an accident, where the affected member has been taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Unregistered vehicle 

While there are different tiers of membership, it is unlikely that you will enjoy any service of the organization if the affected vehicle is unregistered, irrespective of your membership level. To avoid being stranded on the road as a member of the organization, make sure you only drive registered vehicles.

Insurance

The truth is that vehicle insurance is important for any purpose. It is recommended that you get your vehicle insurance done, whether you are a registered member of the organization or not.

Well, as a registered member of the organization, failure to produce your vehicle insurance means that the organization will refuse to tow your vehicle if there is a need for it.

Things you should do when your wrecked vehicle gets towed by AAA

In a situation where your vehicle is wrecked and is unsafe for driving or it is obstructing traffic, the police will advise you to call a towing truck or the police will provide one.

However, in a situation where you have fulfilled all the requirements highlighted earlier in this article and you have called the organization, you should do the following things before the organization truck arrives at the scene.

Take pictures

For you to have evidence when you contact your insurance company for a claim, it is recommended that you take pictures of the vehicle with your phone.

You should take the pictures from different angles and ensure that you have enough pictures that you will tender. Moreover, these pictures can be used as evidence if there is any lawsuit later.

Have witness

There are instances where you might need the testimony or account of other eyewitnesses before your claim will be approved or during a lawsuit.

To avoid being denied the claim, you can record the account of an eyewitness on your phone if possible. Moreover, you can exchange insurance information with others that are involved in the accident.

Contact the insurance company

If you will need the service of the AAA in towing your wrecked vehicle, you need to contact your insurance company. There are instances where your insurance company might not be working with a particular towing company, you need to have explicit instructions before taking action.

However, in a situation where your vehicle is obstructing traffic, the police might not be willing to wait for the organization to come before calling on whoever will get to the scene quicker. 

Have a destination in mind

If you are towing a wrecked vehicle, you should have a particular place in mind. The destination could be an auto shop where the vehicle will be repaired.

In a situation where you are traveling interstate, it might not be possible to get the vehicle repaired quickly in a local shop, especially when the locals are busy. If you do not have any shop that you trust in mind, the insurance company could approve a location for you.

Remove your valuables

Depending on the level of the wreck, you might not get your vehicle that same day. There are instances where it could take up to a week before you have access to the vehicle again.

Before the towing truck takes the vehicle to the destination where it would be repaired, it is recommended that you remove things that are important to you. For instance, you should remove important documents.

Ask questions

Once the towing truck arrives, you should ask some questions before you allow the driver to tow your vehicle. If you are a registered member of the organization, you might not have worries here.

However, if another person is towing your vehicle on your behalf, you should ask questions about the charges, where your vehicle is being taken to, and other questions before you leave your vehicle at their mercy. 

Things you should know before you call AAA to tow your wrecked vehicle 

Though the organization states that the safety of its members and that of their vehicles is the priority, some questions will be asked before the organization comes to the rescue.

Apart from asking for some information about you, the following are some of the questions you should prepare to answer when you call for the organization’s towing service.

Type of vehicle

To know the type of towing van that is required for the task, the organization would like to know the type of vehicle that is involved, the maker, model, and the year of production.

Location

It is unlikely that the organization will agree to go to an unknown location. One of the things you will be asked is the location of the incident. You should be prepared to explicitly explain this.

Current situation 

Well, the organization would like to know the current situation. You should be able to tell if the vehicle is blocking traffic or not.

Also, the organization might want to know the level of the damage. For instance, you should be able to tell the organization if the wheel of the vehicle can still roll or if there is any leakage, and many more.

Conclusion – Will AAA Tow A Wrecked Car?

Towing a wrecked vehicle could be a hassle, especially when you are involved in an accident and have been hospitalized. You will have to deal with the insurance company and probably AAA policies.