Does Car Insurance Cover Towing on a Basic Policy?
No, not on a basic policy. Car insurance covers towing only when the policy carries roadside assistance, an add-on sold as emergency road service or towing and labor. A basic auto policy has no breakdown tow in it. The Insurance Information Institute lists the basic coverages as liability, medical payments or personal injury protection, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and towing is not one of them. State Farm, for example, sells emergency road service as a separate coverage option that pays for a tow or a roadside repair such as a flat tire.
Need a tow now? Call (833) 719-0300 — dispatch is available 24/7, and the dispatcher sets the job up to match your insurer or motor club.
Which Coverage Pays for Which Tow
The table sets out what each part of a policy does with a tow. Check the declarations page of your own policy for the exact coverages and limits.
| Coverage | Breakdown tow | Tow after an accident |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | No | Pays for damage you cause to other people's property |
| Collision | No | Pays for collision damage to your car, minus the deductible |
| Comprehensive | No | Pays for theft, fire, storm, flood and animal strikes |
| Roadside assistance add-on | Yes, up to the plan limit | Yes, up to the plan limit |
| Motor club such as AAA | Yes, within the plan's miles | Check the club's rules |
How Far Will AAA Tow?
AAA tows 5 miles on a Classic membership, 100 miles on Plus, and 100 miles on Premier with one tow a year up to 200 miles. Those are the limits AAA - The Auto Club Group published on its membership comparison page, checked in September 2026. Classic covers a tow to the responding AAA service facility or to any place within 5 miles. The Premier 200-mile tow is one per membership per membership year, and every other Premier tow is capped at 100 miles.
| AAA plan | Tow distance covered |
|---|---|
| Classic | To the responding AAA service facility, or 5 miles |
| Plus | 100 miles |
| Premier | 100 miles, plus one tow a year up to 200 miles |
Roadside benefits begin three days after the dues are paid, so joining AAA at the roadside does not cover that tow. Other AAA clubs set their own limits; the club named on your card decides yours.
What Happens When the Tow Is Longer Than Your Coverage?
The tow operator bills the miles beyond your limit to you. A Classic member towed 12 miles pays for the 7 miles past the 5 covered. The per-mile rate is set by the operator, and the towing prices in Fayetteville NC page lists the typical per-mile ranges and a worked example for each distance.
Who Pays for a Tow After an Accident?
The adjuster handling the damage claim decides which policy pays the tow and the storage bill. The other driver's liability insurer pays for damage the other driver caused. Your collision coverage pays for your car's damage whichever driver was at fault, minus the deductible, and your insurer recovers that payment from the other driver's insurer when you were not at fault. Confirm which claim covers the tow before the car goes into storage, because storage is charged by the day. The impound lot and vehicle storage page explains release documents and daily rates, and a crash-damaged car travels on a flatbed tow truck so the damaged wheels stay off the road.
How to Use Roadside Coverage When You Call for a Tow
Tell the dispatcher your insurer or motor club, your policy or membership number, and the shop you want the car taken to. Keep the itemised receipt showing the pickup point, the drop-off point and the miles driven; a reimbursement claim is built from those three lines. The same call covers a jump start, a lockout or a tire change through roadside assistance in Fayetteville NC, the same services a roadside plan exists to pay for.
Frequently Asked Questions About Insurance and Towing
Does car insurance cover towing?
No, not on a basic policy. Liability, medical payments, collision, comprehensive and uninsured motorist coverage do not pay for a breakdown tow. Towing is covered when the policy carries a roadside assistance add-on, sold under names such as emergency road service or towing and labor.
Does full coverage include towing?
No. Full coverage usually means liability, collision and comprehensive together, and none of the three is a roadside plan. The roadside add-on is a separate line on the declarations page.
How far will AAA tow for free?
5 miles on AAA Classic, 100 miles on Plus, and 100 miles on Premier with one tow a year up to 200 miles, according to AAA - The Auto Club Group. Classic also covers a tow to the responding AAA service facility. Roadside benefits start three days after the dues are paid.
Does roadside assistance cover towing?
Yes. A roadside assistance plan covers a tow to a repair shop, up to the plan's mileage or dollar limit. The tow operator bills the miles beyond that limit to you.
Who pays for a tow after an accident?
Ask the adjuster handling the damage claim. The other driver's liability insurer pays for damage the other driver caused, and your collision coverage pays for your car's damage whichever driver was at fault, minus the deductible. Confirm which claim covers the tow before the car goes to storage, because storage is charged by the day.
What should I tell the tow dispatcher about my insurance?
Your insurer or motor club, the policy or membership number, and the destination shop, so the job matches your plan's rules before the truck is sent.