A minor bumper-bashing incident or even a more serious collision from which you may be fortunate enough to escape unhurt, can startle and confuse you to the extent that you won’t be able to think clearly when your car has to be towed in. Unfortunately that is exactly the time when you should be able to think as clearly as possible, because if you don’t, you could end up with enormous problems later.
The short-term broker Integrisure advises people to make absolutely sure that they use towing services that are accredited to their insurers. (In the case of Integrisure it means, e.g., that only AA or Santam accredited towing services may be used.)
“Don’t be intimidated by anyone to use a specific towing service,” says Arnold van der Linde, managing director of Integrisure.
Try to think clearly, because horrendous things happened to many people before. Their cars were towed in at excessively high costs and stored at even higher levies. In this way the consumer loses thousands of rands, while the vehicle – or what is left of it – is only released after the owner has paid the sky-high towing and storage costs.
Very often towing services are in cahoots with certain panel beaters, and consumers should be aware of this. Is a specific panel beater accredited to your insurer? It is important, therefore, to insist that your car be towed to an accredited panel beater only.
Integrisure only uses the services of certain panel beaters and the AA accredited towing services will know who they are. The insurance company usually requires two quotations before they decide on a panel beater to do the repair work. And if the storage costs are reasonable, Integrisure’s insurers will foot the bill.
It is also of the utmost importance never to sign any form of the towing service unless it has been fully completed. Otherwise any wrongful information could be filled in above your signature, which certifies and approves all the details as correct. Also indicate on the form if your car is fitted with a radio, towbar, immobiliser, etc.
Once everything is ready for your car to be towed in, be sure to note in writing all the details of the towing service as well as the destination to where your vehicle is to be towed. Also remember to remove all personal belongings from the car before it is towed away.
It often happens that the “road vultures”, as the towing services have been nicknamed, descend upon a collision scene even before the emergency services arrive. The AA has accredited and trained some of them to secure the scene until the arrival of the emergency services.
“It comes as an immense shock when one’s car is damaged in a collision. We at Integrisure fully understand that it is extremely difficult to think coherently when one is in a state of shock. That is why we want to warn and advise consumers in advance of what to do in the event that such a situation may arise.
“Trauma is by definition the fact that there isn’t a “file” stowed away somewhere in the brain with instructions how to act in a given stituation. A traffic accident causes trauma because the brain doesn’t possess such a “file” with information about what to do; and handling the towing services forms part of the gap.
“Therefore, Integrisure wants to prepare consumers timeously and in advance in order to ensure that they will know what to do. There are only a few important points to remember: don’t be intimidated by anyone,choose an accredited towing service as recommended by Integrisure, have your vehicle towed to an Integrisure accredited panel beater, and don’t sign any form unless it has been fully completed,” Mr Van der Linde said.