What to do if your car is towed

If you return to your parking spot but only find an empty space (or someone else’s car parked where you left yours), your vehicle may have been towed.

Unless you knowingly parked your car in an illegal zone and realized that towing was possible while driving away, your first question is probably, “Was my car stolen or towed?”

Thinking about the reasons why cars can be legally towed should help you make this determination. Here are some of the common reasons that vehicles can be towed:

1) Illegal parking based on laws / signage (eg, No Parking, Fire Lane, Construction Zone).

2) Unauthorized parking on private property or blocking a driveway.

3) Violation of driver’s license, including suspended license or driving without a license.

4) Registration expiration in excess of a specified period of time.

5) Excessive parking violations (unpaid fines).

6) The alarm sounds for a long period of time.

7) Abandoned vehicle (the driver is notified and has 72 hours to remove the car before the police tow it away).

8) Unsafe vehicle that cannot be driven.

9) Criminal evidence.

Whether your car was towed or stolen, you can call the local police (not 911) for help. The police officer will want to know the make and model of the vehicle, to which name it is registered, and your driver’s license number. He or she can tell you if (and why) your car was towed, inform you of its location, and explain what you need to do to claim it. (Some cities have dedicated phone lines to answer questions about the trailer, and some have websites that take your information and provide information about the trailer. However, if you are unfamiliar with these channels, calling your local police is your best option.)

If the towing is the result of unpaid parking tickets or license issues, then you will need to resolve those issues before your car is delivered to you. Once the police give you the go-ahead to head to the seized lot, please do so as soon as possible. (Seized lots can claim your car as abandoned after a specified period of time, which will make the recovery process much more difficult and slow.)

Note that seized lots often have limited hours of operation. Call or check website for hours before you go. Also confirm your payment options. Most towing companies accept cash, gold checks, and credit cards, but some only accept cash. Your payment will include the towing fee and storage.

If your car was damaged during the towing process, you will need to file a claim with your car insurance company. This type of damage is covered by collision insurance, so if you have added the collision to your auto insurance policy, you will have to pay the deductible for the damage and then your insurance company should cover the rest.

If you have added towing coverage to your auto insurance policy, this protection generally covers only the trailers that you authorize, for example when your car is not running and you need to take it to a repair shop. Talk to your authorized insurance representative about the various options available to determine what type of coverage is right for you.

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