Who Pays For Towing After An Accident In NSW?

 You’ve had an accident and it’s not your fault. But you need your car towed quickly to avoid creating a dangerous situation or further damage by leaving it unsecured. This is a potentially nightmarish situation for most people, so take a breath and read on.
I’m in Newcastle and my car needs towing – what do I need to know?

Reputable towing companies are regulated by law in NSW and charge a set schedule of fees. If your tow truck driver starts trying to negotiate the fee or tries to get you to sign anything other than a standard authority form, don’t use them. Contact anyone you need to before signing an authority form if you’re concerned.

If you’ve had an accident in Newcastle, Trade & General Towing  will explain the form to you and walk you through the process before you sign. Being in an accident is a very stressful experience, and Trade & General Towing will help you with the paperwork so that you know what you are signing ahead of putting pen to paper.

You have the right to decide who tows your car. A good towing company won’t pressure you into signing anything quickly or try to insist they’re the only person who can help. If you feel pressured, remain calm before you make your decision.

Tow truck drivers must have an accredited towing certificate. Towing vehicles will have a registration plate with 4 numbers followed by TT, for example, "0357-TT"


Look out for dodgy operators who don’t have the correct license plate. Your insurance certainly won’t cover an unlicensed operator, and at worse, you could have further damage done to your car as it’s towed away.

For example, your handbag, laptop computer or other small items that are valuable and could become lost or damaged. Your car will be towed to a location such as a repair shop or claim assessing yard, and any items left behind may not be returned to you or may become lost during transport and repair.

 Trade & General Towing will walk you through all the costs associated with the towing service before they drive away. Don’t settle for not knowing what other costs will be applied such as storage fees, or you may find your insurance company won’t cover extraneous costs which are not reasonable. Which brings us to the important question of “who pays?”

Before your car is towed contact your insurer to see whether you are covered for the costs of towing.

Most comprehensive insurance covers the cost of towing your car after an accident . A quick call to your insurance company will establish what you’re covered for. If you have a copy of the disclosure statement for your insurance policy, this will confirm whether you are covered for towing. You can often find this disclosure statement on the company website also.

In this scenario we are assuming that you are not at fault, and your insurance company will be seeking recompense from the other driver. The other driver is liable for the costs of towing, which can be claimed on their insurance company. If the other driver does not have comprehensive insurance, your insurance company will seek to claim the costs from them personally.

The accident should be reported to the police who will issue a report on the accident. They will also issue any fines or demerits because of the accident to the drivers involved. 

Other useful evidence for your insurance claim could include taking photos of the accident and any relevant road signs, skid marks on the road, location, damage to any property and the point of collision of the vehicles, as well as damage to both vehicles. These may be useful for submitting to your insurance company at the time of making your claim.


If there were witnesses to the accident, ask for their details so that they can be called upon to give their accounts if this is required.

Yes. Assuming you are covered by comprehensive insurance, your insurance company will seek to compensate you for the costs of towing your vehicle. Check with your insurance company to ensure you are covered for the costs of towing in an accident.

  Vehicles that have been involved in an accident must be towed if they are not roadworthy. This could mean they are missing important safety features such as mirrors or lights or they could have damage to the body of the car meaning it is unsafe to drive. 

It is very important not to drive a car that has been damaged and may be unsafe. It could cause significant injury to yourself and others and may result in traffic violations as well. Don’t risk trying to drive it yourself – at the very least it could void your insurance policy if you cause further damage or another accident while trying to drive a car that is unroadworthy.

If you’ve had an accident in Newcastle and need your car towed, Trade & General Towing  is here to help. We can provide expert advice on whether towing is required. Don’t risk further accidents or injury to yourself or others – ask a professional before assuming it’s safe to drive.