Towing after an accident in Sydney: who to call and who pays

The tow truck that arrives before the police do

Sydney's busiest corridors produce tow trucks fast. A rear-ender on the M4 at Prospect, a lane-change hit on the M5 near Riverwood, a T-bone on Military Road at Neutral Bay, and by the time you have swapped licences there is a truck idling behind you with its lights on. Some operators monitor police radio, some run courtesy cars past the scene, some simply live on the route.

None of that makes them your tow truck. You did not call them, you have no contract with them, and you can tell them to move on. In practice most people do not, because the car is undriveable, traffic is building, and the offer sounds like a favour.

Two things to hold onto. First, the decision about where your car goes is yours, not the tow driver's, not the other driver's, and not their insurer's. Second, nothing needs to be signed at the roadside to make the tow happen. If a clipboard appears, read it before you write anything, and if you are being rushed, say you will arrange your own tow.

If police attend, they will manage traffic and take statements but they do not choose your tow operator or your repairer. If ambulance attends, that takes priority. Once the scene is safe, the tow decision is a commercial one and it belongs to you. For the wider sequence, see the first 24 hours after a crash.

Your right to nominate where the car is taken

You can nominate any repairer or holding yard you like. No insurer can force your car to a particular shop, and no tow operator can override your instruction once you have given it clearly.

What to say, in this order:

1. Name the repairer or the suburb you want the car taken to.
2. Ask for the tow operator's business name, phone number and the total cost before the car is loaded.
3. Ask where the car will be stored tonight if the repairer is closed.
4. Get a receipt or tax invoice at the drop-off, with the registration and the odometer reading on it.

If your car is a prestige or performance model, the repairer matters more than usual. Panel shops that mostly handle mainstream cars may not have the jigs, the aluminium equipment, the calibration gear for driver-assist cameras and radar, or the paint matching for a factory finish. A shop that knows your marque will usually get the car back to you faster and with fewer comebacks.

If the car is still driveable but you would rather not risk it, you can drive it to your own repairer or home and arrange the assessment later. If it is not driveable, the tow goes where you say. If you are not at fault and want a replacement vehicle while yours is off the road, the booking side of that is handled by Drive Tribe (drivetribe.com.au), and this site is part of that group.

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Why some tow operators push a particular repairer

Tow operators are sometimes paid a referral fee for delivering a car to a particular shop, or they may be owned by, affiliated with, or owe favours to one. That is not illegal and it is not always bad, but it is not your interest being served.

Signs you are being steered:

• The driver names a shop before asking what you want.
• You are told your insurer "requires" that shop. Insurers do not.
• A courtesy car is offered on the condition you use their repairer.
• You are asked to sign an authority to tow and repair on a single page.
• The yard address is vague, or in another suburb you did not agree to.

If any of that happens, slow it down. You can refuse the tow, call your own operator, or have the car taken to your home or workplace and sorted out the next morning. Storage at a shop you did not choose can also create a lien situation, where the car is not released until a bill is paid, which is a headache you do not need on top of a crash.

If you are not at fault and the other driver's insurer calls you in the days after, be careful what you agree to. Our guide on what to say to the at-fault insurer covers the calls that matter.

Towing a prestige or performance car without damage underneath

Low cars need care. A Porsche, an AMG, an M car or a low-slung SUV can lose a front lip, a diffuser, a sump or an underbody panel on a careless flatbed load. The damage is not always visible until the car is on a hoist weeks later.

What to ask for:

• A flatbed or tilt-tray, not a wheel-lift or a sling.
• Soft straps over the wheels or through the designated tie-down points, not chains over suspension arms.
• Wooden blocks or ramps on the tray so the approach angle does not scrape the bumper.
• For an all-wheel-drive car, all four wheels off the ground. Towing an AWD with two wheels rolling can wreck the driveline.
• For an electric or hybrid, follow the manufacturer's towing guidance. Some cannot be towed with wheels turning at all.

If the car is driveable but something feels wrong, such as a vibration, a pulling steering wheel, a warning light, a scraping noise or a smell of coolant, do not drive it far. A short trip to a nearby car park or side street is fine; a run down the M5 to your home in the south-west is not.

If you are not at fault and need a like-for-like car while yours is assessed, the replacement side is worth understanding before you agree to anything. Start with what like-for-like means.

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Who pays the tow and how it is recovered from the at-fault insurer

If the other driver was at fault, the reasonable cost of towing your car from the scene to a safe place, and any necessary storage while it is assessed, is part of your recoverable loss. You can pay the tow operator yourself and claim it back, or in many cases the tow company will invoice the at-fault insurer directly if liability is clear.

If you are at fault, the tow is yours to pay unless your own comprehensive policy includes roadside assistance or towing. Check your policy before you assume.

If fault is disputed, the safe path is to pay the tow yourself, keep the invoice, and recover it later. Do not let a car sit in a yard for weeks waiting for someone else to agree.

Keep the original invoice, not a photo of a handwritten docket. The insurer will want the operator's ABN, the date, the pickup and drop-off addresses, the registration and the amount. If you are not at fault and want the full picture on recovery, see not at fault explained and how credit hire works.

For the booking side of a replacement car while yours is off the road, see accident replacement car Sydney.

Storage fees and how quickly they add up

Storage is the quiet cost. A yard in Sydney can charge a daily rate from the moment the car lands, and if the car sits for three weeks because nobody has authorised the assessment, that bill grows. Insurers will often pay reasonable storage for a short period while the car is assessed, but not indefinitely and not always at the yard's top rate.

How to keep it short:

1. Tell your insurer and, if not at fault, the other insurer, where the car is and when it arrived.
2. Ask the repairer to book the assessment within a day or two of the car arriving.
3. If the car is a write-off, get it moved to a free holding location as soon as the assessor confirms.
4. Ask the yard for a written daily rate on day one, not week three.

If you are not at fault, storage is recoverable in principle, but you have to be able to show it was reasonable. A car parked at a prestige repairer waiting its turn is usually fine. A car parked at a yard in a suburb you never agreed to, for a month, is harder to argue.

If the car is likely to be written off, the repair and write-off process is different again. Our page on repairs and write-offs covers what happens next.

Getting the car to your chosen repairer the same day

Same-day movement is usually possible if you have a plan before the tow arrives. In Sydney, the practical window for a second tow is often outside peak, so between about 9.30am and 2.30pm, or after 7pm, depending on the route.

A workable sequence:

• Decide your repairer before the crash, not after. Save the name and number in your phone.
• If the car is not driveable, have it towed straight there. If the shop is closed, ask where they want it left.
• If the car is driveable, drive it to the shop or to your home and book the assessment.
• Tell your insurer the car's location the same day.
• If you are not at fault, start the replacement car conversation early so you are not without a vehicle for a week.

If your chosen shop is in Alexandria, Artarmon, Silverwater or Brookvale, a tow from the CBD or the eastern suburbs is straightforward outside peak. A tow from the Northern Beaches to the inner west in the afternoon is not, and you may be better off storing locally overnight and moving it the next morning.

If you need a replacement car the same day, see replacement car same day Sydney and the wider accident replacement vehicles page.

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What to photograph before the car is loaded

Once the car is on the tray, your evidence is harder to gather. Ten minutes with your phone at the scene is worth more than any later argument.

Photograph:

• The whole car from four corners, plus a wide shot showing the position in the lane.
• Close-ups of every damaged panel, plus the number plates of both cars.
• The other driver's licence, registration sticker or plate, and their insurer if they have it.
• The road surface, lane markings, traffic lights, give-way signs and skid marks.
• The odometer and the dashboard, in case warning lights are on.
• The tow operator's truck, plate and business name if you are using one.
• Any written authority before you sign it.

Also note the time, the weather, the traffic conditions and any witnesses with names and numbers. If police attend, get the event number.

If you are not at fault and the car is a total loss or a long repair, evidence at the scene feeds directly into the replacement car claim. Our page on evidence to collect at the scene has the full list, and replacement by area helps if you are not sure who covers your suburb.

Frequently asked questions about towing after a crash

These are the questions we hear most from drivers, fleet managers and repairers in the days after a not-at-fault crash in Sydney.

Can I refuse a tow truck at the scene?

Yes. You can decline any tow operator, even one that has already arrived. You can call your own, or arrange the tow yourself later. If the car is blocking traffic or is unsafe, police may direct it to be moved, but they will not choose your repairer.

Who pays for towing when I am not at fault?

The at-fault driver's insurer normally pays the reasonable cost of towing and necessary storage as part of your loss. If liability is admitted, many tow operators will invoice them directly. If liability is disputed, pay it yourself, keep the invoice, and recover it.

Is it safe to drive a damaged prestige car home?

Only if it steers, brakes and tracks normally, no warning lights are on, nothing is scraping, and no fluid is leaking. If in doubt, do not drive it. Underbody, suspension or cooling damage can turn a small repair into a large one in a few kilometres.

Can the tow operator hold my car until I pay?

In some circumstances a yard can hold a car until its bill is paid. This is why you ask for the rate up front, keep the invoice, and avoid letting a car sit in a yard you did not choose. If you are not at fault, the bill is recoverable, but you still have to get the car released.

How long can my car stay in storage?

Only as long as it reasonably needs to. Insurers expect the car to be assessed and moved on quickly. If the car is a write-off, it should be moved to a holding location once the assessor confirms. Long storage without a reason is the fastest way to have part of the claim disputed.

Do I need a police report to claim the tow?

Not always, but it helps if fault is disputed or the other driver left the scene. In NSW, report the crash to police if anyone was injured, if the other driver failed to stop, or if you believe a crime was committed. Otherwise, exchange details and notify your insurer promptly. See our page on the police report in NSW.

Where to go next

If your car is off the road and you were not at fault, the tow is only the first decision. The second is what you drive while yours is being repaired. For prestige and performance cars, a small hatchback is not a like-for-like replacement, and the difference matters if you are claiming the cost back.

If you are booking a replacement, start with not at fault accident replacement or the main Drive Tribe site. If you are a fleet manager, repairer, solicitor or broker, our partners and referrals page explains how referrals work.

And if you are still working out the basics, read what not at fault means in NSW and credit hire vs insurer hire car before you agree to anything on the phone.