United Towing Celebrating 40 years!
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Some FAQ & Driving Tips
Will you bill my insurance company?
We have good and long lasting relationships with several insurance companies. Some we have worked with for years and have arrangements with them for their customers. However, there are so many insurance companies out there that we can not possibly bill every one of them on your behalf. The best thing to do is ask when you are scheduling your tow service. We are happy to provide documentation to your agent in the event we do not bill your particular insurance company. We have never had an issue with a customer receiving reimbursement from their insurance agent if they had towing coverage on their policy.
In order to provide the best answer will require a little length to answer. Keep reading. In our case when a customer
has been waiting a long time for service it is because they went through their motorclub/roadside assistance provider instead of calling direct.
There are several issues with this.
1.) The motorclub dispatcher most often is operating out of some other state relying on internet maps or some other device and trying to dispatch service
for a place they've never seen and don't know anything about.
2.) Typically, motorclubs pay the actual service provider (tow company) 1/3 of what they are charging for the service. For the tow company
this is a simple economic decision. The tow company will take care of their priority accounts first, at their established commercial rate and
fit the motorclub call in afterwards. Unfortunately, the customer is the one who gets the short end of the stick, and in some cases is left stranded for
hours.
Example: The average in-town tow nationwide is $75.00. A motorclub will charge their customer/dealership/commercial account $75.00
and will then pay the tow company (the people who actually come and help you and get you back on the road) $30-35
What is the solution? Call a towing provider directly! This may be hard for you to swallow, considering you may have already paid for roadside assistance
or have a warranty that supposedly came with towing coverage. However, if you do not have several hours to wait for the situation to be handled this is
the only solution. Pay the towing provider and then use your receipt to seek reimbursement. We have received calls from customers who had been
waiting more than 4 hours on the side of the road for their motorclub/roadside assistance to send someone to help. NO JOKE!
Know your coverage. If you are out of warranty and call
your motorclub/roadside assistance provider in many cases we have heard from
customers who were charged over $100 hook up plus $15 p/mile because their
coverage/warranty had expired. Guess what the towing company was paid? You guessed it- $38 hookup, plus $2.25 after 10
free miles. If they had called us direct they would
have paid $60 plus $3.00 p/mile for the same distance. Driving Tips
It
is not unusual to be experiencing 100 degree temperatures in the desert of Arizona in the morning, and need to be bundled in a winter coat in the mountains of Arizona in the afternoon. Take care to know the weather conditions before you leave. Even a two hour trip can be spoiled or become dangerous if you are not prepared. Carry a blanket, bottled water, cell phone, etc.. Dead Battery?: Check for lights that might have been left on, loose cable or battery corrosion. Note: Battery life in AZ is typically 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 years. If
there is corrosion where the cables connect to the battery, try pouring a coke
on it to clean off some of the corrosion. Don't Do It Yourself: Resist the urge to have a relative or well meaning friend tow your vehicle with a tow strap, rope, or other equally hazardous tool just to save a few bucks. We can't tell you how many times this has resulted in damage to the vehicle in tow, or the "towing" vehicle. As well as posing a hazard to other drivers on the road and possibly causing an accident. In the end, you usually do not save any money, and in many cases both cars have to be towed due to damage or accident.
Carry a Map! Even the latest electronic gadgets or online helps (ie:mapquest) are not always accurate. Contrary to some sources, it is NOT 50 miles to the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff. It is approximately 90, depending on where you break down. Always check a reliable source, and don't be afraid to ask for directions from a local person. Since many towing rates are based on the amount of miles to your vehicle location, it is helpful to have accurate information and will help you avoid a surprise when you receive your bill. See our AZ driving map page for approximate mileage and driving times. Night Driving? Traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day. If you must drive at night practice some of these safety tips. Stay Alert! Elk, deer, cattle, coyotes and other creatures
are often on the roads and edges of highways during twilight and night-time hours. If you have car trouble, pull off the road as
far as possible. Warn approaching traffic by turning on your hazard lights, or
by placing reflecting triangles near your vehicle and 300 feet behind it. Turn
on flashers and the dome light.
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