In a country of such divided opinions, I think there is one thing we can all agree on: the costs of towing services are grossly excessive. We know that the operating costs of these companies are also very high, starting with the cost of the crane. However, many of these companies take advantage of the situation and charge exorbitant fees.

Most of the cases in which a crane is needed are in very difficult moments, such as accidents or a mechanical failure in which we cannot move the truck. In these cases, we do not have the option or time to choose, we focus on the most important thing, which is the well-being of all those involved in the accident and on taking security measures to prevent things from getting worse. This is an extremely stressful event, especially if it is an accident and there are injuries or fatalities.

Normally the police are in charge of contacting the towing service to take care of clearing the place and that they take the vehicle or vehicles to a safe place or to the yard of the same towing company. At this precise moment, the nightmare begins since, in most cases, these companies take advantage of the situation to charge excessive fees that we have no choice but to pay. It is common practice for towing companies to hold the vehicle and cargo hostage until the trucking company or insurance pays the bill. The chances of negotiation are almost nil.

Although most insurances cover towing and parking costs, some insurances have very low limits. I have had some experiences with some insurances where the coverage limit is $10,000 for towing and parking. All additional costs that exceed this amount have to be paid by the insured. Being realistic and taking into account the prices that are currently handled, we consider that this coverage is insufficient. We recommend that you review your insurance coverage limits or consult your agents.

Some have defined this practice as legalized theft, where the police unintentionally make it possible for these abuses to be committed by leaving us at the mercy of some immoral companies. We believe that we have the right to receive protection and defense. I think these companies that provide this service should apply or apply (like when applying for a job).

They should comply with the requirements and be regulated, mainly in terms of rates by the corresponding authorities, if they want to be part of the list of companies that can be contacted in case their services are required. Unfortunately, currently the only recourse we have in most cases is to go to court to try to correct the situation.