Help a customer who has a non-drivable vehicle at the crash scene

The claims representative helps the customer determine if their non-drivable vehicle needs a tow immediately or not.

Procedure

1. Determine if the non-drivable vehicle is safe and legally allowed to be left at the crash scene.

   If the non-drivable vehicle is ...	Then tell the customer to ...
   blocking one or more lanes on the road, in a no stopping or no parking zone, or heavily damaged and a risk to others (for example, broken glass, jagged metal, or leaking fluids)	tow the vehicle immediately.
   on private property other than the customer's, unable to be locked, or parked in a limited time parking space	consider towing the vehicle as soon as possible.
   off the road and on the shoulder, in a public parking space, or on the customer's private property such as their driveway	leave the vehicle where it is.

2. Help the customer identify a towing company to perform the tow from the crash scene.
   1. Search for towing companies near or local to the crash scene.
   2. Give the customer the names and phone numbers of the towing company or companies.
3. Verbally authorize a tow from the crash scene based on the shortest distance.
   1. Determine the distance between the crash scene and the customer's residence.
   2. Determine the distance between the crash scene and the towing company or companies storage yard(s) near or local to the crash scene.

   If the distance is ...	Then authorize the tow ...
   under six (6) km for both	to either the towing company's storage yard, or the customer's residence, whichever is preferred by the customer.
   over six (6) km for one or both	that is the shorter distance.

4. Set expectations with the customer.
   1. Tell the customer that ICBC towing and estimating representatives will confirm the next tow and vehicle status.
   2. Tell the customer the process may take between five to ten (5-10) business days.
5. Note any personal towing requests from the customer, if applicable.
   Example:
   If the non-drivable vehicle is a write-off and the crash occurred far from the customer's residence and community, it's likely that the vehicle won't be towed back. Regardless, the customer may want to provide towing details as if the crash occurred in their community for peace of mind or if they have coverage to have the vehicle salvage brought home.