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Free Resource · Towing & Recovery Insurance

The submission kit
underwriters actually respond to.

Underwriters decline what they don't understand — and tow accounts are the most misunderstood risk in commercial auto. This kit lists every document a complete tow submission needs, so your account gets quoted instead of declined.

Free: The Tow Operator Submission Kit

Get the document list underwriters require.

Loss runs, driver & MVR list, vehicle schedule with VINs, on-hook limits worksheet, police-tow contract copies — everything a complete tow submission needs, in one checklist. Enter your name and email and we'll send your access link.

We'll send the kit plus a short series on the coverage traps that catch tow operators. Unsubscribe anytime. Educational only — does not amend coverage; refer to the policy and applicable law.

Tow Operator Submission Kit

The complete document list for towing & recovery insurance submissions

Section 1 — Loss History

The first thing every underwriter reads. Incomplete loss runs = automatic decline.

Currently valued loss runs — 3 to 5 years, from every carrier Critical
Request them from each prior carrier or agent in writing; carriers must provide them. "Currently valued" means run within the last 60–90 days. Underwriters will not quote a tow account on a verbal loss summary.
A short written narrative for any loss over $10,000
What happened, what changed afterward (driver terminated, procedure added, camera installed). A large loss with a corrective-action story reads completely differently than a bare number on a loss run.

Section 2 — Drivers

Tow pricing is driver pricing. Clean driver files move premium more than anything else.

Driver list — full name, date of birth, license number, state, years of tow experience Critical
Every driver who operates a truck, even occasionally. An accident by an unlisted driver is the most common tow coverage dispute.
Current MVRs for every listed driver, or written authorization to pull them
Underwriters will order MVRs anyway — sending clean ones up front sets the tone for the whole file. Know before they do: a driver with a recent DUI or multiple violations may need to come off the schedule before you submit.
A one-paragraph hiring standard — minimum age, experience, MVR criteria Often Skipped
Even three sentences ("25+, two years verifiable tow experience, no majors in 5 years") tells the underwriter you run a professional shop. Most submissions omit this; yours shouldn't.

Section 3 — Vehicle Schedule

Complete vehicle schedule with VINs — year, make, model, body type, GVW, stated value Critical
Identify each unit as wheel-lift, flatbed/rollback, heavy wrecker, or service vehicle. Stated values should reflect today's replacement cost with the tow body — not book value of the bare chassis.
Radius of operation and where each truck is garaged overnight
Local (under 50 miles), intermediate, or long-haul — by unit if it varies. Garaging ZIP codes matter for rating; a fenced, lit yard matters for theft.

Section 4 — On-Hook & Garagekeepers Exposure

Three coverages, three different claim triggers. Underwriters need the numbers for each.

On-hook limits worksheet — the maximum value you tow, not the average Common Gap
What's the most valuable vehicle your trucks hook in a normal month? If you tow for a luxury dealer or haul equipment, a $50,000 on-hook limit is a claim waiting to exceed it. Write down your top three highest-value tow scenarios.
Storage / impound lot details — location, capacity, fencing, lighting, cameras
Vehicle count at peak, lot address, and security features. This drives your garagekeepers limit: a full impound lot in a hail or fire event is one occurrence against one limit.

Section 5 — Contracts & Operations

Copies of police-tow rotation contracts and municipal agreements Critical
Rotation contracts usually carry specific insurance requirements — limits, additional insured wording, cancellation notice. The underwriter needs to see them, and your certificates must match them exactly.
Revenue breakdown by operation — light tow, heavy tow, recovery, storage, repair
Percentage of revenue from each. Repair operations add garage liability exposure; heavy recovery is rated differently than light-duty road service. Guessing here causes mid-term audits and premium surprises.
Current policy declarations pages and your X-date
Your current structure and expiration date let a broker time the marketing correctly. Start 90 days out — tow accounts submitted two weeks before expiration get declined for timing alone.
Questions? Call now — you'll reach Tom directly.
Tom Heuston — independent specialist broker since 1985.
609-812-1962 · info@heustons.com
Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET · Summer Fridays until 1 PM · Closed holidays (early close the day before)
212 North Green Street, PO Box 278, Tuckerton, NJ 08087 · Licensed NJ · PA · NY · USVI
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Complete towing & recovery programs — commercial auto, on-hook, garagekeepers, general liability, umbrella, workers comp. ACORD-based submissions to admitted and surplus markets.
heustons.com/towing-insurance.html

This kit is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or insurance advice. Coverage determinations require analysis of the actual policy as issued. Heuston's Insurance Services LLC is an independent brokerage — policies are issued by and obligations are the responsibility of the issuing carriers. © 2026 Heuston's Insurance Services LLC.

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