Your local tow truck driver

[KenM]

Today I happened to witness a preventable accident that will probably be the end of somebody's car. I was driving through east Brisbane and happened to come alongside a tray truck with a 126 on the back. The car was loaded on the truck backwards so I was driving along level with the front of the car. We were going pretty slowly along Stanley St and I was noticing how much the car was bouncing up and down over the bumps even though the wheels were secured with ratchet straps.  Then as we crossed Wellington St the truck hit a bigger bump and the car gave a bigger lurch upwards and came came down with a crunch. The momentum of the car caused it to hit the D shackle of the truck's central chain restraint and drove it straight through the sump. Oil everywhere of course. I couldn't believe it, I followed the truck as I guessed he might be going to a well known independant Benz repairer in Coorparoo and so it turned out to be. As soon as the truck stopped the driver got out and looked at the car, he knew full well what had happened, I had a quick chat to him and confirmed that he worked for the company so at least it wouldn't be pushed under the carpet as an unexplained accident.
Still, now the cost of taking out the engine from a 300 se and fitting a new sump will probably nearly add up to more than the car is worth I imagine, plus whatever problems caused it to be on the tray truck in the first place.
Whose insurance would cover this? Makes me think I need to check my policies.

Here's to not breaking down.

[Big_Richard]

its my understanding that your insurance wont cover it as you've personally transfered care of the vehicle to a third party for a portion of time, I believe this also applies to cars damaged by mechanics etc. Insurance simply says get stuffed.

[flutes]

That's also my understanding MT and also the reason to use professionals who should have insurance to cover these things.  In my industry it's called professional indemnity and in some circumstances is mandated (ie a legal requirement to operate a business) - I don't know whether it's mandated in mechanics/towing.