What should I do if a recovery truck damages my car during transport?

Photograph the damage immediately, keep the recovery booking and condition evidence, notify the operator in writing and tell your insurer where appropriate. Responsibility depends on the facts, contract and whether the vehicle was damaged through negligent loading, securing or transport.

In relation to “What should I do if a recovery truck damages my car during transport?”, the first few minutes after a road incident are mainly about preventing a second collision, helping anyone injured and preserving accurate details.

For “What should I do if a recovery truck damages my car during transport?”, photograph the vehicle before and after loading where possible and keep the recovery invoice. Damage disputes are much easier to assess when the pre-transport condition is documented.

For “What should I do if a recovery truck damages my car during transport?”, for Northern Ireland, the key is to use the authority or contract that actually controls this issue. The sources attached to this answer include PSNI - Road Traffic Collision, nidirect - Motor insurance explained, and GOV.UK - Vehicle insurance. Those sources should take priority over forum posts or guidance written for a different jurisdiction, particularly where a deadline, offence, fee, finance right or policy condition is involved.

Practical next step for “What should I do if a recovery truck damages my car during transport?”: make a short incident note while details are fresh — time, exact location, registrations, people involved, witnesses and photographs or original video. If police, insurer, road authority or recovery operator is involved, keep each reference number with that note.