Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you accept insurance for Roadside Assistance?
Q. I had an accident and my car was towed. What are my next steps?
Q. Where can I submit my required forms?
Q. What are the fees on my impounded vehicle?
Q. Why am I being charged for Additional Winching?
Q. What is a Crash Wrap?
Q. What is the Internet Research Fee?
Q. If my vehicle is not drivable / operable how may I remove my vehicle from impound?
Q. My vehicle is a total loss and I have aftermarket equipment I want to retrieve. Can I get these?
Q. Who has access to remove personal items from the vehicle?
Q. What if I do not have the ability to pay my impound bill?
Q. General Vehicle Impound Information
Q. I need to download the forms to release my vehicle.

Q. Do you accept insurance for roadside assistance?

At this time we do not accept insurance for towing services in roadside assistance situations. However, we do offer to provide a tow bill for you as proof of your towing expenses. Most all insurances will allow you to submit this tow bill for reimbursement.
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Q. I had an accident and my car was towed. What are my next steps?

If you have insurance:
You will need to come to our facility at 7600 Bailey Body Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32216 during normal business hours (M-F 8am-5pm.)

You will need to bring with you:

Keys to the impounded vehicle
a valid photo I.D. (state issued driver's license, Employee I.D., Military I.D.)
Proof of ownership (title, current registration) No open titles accepted, no exceptions. All recently purchased vehicles must have vehicle transfer paperwork completed prior to being used as proof of ownership.
a completed Vehicle Impound Release Form, and
Necessary tools to remove vehicle license plate (tag.)
No verbal release of the vehicle is acceptable. The Vehicle Impound Release Form is required even if you are releasing to your insurance company.

If you have no insurance:
You will need to come to our facility at 7600 Bailey Body Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32216 during normal business hours (M-F 8am-5pm.)
You will need to bring with you:

Keys to the impounded vehicle
a valid photo I.D. (state issued driver's license, Employee I.D., Military I.D.)
Proof of ownership (title, current registration) No open titles accepted, no exceptions. All recently purchased vehicles must have vehicle transfer paperwork completed prior to being used as proof of ownership.
a completed Vehicle Impound Release Form, and
payment for the complete towing charges and any storage fees. We currently accept cash, cashiers check or money orders.
No verbal release of the vehicle is acceptable. The Vehicle Impound Release Form is required.

Thompson Enterprises is available as a licensed and insured tow company to tow your vehicle to your residence, body shop or salvage yard of your choosing. Please ask our office staff about rates and availability.

Thompson Enterprises is a towing and impound facility for local law enforcement. The decision for your vehicle to be towed was made by a local law enforcement agency who dispatched us to the scene. The Following are rules and laws you need to fully understand.

Once we are dispatched by a local law enforcement agency to tow a vehicle, we are not permitted under any circumstances to tow that vehicle to any other location (homes, dealerships, repair shops, etc..) except to our impound lot.
In order for a vehicle to be accessed, released or picked up once it is at our lot, the registered owner must come, in person, with a photo id and registration, OR sign and have notorized a Hold Harmless Form that appoints someone else to access/release/pick up the vehicle on your behalf.
Your vehicle, any charges, and making sure the insurance company is notified (if applicable) is your responsibility. If you were in an accident and have full coverage insurance or there was an at-fault party involved that has insurance, they will typically handle everything (including fees) for you. It is advised you make contact with them immediately so they can help you with this matter.

Q. Where can I submit my required forms?

There are two options for form submissions:

You may bring the completed and signed documents to our office located at 7600 Bailey Body Road, Jacksonville, FL 32216, or
You may use our convenient document submission engine.

Q. What are the fees on my impounded vehicle?

These fees are based on the Duval County pricing index:

Towing and Other Service Charges
	Rate	Per Hour Rate	Per Mile Rate
Class A Wrecker:
Motorcycles, Cars, pickups (through light duty - one ton with single rear axles)	$111.19		$3.19
Extra Charges (Rollover or additional winching)	$39.72
Extra time at scene - after first 30 minutes; charge in 15 minute increments		$95.30
Crash Wrap Fee	$27.60
Class A Storage (after first 6 hours):
Motorcycles - per 24 hour day or fraction thereof (inside or outside)	$15.90
All Others Outside - per 24 hour day or fraction thereof:	$23.83
All others Inside - per 24 hour day or fraction thereof, only when customer or police officer specifies, or when necessary for the protection from weather.	$28.69
Administrative Fees
Towing firm may charge an administrative fee not to exceed rate for actual documented costs associated with notice advertising and with research for and mailing of certified notices to registered owners and lein holders of record as required by F.S. § 713.78(3).	$71.76
Non Business Hours (8:00 P.M. - 7:00 A.M. seven days per week) access fee per visit. However, no such fee shall be charged for recovery of prescription medication, prescription glasses, child car seats, oxygen tanks or any type of medical equipment or life necessity items. No access fee shall be charged when completed payment is tendered for a vehicle being retrieved.	$60.04
Internet Research Fee (per vehicle and in addition to administrative fees)	$5.52

If you were in an accident and have full coverage insurance or there was an at-fault party involved that has insurance, they will typically handle everything (including fees) for you. It is advised you make contact with them immediately so they can help you with this matter.
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Q. Why am I being charged for additional winching?

Additional winching is a commonly used method in the recovery and/or retrieval of motor vehicles and vessels after a motor vehicle accident , stolen recovery (with or without keys,) vehicle abandonment, and/or any circumstances where a tow truck company or wrecker service is needed.

This method would be common when the vehicle cannot be immediately loaded onto the tow truck without advanced positioning or recovery from non-accessible areas such as: roadway medians, retention pond embankments, non-roadway accessible areas.

Traditionally, extra winching charges incur when the tow company is required to use snatch blocks, wheel chocks, wheel lifts, or extended strapping/cables for retrieval and/or rigging of the vehicle in need of recovery.
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Q. What is a crash wrap?

Tow companies use crash wrap after a motor vehicle collision to secure and protect your vehicle's interior from inclement weather and to secure loose parts on your vehicle for safety during transportation to the impound lot.

Instances where crash wrap would be used:

broken windows,
doors that will not close from collision damage,
securing open, good, or loose parts for transport.

See image examples below.

Red car with crash wrap at Thompson Enterprises in Jacksonville, FL.

Crash Wrap keeping the door closed after a collision

Grey crash wrapped car on the Thompson Enterprises lot in Jacksonville, FL.

Crash Wrap protecting the interior after a collision destroyed window functionality

White crash wrapped car on the lot at Thompson Enterprises in Jacksonville, FL

Crash Wrap Securing exposed and loose parts for transport

Q. What is the internet research fee?

The internet research fee covers the cost associated with researching and accessing registered owner information from the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. This is necessary in notification process and to verify proof of ownership.
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Q. If my vehicle is not drivable/operable, how may I remove my vehicle from impound?

Impounded vehicles may only be removed from property by a licensed and insured tow truck. No exceptions will be made for any reason. Thompson Enterprises is available to tow your vehicle from our impound lot to a residence, body shop, or salvage yard of your choosing. Please ask our office staff for towing rates and availability.
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Q. My vehicle is a total loss and I have aftermarket components that I want to retrieve. Can I get these?

Due to insurance regulations no work to the vehicle or removal of interior or exterior components, of any kind, may be performed on the property. No exceptions.
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Q. Who has access to remove personal items from the vehicle?

Only the registered owner may have access to the vehicle unless a Hold Harmless Form has been completed and notarized by the registered owner. If you are the registered owner and need to retrieve personal items or releasing your vehicle to a licensed and insured tow company, please complete the Impound Vehicle Release Form and return to our facility at 7600 Bailey Body Rd. Jacksonville, FL 32216
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Q. What if I do not have the ability to pay my impound bill?

You are responsible for making sure your vehicle leaves this facility. This is not a junk yard and vehicles that are abandoned here will eventually go to auction; usually 35-90 days after the initial tow, depending on circumstances. A wrecker lien for outstanding charges will then be placed against you and the total charges will be sent to a collection agency.
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Q. General Vehicle Impound Information?

At the time of the accident, when law enforcement called to have the vehicle towed, the registered owner of the vehicle would have received a signature form from law enforcement. This form contains a notice to the owner concerning their impounded vehicle. This is general information concerning auto accident impounds.

A. You are hereby notified your vehicle is being impounded pursuant to Jacksonville Ordinance, Chapter 804. Towing and storage charges will be assessed against your vehicle by the Wrecker Firm towing your vehicle. If you wish to contest the lmpoundment of your vehicle and/or your liability for towing and storage charges, you have the right to claim and regain possession of your vehicle, at the location to which it is being removed for storage, without prepayment of towing and storage charges upon posting with the custodian of the vehicle, a cash or surety bond in the amount of the accrued towing and storage charges. You may request a hearing as to the propriety of the lmpoundment and as to the owner's liability for the towing and storage charges. A hearing date may be obtained by the vehicle owner appearing at the Vehicle Storage and Recovery Unit, Police Memorial Building, 501 E. Bay Street, and producing (1) a paid receipt, or proof a cash or surety bond has been posted, for all towing and storage charges, (2) a valid Vehicle Registration or Title, and (3) a valid Driver's License or Photo Identification Card.

B. Failure by the owner to request a hearing within five (5) days after receipt of this notice may act as a waiver of his right to a hearing.
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Q. I need to download forms to release my vehicle?

These are the forms you will need in order to access or release your vehicle. Please use the questions above to determine which form you need to complete.