You slid your Polaris RZR off a shelf road in Moab or Windrock, and it’s currently dangling 50 feet down a ravine. You are safe, but a standard tow truck can’t reach it; you need a specialized off-road recovery team with winches and a tracked vehicle. They just quoted you $5,000 to extract it, and your insurance agent is on hold trying to figure out if “Recovery” is the same as “Towing.”
Key Takeaways
- Towing vs. Recovery: “Towing” usually means moving a disabled vehicle from a roadside to a shop. “Recovery” means extracting a vehicle that is stuck off-road. They are different line items.
- The ” accessible” clause: Many policies only pay for recovery if the vehicle is within 50-100 feet of a “traversable road.” If you are deep in the woods, you might be on your own.
- Trip Interruption is key: High-end policies bundle recovery costs into “Trip Interruption” or specifically named “Off-Road Recovery” endorsements.
- Pay First, Claim Later: Recovery crews in 2026 demand instant crypto or credit card payment. Insurance rarely pays them directly. You have to fight for reimbursement.
The “Why” (The Trap): The “Public Road” Definition
Standard motorcycle or ATV policies often borrow language from auto policies.
The Clause:
“We will pay reasonable costs to tow your covered vehicle to the nearest repair facility, provided the vehicle is located on a publicly accessible roadway.”
If you are 4 miles up a Jeep trail, you are not on a publicly accessible roadway. The insurer can legally deny the $5,000 extraction fee, paying only for the tow after you get it back to the pavement.
The Investigation: I Quoted the Big 3
I posed as a customer with a 2025 Can-Am Maverick R stuck in a difficult trail scenario.
Progressive (The Standard)
- The Verdict: Their standard “Roadside Assistance” is exactly that—Roadside.
- The Trap: I pressed the agent, “What if I’m in a mud pit?” She admitted that if a standard flatbed can’t reach it, the “winch-out” benefit is usually capped at a very low amount (e.g., $100 or 1 hour of labor). That won’t cover a specialized recovery rig.
Foremost (The Specialist)
- The Verdict: Better. They understand off-road.
- The Benefit: They offer specific endorsements for “Transport Trailer” and optional higher limits for recovery, but you have to ask for it. It’s not automatic.
Overland Insurance (Specialty Broker)
- The Verdict: The best. They sell policies specifically for overlanding.
- The Benefit: They cover “Technical Recovery” up to much higher limits ($2,000+).
Comparison Table: Getting Unstuck
| Feature | Standard ATV Policy (Geico/Prog) | Specialty Off-Road Policy (Foremost/Markel) | Overland/Club Membership |
| Roadside Towing | Included ($200 limit) | Included ($500 limit) | N/A |
| Off-Road Recovery | Excluded or Capped at $100 | Available (Check Limits) | Included (High Limits) |
| Winch-Out | “Accessible” areas only | Trailside coverage | Technical Recovery |
[IMAGE: Photo of a UTV hanging off a cliff edge with a recovery cost estimate graphic overlay]
Step-by-Step Action Plan
- Check “Additional Coverages”: Look at your policy right now. Do you see “Off-Road Recovery”? If not, you have “Roadside,” which is useless on the trail.
- Join a Recovery Group: In 2026, subscription services (like AAA for off-roaders) are safer than relying on insurance.
- Get the Receipt: If you pay a guy $2,000 to winch you out, get a detailed invoice listing “Mechanical breakdown recovery,” not just “Winching.”
- Argue “Preservation of Property”: If the insurer denies the recovery, argue that leaving it there would have resulted in a Total Loss (theft or falling further). You paid $5,000 to save them a $30,000 payout.
FAQ
Does my AAA cover ATV recovery?
Generally, NO. AAA covers street vehicles. They might cover the truck towing the trailer, but not the ATV on the trail.
If a friend pulls me out and breaks his axle, does my insurance pay him?
No. Your liability covers damage you do to others in a crash, not damage they inflict on themselves trying to help you.