Land Transport Rule: Operator Licensing 2007, s 10.12 (available at www.nzta.govt.nz); Land Transport Rule: Operator Licensing 2007, s 10.14
The tow-truck driver has to take all reasonable precautions to prevent your car being damaged and to prevent anything being lost from it.
If your vehicle is damaged or you find that something is missing from it, you should complain directly to the tow-truck operator, in writing.
If you’re insured, you can tell your insurance company what’s happened and work through them.
If you’re not insured or otherwise want to claim compensation yourself, you’ll need to get a panelbeater to assess the damage and the cost of the repairs – or, if something was missing from the car, you’ll need to provide a reliable valuation or price for the missing item. You should then write to the towing operator and ask them to compensate you. If they refuse, you can take a claim to the Disputes Tribunal, see “The Disputes Tribunal”.