How To Get A Free Courtesy Car After An Accident
With over 200,000 vehicle claims registered each year, knowing how to get a cost-free courtesy car after an accident can be essential information for any UK driver. A courtesy car is a vehicle provided as a temporary replacement vehicle for use whilst your car is off the road. It should also be provided at no cost to you to be considered a courtesy car. After an accident, there are multiple courtesy car services available to drivers which offer with many offering ‘like for like’ courtesy cars. The most common courtesy car providers are; non-fault accident courtesy car services, car accident repair garages (car body shops) and car insurance companies. Courtesy cars give drivers access to an immediate replacement vehicle for use whilst your car is being repaired after an accident. Many car insurers offer a courtesy car as standard, but only if a vehicle is repairable. Insurers source their courtesy cars from their contracted vehicle repair garages. As a result insurance courtesy cars will be a standard group A vehicle only. However, the benefit of an insurance courtesy car is that it’s usually available regardless of accident liability. As long as your vehicle is repairable, a courtesy car is usually provided. But what if your vehicle is a write-off? or if you want your vehicle repaired at a garage of your choice, at a vehicle main dealer or manufacturer approved repair centre? And what if a standard group courtesy car is not suitable for you? This is when being aware of your rights and how to access an alternative cost-free courtesy car service is essential.
“knowing how to get a free courtesy car after an accident can be essential”
Accident courtesy car and credit hire car services
If you require a ‘like for like’ courtesy car, (meaning a courtesy car of the same size and standard as your vehicle) after an accident you can contact an accident courtesy car company or credit hire service for a cost-free – ‘like for like’ courtesy car solution. These companies and services can assist in the event the accident was not your fault. Should this be the case, you’re entitled by law to receive a ‘like for like’ courtesy hire car after the accident. The entitlement then continues until your vehicle claim is settled. This can mean either your vehicle is fully repaired returned to you or the vehicle write off payment is settled and paid out.
“you’re entitled by law to receive a like for like courtesy hire car after the accident”
Non-fault courtesy car entitlement is available irrespective of your insurance coverage type. This is because the courtesy cars provision is considered an uninsured loss. The courtesy car cost is a justifiable uninsured loss if you have a clear requirement for a courtesy car, and you do not have access to another vehicle for use whilst your vehicle is off the road. During the time it takes to either repair or settled your vehicle write off claim, the negligent parties insurance company remain responsible to pay for the cost of the courtesy hire car in line with ABI and GTA protocols. Therefore If you have been offered a courtesy car after a non-fault accident by your insurer that is not like for like, or only available if your car is repairable. Drivers have no obligation to use their insurance companies services after a non-fault car accident. If an insurer is offering an unsuitable service there are many independent cost-free courtesy cars and vehicle claims available to non-fault drivers.
ACC specialise in assisting drivers of all vehicle types following non-fault car accidents. From drivers of small calls to drivers prestige and performance vehicles. Or from motorbike riders to vans and commercial vehicle drivers we are ready to help. With our nationwide same day service, we ensure you receive a cost-free ‘like for like’ courtesy car after the accident and until your vehicle claim is settled. We provide a seamless one-call service, we are completely independent and we act upon your instruction, not the insurers. As a result, we can not only provide a cost-free courtesy car solution but also offer cost-free vehicle claim processing services. With ACC you have no excess to pay and we can protect your claims history.
All the costs are recovered directly from the at-fault driver’s insurer in line with ABI standards and GTA protocols. If you need a dependable cost-free courtesy car and vehicle claim service contact ACC.
“receive a cost free like for like courtesy car”
Independent courtesy car and claims service V’s claiming on your car insurance
When you claim via your car insurance you will often be required to pay your policy excess before the insurer will consider processing your claim. However, by claiming via an independent service like ACC, we claim directly from the at-fault driver’s insurer on your behalf. As a result, no claim is made involving your policy. This can not only protect your claim history but also means that no policy excess is required to be paid. This benefits you and the at-fault insurer as it reduces claim costs.
In relation to courtesy cars, often insurers do not provide a guaranteed ‘like for like’ suitable replacement vehicle service. Often if your vehicle is written off your car insurer will not provide a courtesy car service at all. In contrast, independent services like ACC will provide a ‘like for like’ temporary replacement vehicle after the accident and until claim settlement.
ACC offer a priority same day service for courtesy cars after accidents, with the right courtesy delivered directly to you. Claiming directly for courtesy cars and vehicle damage losses has become the modern efficient way to claim after a non-fault car accident as it negates excess payments, protects claims histories and reduces claim cost exposure to insurers.
Can ACC sort out my vehicle repairs after a car accident
ACC offer a full vehicle claim service. As part of our service, we arrange vehicle repairs. You have the choice of any accident repair centre you wish to use, or you may wish to use one of our manufacturer-approved repair network garages. In contrast car insurers often insist that take your car to a specific garage that’s been approved by your insurer. Whilst this may be in their interest it’s not always the right option for you. We always suggest that car accident repairs are carried out by an appropriate manufacturer-approved, or manufacturer specialist repair centre. This ensures repairs are carried out to required standards and protects-preserves any vehicle warranties held on your vehicle. Using a manufacturer approved repair centre can also be a condition found in many vehicle finance/leasing agreements. Whilst it’s your responsibility to ensure repairs are carried out at an appropriate repair centre, it’s your property that has been damaged, ACC ensures you have the right to decide where your vehicle is repaired.
Following the provision of a courtesy car our vehicle repair claims team process your claim quickly. With vehicle inspection within 48 hours, and repairs authority given to you chosen repair centre with 2 days of the inspection. We can also assist you with the recovery of any losses you may have incurred as a result of the accident.
Do I report the claim to my insurer?
Drivers must consult their insurance policy, some insurers will require all vehicle accidents, both fault and not a fault, to be reported. Even just for information purposes. Others will only require fault accidents to be reported. To be certain and to avoid confusion always consult your car insurance policy for clarification.
Your rights to a courtesy car
For many drivers, access to a courtesy car in the event you have an accident is essential. Courtesy car entitlement is dictated by and linked to, who is liable for the accident. This breaks down into 2 groups, fault accidents when the driver is considered negligent, and non-fault car accidents when the driver is not responsible for the accident.
Fault accidents are when the driver is considered the negligent party in the accident. As a result, they are liable to cover the cost of losses incurred by all parties involved in the accident. However, in reality, it’s the at-fault driver’s car insurance that settles the claims for losses, including courtesy cars and credit hire car costs. An at-fault driver will often only have access to a cost-free courtesy vehicle for a limited number of days (usually 7-14 days) or until their vehicle damage is assessed. Should the damaged vehicle be considered a total loss the courtesy car is requested to be returned.
Non fault accidents. Drivers involved in non-fault car accidents have the right to claim for the cost-free courtesy car or temporary replacement vehicle directly from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. A courtesy car can be provided by any independent accident courtesy car service or via the insurers.
General courtesy car information
In most comprehensive insurance policies, entitled drivers to a courtesy car. Courtesy cars are usually provided by the insurers appointed repair centre. They can be available in the event of write off, however, mostly their availability is conditional to the vehicle being repairable. Insurers often insist that you must take your car to a specific garage that’s been approved by your insurer to be given a courtesy car. However, if the damage is a result of a non-fault car accident you can have the right to have your car repaired at any repair centre you wish. The same principle applies to a courtesy car. If the accident is not your fault you have the right access to a cost-free courtesy car from any provider you consider to be providing you with the best service. Access to a courtesy car after an accident is not related to your car insurance cover type. Both fully comp and third parted covered drivers have the same entitlement to a cost-free courtesy car after a non-fault car accident.
Summary of cost free courtesy car availability after an accident
Recently the Association of British Insurers (ABI) provided an outline courtesy car provision in various circumstances.
- In the event of a car accident that involved another vehicle whose driver is considered at fault, you can claim against the other driver’s insurer for losses including a courtesy car. You may claim for use of a courtesy car during the time taken for the vehicle to be repaired. The claim must be reasonable and avoid excessive courtesy car charges or periods of hire.
- If the car accident was on the road but involved no other vehicle or liable party, then your courtesy car entitlement is limited to that stated within your car insurance policy.
- When a car accident is considered your fault, no claim can be made against the non-fault party. Therefore courtesy car entitlement will be limited to availability stated within your car insurance policy. Alternatively, self-funding repairs at an independent garage may enable the repair centre to provide a cost-free courtesy car during the repair period.