Choosing a Credit Hire Company after a non-fault accident.
An introduction to Credit Hire With A Credit Hire Company.
In its simplest form, Credit Hire is the hiring of a replacement vehicle
following an accident that was not your fault.
Call our team on 0330 128 1407 | Start your claim now >
Credit Hire Company: The Best First Contact After an Accident.
After a road traffic accident, a non-fault driver has two options for road traffic accident claims:
1. Contact their insurance company directly
2. Contact a Credit Hire Company
Contacting your insurance directly will usually always leave you worse off, even if it wasn’t your fault.
There are many credit hire companies out there. Choosing the right one is important.
Making the most beneficial
choice from the start.
Credit Hire
No excess to pay
Protect your no claims
No effect to your policy
Comparable replacement
Independent engineers
Dedicated claims handler
Your insurer
Pay your excess
lose your no claims
increased premiums
Standard courtesy car
Insurance approved repairs
Large, slow call centres
What is a Credit Hire Company?
If you’ve been involved in a road traffic accident, the law entitles you to a comparable replacement vehicle. However, if you don’t have the funds to cover the repairs or replacement costs yourself, a credit hire company can provide you with a hire car at no cost to you.
A Credit Hire Company will then help to recover the cost of the hire from the party who was at fault for the accident.
Credit hire companies offer a wide range of vehicles to suit any of your needs, so you can continue to live your life as normal while your car is being repaired. This can be an incredibly valuable service if you rely on a vehicle with higher specifications.
An accident management company is the most beneficial option after a non fault accident.
Request a callback.
One of our advisors will call you back. Or, call us now on 0330 128 1407.
Credit Hire Claims.
If you’re involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, a Credit Hire Claim is the process of claiming the cost of hiring the replacement vehicle from the other driver’s insurance company.
To make a credit hire claim, you’ll need to get in touch with a credit hire company such as Auto Claims Assist who will then provide you with a replacement vehicle.
The credit hire company will then invoice the other driver’s insurance company for the cost of hiring the vehicle, claiming these costs back.
Call us 0330 128 1407 | Start your claim now >
The difference between claiming with a Credit Hire Company after a car accident and claiming with your own insurance company.
Credit Hire companies essentially work on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means that they will only charge you if they are able to recover costs from the other driver’s insurance company. In contrast, your own insurance company may decide not to cover your expenses after a car accident, or they may set limits on the amount of money that they’re willing to payout.
Additionally, claiming directly through your own insurance company can usually mean that:
- You will need to pay your own excess fee when you make the claim.
- You may lose your no-claims bonus because you are initiating a claim against your own insurance policy.
- Your insurance premiums are at risk of going up from the claim on your policy.
- The repairs on your vehicle will be ‘insurer-approved’, not ‘manufacturer-approved’.
Credit Hire Claims are the more beneficial option compared to claiming through your own insurance company when the accident was not your fault.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, you are entitled by law to these benefits. A Credit Hire Claim usually adds an increased value to the total claim as a result of these benefits and Credit Hire Companies will also charge a fee for their services, which is included in the claim.
However, as you’re not at fault for the accident, the other driver’s insurance company will be liable for these costs. This makes Credit Hire claims a more effective and beneficial way to recover your financial losses.
If you’re considering making a Credit Hire Claim, it’s important to work with an experienced and reputable company like Auto Claims Assist. Our team are accident experts who will be able to guide you through the Credit Hire process from start to finish.
Who is entitled to Credit Hire?
In order to make a Credit Hire Claim, you must be able to prove that the other driver was at fault for the accident. This can be done by providing evidence such as:
- The other driver’s name, address, and contact details
- The other driver’s insurance policy details
- Witness statements
- Photographs of the accident scene
- The police report (if applicable)
Once you have gathered this evidence, you’ll need to get in touch with a Credit Hire company like Auto Claims Assist who will be able to help you through the process of making your Credit Hire Claim.
Whether you’ve been involved in a minor or a major collision, a Credit Hire Company can help to ease the financial burden of recovering from an accident, protect your no-claims bonus, protect insurance premiums and also help reduce the stress of a car accident situation.
If you’re unsure if your accident circumstances entitle you to Credit Hire, we still encourage you to speak to us first. Our experts will evaluate the situation for you and explain if Credit Hire is an option for you to choose.
How Credit Hire Works.
Knowing exactly what to do after a car accident can be difficult.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, the first step is to contact a Credit Hire Company (also known as an Accident Management Company) as your first point of contact.
You will need to provide some basic information about your accident.
This will include details such as the date and location of the accident, as well as any injuries that you or your passengers sustained. A dedicated claims handler will then assess your situation and determine if you are eligible for credit hire services, as mentioned above.
If you are approved, the Credit Hire Company will reach out to both parties and offer one of their vehicles to you to use while your own car is being repaired.
Remember: You will not need to worry about any expenses during the entire process.
You will be assigned a dedicated non-fault claims handler. They will manage your claim and provide complete advice and guidance. It’s very reassuring knowing that you have someone who knows professionally what to do and who is on your side.
Prioritising both safety and efficiency, your car will be processed through its accident repair. It will be monitored closely by your claims handler and you’ll be kept up-to-date throughout.
If you choose to work with Auto Claims Assist, we have an established 400+ Accident Repair Centre Network. Our repair network includes manufacturer-approved repair garages that use manufacturer-approved repair parts and methods.
Having access to a manufacturer-approved repair garage after an accident is very important. Your insurance company will usually only provide an ‘insurance-approved’ repair garage. If your car is still under warranty, or if your car is a luxury car, you may lose your warranty or have issues in the future as a result.
Once your vehicle is fully repaired, you’ll receive your vehicle back.
In the meantime, you’ll have access to the replacement vehicle throughout the duration of it being off the road. This is a small detail which makes a huge difference after an accident:
Should you decide to claim directly with your insurer, it’s common for courtesy cars to be delayed in arriving after the accident has happened. We prioritise your replacement vehicle needs by having it with you on the same working day of contacting us.
Insurer courtesy cars also aren’t guaranteed for the full duration of your own vehicle being off the road. It’s not uncommon for you to be left without a courtesy car entirely, especially if their repair process isn’t running as timely as expected.
Whereas, our Credit Hire Service guarantees you a comparable spec vehicle, or better, for the full duration that you are without your car.
It’s also important to remember the key detail: Your Credit Hire Claim will claim all associated costs and losses back from the at-fault driver’s insurance policy, leaving your own insurance policy unaffected by the accident.
A common concern that non-fault drivers have is: Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?
By claiming through your own insurance company, you claim against your own policy and this can have an effect on your own insurance.
You and/or your passengers may have been injured in the car accident. Auto Claims Assist’s panel of specialist personal injury solicitors are able to help in claiming back any personal injury compensation.
Credit Hire was established as a solution to provide a fair option to drivers who aren’t at fault. For someone to experience time, financial and vehicle access losses from a situation that they didn’t cause, isn’t a fair outcome.
If you’d like advice about Credit Hire and the Accident Management Process, or want to start your claim with us, speak to our expert team today.
The Benefits of Credit Hire.
Credit Hire offers a range of benefits for non-fault drivers that they wouldn’t receive if they choose to claim directly with their own insurance company.
We’ve mentioned some briefly already, but here is more information on what’s included:
A comparable replacement vehicle: You will be provided with a replacement vehicle that is similar to your own in terms of make, model and specification. This will ensure that you are able to continue with your day-to-day activities without any disruption.
No excess to pay: By working with a Credit Hire Company, you aren’t claiming against your own insurance policy. Therefore, you don’t need to pay your insurance policy excess fee. You can rest easy knowing that you won’t have to worry about paying any out-of-pocket expenses.
No impact on your insurance premiums: We avoid the creation of a pending claim on your own insurance premium. When your next renewal comes around you won’t be affected by a pending claim increase. Using Credit Hire services is the most assured way to not affect your next premium.
Overall, Credit Hire is a fast and convenient way to get the support and assistance you need after an accident that wasn’t your fault. With its range of benefits, Credit Hire takes away the interruptions of a road traffic accident, so you can focus on recovering and moving forward with your life.
The History of Credit Hire.
Credit Hire has been an essential part of the auto insurance industry for many years. In its early days at the start of the 1980s, Credit Hire was primarily used as a temporary measure to help drivers get back on the road quickly after an accident.
Today, however, Credit Hire has become much more sophisticated and effective.
Thanks to advancements in technology and the implementation of a robust claims management process, Credit Hire has become an effective way to quickly and easily manage the expenses associated with a car accident.
The Credit Hire Industries’ objective has always been to act as an independent party on the side of the non-fault driver after a car accident. The standard insurance process for non-fault drivers doesn’t offer the benefits that they are entitled to. For non-fault drivers, It helps to make the process of getting back on the road as smooth and seamless as possible.
The difference between Credit Hire and Accident Management.
The terms ‘Credit Hire‘ and ‘Accident Management‘ mean different things but are often associated with being the same.
Credit Hire and Accident Management are two of the most popular methods used by non-fault drivers to claim back the costs associated with a car accident.
So, what’s the difference between the two?
‘Accident Management‘ is a process that helps to manage all aspects of a car accident claim from start to finish. This includes gathering accident details, liaising with insurance companies, filing accident reports, dealing with medical bills and providing accident support.
Credit Hire, on the other hand, focuses specifically on assisting non-fault drivers to get back on the road quickly after an accident. This involves providing a replacement vehicle and helping drivers to claim any associated vehicle costs.
Typically, a Credit Hire Company and/or Accident Management Company will offer both of these services in conjunction with one another. Companies in the industry are usually referred to as either of these references unless they only provide one of the two services. However, this is usually uncommon.
Credit Hire and Accident Management are both effective methods for getting accident costs reimbursed or recovered. However, the focus of each service makes them suitable for the various situations after an accident.
If you’ve been in a car accident that wasn’t your fault and require a replacement vehicle, then Credit Hire is the solution which provides this.
Accident Management Services are much more comprehensive and are what offer peace of mind after an accident.
Accident Management is essentially a one-stop-shop solution to your accident claim. Accident Management Services will usually include Credit Hire within its process, intertwining the two services together.
Sometimes a driver may not need a replacement vehicle because theirs is roadworthy. In this case, our experts would claim back the repairs for the vehicle as part of the accident management services. Credit Hire may still be initiated whilst the repairs leave the driver without a vehicle.
Auto Claims Assist is both an Accident Management Company and a Credit Hire Company. By combining the services, we provide start-to-finish Accident Claims Management inclusive of Credit Hire.
Auto Claims Assist Ltd are a national FCA Regulated Accident Management Company, founded in 2009.
Our skilled team has over 30 years of experience in the complexities of Accident Claims Management and Credit Hire. We’re proud to say that we are a leading UK Accident Management and Credit Hire Specialist, working alongside CHO (The Credit Hire Organisation); the UK Credit Hire trade body.
We provide help and support to thousands of people across the UK who have been involved in road traffic accidents.
Our mission is to help you get back on the road, as quickly and as easily as possible, after a road traffic accident.
Request a callback.
One of our advisors will call you back. Or, call us now on 0330 128 1407.
