Non Fault Accident Courtesy Car Explained

You’ve had an accident. It wasn’t your fault. You need a non-fault accident courtesy car.

Unfortunately, when you go to your insurer, it’s not always just THAT straight forward.

Are you looking for…

A courtesy car for an unroadworthy vehicle >

A courtesy car for an roadworthy vehicle >

Comparing options between a courtesy car and hire car >

Continue scrolling or click the sections above to navigate to the correct section for your situation.

If a car accident causes significant damage to a vehicle, it’s likely to result in the vehicle being unfit to drive on the road. The vehicle will likely require accident recovery, but then the driver is stuck without a vehicle.

A driver with an unroadworthy vehicle needs a non-fault accident courtesy car as soon as possible after the non-fault accident. They also need a courtesy for the entire time they are left without their own vehicle. Depending on the circumstances, this amount of time can differ, sometimes extending to longer period of time.

To be without a replacement vehicle during that time can cause a significant impact on someone’s life. The problem is… a non-fault accident courtesy car from your insurance company is not guaranteed.

Insurer policies are complex and they all differ from insurer-to-insurer.

However, they do not all provide a courtesy car to their policy holders after a non fault accident.

It depends on a few factors, including: The driver’s policy, the insurer’s terms & conditions, vehicle repair time and also the insurance courtesy car availability.

Although a driver is left without their vehicle during it’s off the road, insurers do not guarantee a replacement vehicle.

One of the most common reasons that a driver will be left without a courtesy car after a non-fault accident is due to the ‘availability’ of insurer-provided courtesy cars.

For some driver’s, their insurer fails to provide a courtesy car at the very start of the process. A driver is inconvenienced from the get-go and left waiting. Sometimes, they then don’t receive one at all for the duration.

For others, a courtesy car is initially provided, but is then taken away during the process as a result of their claim or repair duration; leaving people inconvenienced and suddenly without.

Unlike with a vehicle that’s unroadworthy, a driver of a roadworthy vehicle will usually continue to use their vehicle day-to-day after the accident. The damage is usually less severe and any repairs primarily consist of bodywork and paint (Circumstance depending).

So, after an accident, driver’s with roadworthy vehicles don’t need a courtesy car right away. However, they do eventually need a non-fault accident courtesy car when it’s time for their vehicle to be repaired.

Insurance companies only work with insurer-approved repair garage’s. Insurer-approved garages commonly don’t guarantee the same level of repair standards that BSI Kitemark accredited garages promise; like our accident repair centres do.

In the case where a driver’s vehicle is roadworthy, some insurance companies will still provide a non-fault accident courtesy car. However, this won’t be immediate.

Instead, it will be only for the duration that the driver is left without the vehicle. For a roadworthy vehicle, this is while it goes in for it’s repair.

Receiving the courtesy car, however, is highly dependant on: The driver’s policy, the  insurer’s terms and conditions, but also the availability of their accident courtesy cars.

If the driver is lucky enough to receive the courtesy car while your car is being repaired, the vehicle will not match the spec of your own vehicle. An insurer’s courtesy car is typically a lower-end, basic replacement. This may cause disruption to your daily routines and requirements.

Insurance companies won’t guarantee driver’s a courtesy car, primarily due to availability.

Driver’s with roadworthy vehicles are able to continue, mostly, as normal. They are also able to drive to the repair garage when it’s time for their repair. Therefore, the most common scenario is that it is the repair garage who will supply their courtesy car.

The insurer-approved garages are usually in contract with the insurer, and are structured to deal with high quantities of repairs to meet demand. This affects the availability of courtesy cars.

Repair garages have a limited number of courtesy cars and they tend to be booked up prior to the repair. This can leave drivers left without during the repair.

In some circumstances, the insurance companies will directly offer to provide a courtesy car via a delivery and collect service. However, insurers tend to provide courtesy cars to driver’s with unroadworthy vehicles, over roadworthy vehicles.

A courtesy car is a vehicle provided by a garage or insurance company to a client whose own car is undergoing repairs or service, possibly from a non-fault accident.

A courtesy car is intended to minimise the inconvenience caused to the client due to the temporary unavailability of their own vehicle.

The provision of a courtesy car depends on the policies of the respective garage or insurance company, and may come with specific terms and conditions, such as: Mileage limits, restrictions on who can drive the car, and limited availability.

Eligibility for a courtesy car often depends on the terms and conditions set by the garage or insurance company providing the service.

If you’ve been in an accident and your car is being repaired, you may be eligible if you have a policy that includes a courtesy car provision. A driver would need to check with their insurance policy or ask their insurer to understand if they’re eligible and what conditions may apply.

Keep in mind that you usually need to have a valid driver’s license and meet any age and driving experience requirements set by the insurance company or garage.

Whereas, if a driver has a non-fault accident; they are eligible for a like-for-like replacement hire car through credit hire at no cost to them, because all costs are claimed back from the at-fault driver’s insurance policy.

After a non-fault accident, a driver would typically obtain a courtesy car by contacting their own insurance company and requesting one. However, to obtain the insurer’s courtesy car, the driver would need to initiate a pending claim on their own policy, putting their own policy at risk of being affected and having to pay their own excess. The best option, when a driver needs a courtesy car after a non-fault accident, is to use a credit hire car from an accident management company.

The duration for which you can use a courtesy car largely depends on the policy of the insurance company, garage, or dealership providing it.

In theory, you can use the courtesy car for the entire period your own vehicle is being serviced or repaired.

However, there might be a maximum limit set by the provider, especially in the case of extensive repairs that take longer than expected.

For insurance-related courtesy cars, the duration might also be linked to the time it takes to settle a claim. Some policies will allow you to use the courtesy car until your own vehicle is repaired and returned to you, or until an insurance payout is made if your car is deemed a total loss.

However, due to availability, this is not always the case.

It’s important to clarify the terms and conditions before you take possession of a courtesy car. Make sure you understand when the car must be returned and what happens if your vehicle’s repairs take longer than initially expected.

The most beneficial non fault accident option for a vehicle, while yours is off the road, would be a credit hire car.

This provides you with a like-for-like vehicle

Whether or not you need to pay for a courtesy car depends on the policies of the garage, dealership, or insurance company, but also depends on how you acquire the vehicle.

In many cases, the use of a courtesy car is a free service provided while your own vehicle is being repaired.

However, you are generally responsible for the cost of fuel used during your use of the car, and you may also be responsible for any tolls, parking fees, or fines incurred.

In some cases, there may be a daily fee or other charges associated with the use of the courtesy car. These fees should be outlined clearly by the provider before you accept the use of the car.

Also, you might be held responsible for any damage that occurs to the courtesy car while it’s in your possession, outside of normal wear and tear.

If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault, and choose to use a Credit Hire Car; there will not be a cost to you for using this. Instead, the associated costs are covered by the claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy.