Following a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you are in a very unfortunate position because there are a lot of problems you need to deal with, and possibly pay for, even though you haven’t done a thing wrong.
Our mission at Get Back On the Road is to help you work through these problems as easily as possible and we do our best to claim all of the costs against the insurer of the other driver.
In particular, one of our specialties is providing people who have been in accidents with free replacement cars while their own vehicles are being repaired. In this case your replacement car would be a credit hire vehicle.
You may also have access to a courtesy car from your own insurance provider, so some people may wonder what the difference is, and whether one is any better than the other.
Courtesy Car vs Credit Hire Car
To put it simply, a courtesy car can be seen more as a helpful additional service, whereas a credit hire car can be seen more as a professional service of its own.
What this translates into is that no matter what your original car was like, your courtesy car will more than likely be a small, standard sedan or hatchback.
A credit hire car service, on the other hand, will provide you with a like-for-like replacement of your original car, meaning if you originally drove a luxury sports car your replacement will more than likely be a luxury sports car as well, or the closest possible equivalent.
There are a few other issues with courtesy cars as well, in addition to being a downgrade from your original vehicle.
Often the period for your courtesy car will be limited – sometimes only 3 weeks – and so if your own vehicle requires extensive repairs you may not be covered for the entire repair period.
There can also be hidden and excessive fees associated with courtesy cars for things like scratches and excess mileage. And finally, although a courtesy car may appear to be “free”, in reality it is something built into your insurance policy and included in your monthly premiums.
The advantages of a credit hire car are, first and foremost, receiving a similar vehicle to your own in order to satisfy your needs.
Other advantages include an unlimited term, meaning that in the event that your car needs extensive repairs you will have transportation for the entire period.
And though strictly speaking a credit hire car is not free, for all practical purposes it is for you because it will be charged to the insurance company of the at-fault driver.
How to make a claim for your not-at-fault accident
Standing before the wreckage of what was once your car, a number of different thoughts might be running through your mind.
Among them, likely, is “how on earth am I going to get around while this mess is being repaired?”
To this question, at least, there is a clear answer: at Get Back on the Road our experienced team will go over your case and do our very best to provide you with a credit hire car as soon as possible in order to get you moving again.
