Car Hire and Repair After a Non-Fault Accident
Non-fault accident services
Car Hire and Repair After a Non-Fault Accident
If the accident was not your fault, you do not have to claim on your own insurance to get moving again. Car hire and repair, also called credit hire and credit repair, gives you a like-for-like replacement vehicle and gets your car repaired, with the cost recovered from the driver at fault. You pay no excess, and your no claims discount stays where it is.
Two routes, two very different outcomes
After a non-fault accident you are choosing who pays, who decides, and what you drive in the meantime. Here is the honest version of both.
Car hire and repair
Your claim is pursued directly against the driver responsible. You get a replacement vehicle that matches the one you lost, your car is repaired at a garage you are happy with, and the bill goes to the at-fault side.
Your own policy is not used to pay for any of it, so there is no excess, no claim paid against your name, and no dent in your no claims discount.
Claiming on your own insurance
Your insurer settles first and tries to recover the money later. You pay the excess up front and wait, sometimes for months, to get it back. Until they recover in full, the claim sits on your record.
You take whatever courtesy car the policy allows, if it allows one at all, and your car goes to their approved repairer on their terms.
Car hire and repair compared with going through your insurer
The same non-fault accident, handled two ways.
| What matters to you | Car hire and repair | Your own insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Policy excess | Nothing to pay | Paid up front, often several hundred pounds, and recovered only if your insurer wins it back |
| No claims discount | Untouched | Affected until your insurer recovers every penny of its outlay |
| Renewal premium | No claim paid under your policy | Usually rises, even when the accident was not your fault |
| The vehicle you drive | Like for like: same class, size and transmission, including vans, automatics and prestige vehicles | A small courtesy car if your policy includes one, and frequently nothing at all for vans or motorcycles |
| How long you keep it | Until your vehicle is repaired or your total loss claim is settled | Often limited to the repair period only, and withdrawn once the insurer decides |
| Who repairs your car | A repairer approved for your make, with an independent engineer inspecting the damage | The insurer's approved network, working to the insurer's cost agreements |
| Injury and other losses | Pursued alongside the vehicle claim: injury, lost earnings, travel and other out of pocket costs | Not automatically pursued unless you bought legal expenses cover |
| Who controls the claim | You do, with your claim handler acting for you | Your insurer, which may settle on a shared liability basis to close the file |
| Cost to you | Nothing upfront, with charges recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer | Excess, higher renewal, and the value of the discount you lose |
What claiming on your own insurance actually costs you
People assume a non-fault claim is free. It rarely is. These are the five things you give away.
Your excess, straight away
You pay it before a spanner is lifted. You get it back only when your insurer recovers its outlay from the other side, and only if it recovers in full.
Your no claims discount
Years of careful driving sit on your policy as a discount. A claim paid under that policy puts it at risk until every pound is recovered.
Your renewal price
A claim on your record is still a claim, whoever caused the accident. Most drivers see the effect at renewal, and it follows them for years.
The car you actually need
A courtesy car is not a replacement for your vehicle. If you drive a van for work, tow, carry a family or need an automatic, a small hatchback does not keep you working.
Control of your own claim
Your insurer decides how hard to fight and when to stop. If it settles on a shared liability basis, that outcome sits on your record, not theirs.
What car hire and repair covers
One team handles the vehicle, the repair and everything else the accident cost you.
A like-for-like replacement vehicle
Matched to what you drove: the same class and size, automatic if yours was automatic, and a van or commercial vehicle where you need one.
Repairs to manufacturer standard
Carried out by an approved repairer for your make, using correct parts, with an independent engineer assessing the damage first.
Total loss support
If your car is written off, we challenge undervalued offers and keep you mobile while the settlement figure is agreed.
Recovery and storage
Getting your vehicle off the road safely and stored properly, so damage is not made worse while liability is sorted out.
Personal injury claims
If you or your passengers were hurt, experienced solicitors pursue that alongside the vehicle claim rather than as a separate fight.
Your uninsured losses
Lost earnings, travel costs, damaged property inside the car, and the excess you already paid if you have claimed elsewhere.
How the process works
Most drivers are back on the road within a day of getting in touch.
-
Tell us what happened
Call National Claims or start online. We take the accident details, the other driver's details and any dashcam footage or witness information you have.
-
We assess liability
We confirm the accident was not your fault and explain clearly whether hire and repair is the right route for your situation.
-
Your replacement vehicle is arranged
We source a like-for-like vehicle and deliver it, usually within 24 hours, so you keep working and keep the school run going.
-
Your car is inspected and repaired
An independent engineer assesses the damage, then an approved repairer for your make carries out the work.
-
We recover the costs
The hire, the repair and your other losses are pursued against the at-fault driver's insurer, not against you.
-
Your claim is settled
You get your repaired vehicle back, or a fair settlement if it is a total loss, plus any compensation for injury and other losses.
Before you sign a hire agreement, know this
We would rather you understood the arrangement properly than found out later.
- Credit hire works on a hire agreement between you and the hire company. The charges are recovered from the driver at fault, so in practice you pay nothing, but you remain the hirer.
- If liability is not established, or if you gave us information that turns out to be inaccurate, you could be responsible for the charges.
- The law expects you to keep your costs reasonable. Keep the vehicle only while you need it, and tell us as soon as your own car is back.
- You must still notify your own insurer that the accident happened. That is a condition of your policy, and it is not the same as making a claim on it.
- We will explain all of this to you in writing before anything is signed, and you have a cooling off period.
When claiming on your own policy may suit you better
Car hire and repair is built for clear non-fault accidents. It is not always the right answer, and we will tell you when it is not.
If liability is genuinely disputed, if both drivers share blame, or if nobody can identify the vehicle that hit you, claiming on your own policy may be the safer route. The same is true if you would rather not be a party to a hire agreement at all.
Speak to us either way. A short conversation will tell you which route protects you best, and there is no cost or obligation in asking.
Frequently asked questions
The questions drivers ask us most after a non-fault accident.
What is the difference between a courtesy car and a credit hire car?
A courtesy car comes from your own insurance policy or your repairer, and it is usually a small vehicle offered only while your car is being repaired. A credit hire car is provided because another driver caused the accident, and it matches the vehicle you lost in class, size and type. The at-fault driver's insurer pays for it, not you.
Who pays for car hire after a non-fault accident?
The insurer of the driver who caused the accident pays. The hire charges are recovered from them as part of your claim, which is why you pay nothing up front and no excess applies.
How long can I keep the replacement vehicle?
You keep it for as long as you reasonably need it: until your car is repaired and returned, or until a total loss settlement is agreed so you can replace it. You should return it once you no longer need it, because the law expects you to keep your losses reasonable.
Do I have to use the courtesy car my insurer offers?
No. If the accident was not your fault, you are entitled to claim a replacement vehicle from the driver responsible instead. You are not obliged to accept whatever your own policy provides, and you do not have to claim on your own insurance at all.
Will making a non-fault claim affect my insurance premium?
Claiming through car hire and repair means no claim is paid under your own policy, so your no claims discount is not used and your excess is not charged. You must still tell your insurer the accident happened, as your policy requires, but that notification is not the same as making a claim on it.
What if my car is written off?
You keep the replacement vehicle while the settlement figure is negotiated, which gives you time to find a replacement rather than accepting the first offer. We challenge valuations that come in below what your vehicle was actually worth.
Can I get a van or an automatic as a replacement?
Yes. That is one of the main differences from a courtesy car. If you drove a van, an automatic, a vehicle with towing capacity or a prestige car, the replacement should match it, because the aim is to put you back in the position you were in before the accident.
How quickly can I get a replacement vehicle?
In most cases within 24 hours of us taking your details and confirming the accident was not your fault. Call us as soon as you can, because the sooner we have the other driver's details, the sooner you are back on the road.
Start your claim today
Don't wait while your claim window closes. Speak with National Claims today. We'll connect you with experienced solicitors who understand your case and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Customers pay up to 25% (incl. VAT) of the amount recovered towards solicitor costs and if you cancel outside your cooling off period, you may be charged a fee.