What we publish
A working reference on credit hire: the judgments, the agreements, the rate evidence and where recovery fails, in plain English.
Credit Hire After a Non-Fault Accident
If another driver appears to have caused the accident, your car is off the road and you have been offered a hire car on credit, this is what that actually means: who is expected to pay, what can go wrong, and what to ask before you sign anything.
Which of these is true for you right now?
Pick the one that fits and we’ll take you straight there. If someone is already handling your claim, start with them. You don’t need to begin anything new.
Every route here stays on credithire.uk. We aren’t taking enquiries: our contact route is temporarily unavailable, and no page on this site collects your details.
In short
Credit hire gets you a car while yours is off the road, usually on credit, with the cost then pursued from the at-fault driver’s insurer. It is a separate agreement, not part of your policy, and the money is chased rather than guaranteed. We set out what the courts have decided, what the charges turn on and where it goes wrong, so you can decide with your eyes open.
A replacement has to be reasonable, not just available.
The at-fault insurer does not simply pay whatever was hired. Four things get tested: whether you needed a replacement at all, for how long, at what rate, and in what class of vehicle. Each one can be argued, and each one can reduce or defeat recovery.
That is why the honest answer to “what car will I get?” is never a promise. The pictured car is a class illustration; no make, model, trim or availability is implied anywhere on this site.
What decides whether a hire was reasonableBefore, during and after a credit hire
Before you agree
While you still have every option open.
What credit hire actually isAnd how it differs from a courtesy car. Your three routes, comparedYour insurer, the at-fault insurer, or credit hire. Whether it fits your situationFault, an insured third party, genuine need. The catch, before you signWhat the agreement commits you to. Agreement, cost and alternativesWhat to check and ask before you sign.During the hire
While you have the vehicle.
How the process runsFrom accident to replacement to recovery. What is building up, and whyRate, duration and class all accrue. The GTA, if it appliesThe voluntary agreement between providers and insurers. Keep your facts straightA private checklist. Nothing is sent from it.If it is challenged
When the at-fault insurer pushes back.
When fault is contestedWhat a disputed accident does to the risk. Which rate you can recoverWhy your financial position can decide it. What the courts have decidedTen judgments, with citations and dates. How rate evidence is builtThe published comparison methodology.How credit hire works
01
Accident
Another driver causes a crash and your vehicle is off the road, unsafe or in for repair.
02
Replacement
A like-for-like vehicle may be arranged on credit, so you keep moving.
03
Recovery
The provider pursues the reasonable cost from the at-fault driver's insurer.
04
Hire ends
The hire runs only for the reasonable time your own vehicle is unavailable.
§ 01What is credit hire after a non-fault accident?
Credit hire is a way of getting a car when your own is off the road after an accident that wasn’t your fault. It is usually arranged under a credit agreement, which is why there is normally nothing to pay upfront. The full definition is on what is credit hire.
The company then tries to recover the charges from the at-fault driver’s insurer. It can help if you need to keep moving and your own insurer can’t get you something suitable quickly, or a basic courtesy car wouldn’t cover what you actually need the car for.
§ 02Who pays for credit hire?
In a clear-cut non-fault accident, the cost of a reasonable replacement is usually pursued from the at-fault insurer. The agreement, though, may still be between you and the hire company, so it matters that you know what you are signing. See how much credit hire costs.
You can also go to your own insurer, or the at-fault insurer, yourself, without paying anyone to act for you, before you use any third-party service.
A note on recovery. The cost of a reasonable replacement vehicle is pursued from the at-fault driver's insurer. Recovery is not guaranteed and can be reduced or refused on grounds of need, rate, duration or liability.
Where we stop
We publish, and that’s all. We don’t run claims, supply cars, handle money or promise anyone an outcome, and we aren’t taking enquiries at the moment.
You always have a free option
You can go to your own insurer or the at-fault insurer yourself, free of charge. Nobody needs to be paid on your behalf just to ask a question.
Honest about risk
Recovery isn’t guaranteed, and the rate, the length of hire and whether you needed a car at all can all be challenged. We tell you the catch before you decide.
Common questions
Q1
Can I use credit hire instead of my own insurer?
You may be able to, but weigh it up properly first. Your own insurer, the at-fault insurer and a hire company can each offer you something different.
Q2
Is credit hire the same as a courtesy car?
No. A courtesy car normally comes from your own policy or the garage doing the repair. Credit hire is a separate arrangement, on credit.
Q3
Do I have to pay upfront?
Usually not, no. But nothing to pay upfront isn’t the same as free: there is still an agreement, and still a risk. Read the terms first.
Prepare before contacting a provider
Our checklist helps you get the accident, driver and vehicle details together in one place — the information a hire company would usually need. It is preparation only. Nothing is sent from it, and it cannot guarantee that a company is available, that you would be accepted, or that there will be a vehicle, a payment or a recovery.