Courtesy car insurance grants you access to a courtesy car if you have an accident and cannot use your own car. You must hand the car back once repairs to your own vehicle are complete.
Does my car insurance include a courtesy car?
Courtesy car cover is usually part of your regular car insurance. However, a small minority of insurers do not offer it as standard, but may offer it as an optional extra.
How does courtesy car insurance work?
When your car is damaged and needs to be repaired, most comprehensive cover will give you a courtesy car to use while your car is being fixed - even if the accident was your fault.
However, if your car cannot be repaired, and is a write-off, a courtesy car may not be covered by courtesy car insurance.
It’s important to read the terms and conditions of your policy carefully to understand when you can get a courtesy car.
What if my car is written off or stolen?
With some car insurance policies insurers won’t give you access to a courtesy car if your own vehicle is a write-off or has been stolen. Check your policy documents for coverage.
There is usually a time limit after which you must return the courtesy car. This period should be long enough to cover the vast majority of repairs.
Your insurance provider may only give you a courtesy car if you use their approved repair providers. But you may wish to use your preferred garage for reasons of workmanship or locality.
You can claim against your own insurance for a courtesy car.
You can claim against the other driver's insurance for a courtesy car.
You won’t necessarily be lent a luxurious vehicle - you'll get one roughly similar to your own.
Your courtesy car needs to be insured. This car cover may be afforded by your garage's insurance, or you may be able to add it temporarily to your own insurance while your own car is being repaired.
Temporary car insurance may also be provided by the courtesy car firm.
If you do have an accident in your courtesy car, the insurance policy will work in the same way as any other cover type; you’ll simply pay the excess.
Upon receipt of your courtesy car, note down and photograph any pre-existing damage - or you may be held liable for it when you return the vehicle.
Carefully read your policy document terms and conditions, and ensure you're aware of any fees associated with your courtesy car.
What happens if I have an accident in a courtesy car?
You could potentially be at a greater risk of an accident in a courtesy car - since you aren’t used to driving it.
If a courtesy car is included in your car insurance, an accident will be covered in the same way that your car is covered.
Therefore, It's likely you'll have to pay a car insurance excess for any damages caused if the accident was your fault.
