Insurance company taking much needed courtesy car back!

richierich052

Hi all,

I was recently involved in a accident which was not my fault and liability was admitted by the other driver.

Up until now everything has run pretty smoothly and I was given a courtesy car as part of my policy. I was told that this car would be available until seven days after I had received the settlement payment.

The problem is, I am due to receive the settlement today and I go on holiday for a week on Saturday. That means, I cannot possibly buy another car in that time frame and when I return I'll have no car for work and will somehow have to get around to try and find another one.

I called the hire company who told me the third party insurers didnt have to pay for more than 7 days whatever the situation so they cant help. I also called my insurance company who said the same thing.

I understand that the ABI have set this 7 day guideline but there must be some way around it for circumstances like these? What's the point in the 7 day rule if it's not to give you time to find a replacement?

Any help much appreciated, thanks in advance...

rudekid48

To be blunt, it's not your insurers, the hire company, or the third party's fault that you are going on holiday.

zaax

simples hire one

richierich052

rudekid48 wrote: »

To be blunt, it's not your insurers, the hire company, or the third party's fault that you are going on holiday.

Understandable, but nor is it my fault that someone crashed into me. I thought that was the whole point of insurance companies and courtesy cars?

spacey2012

I think you have misunderstood the word "courtesy" .

Quentin

Why haven't you sorted a new car whilst you had the courtesy car?

You have no claim off any insurer over this issue.

Your only alternative if you cannot get a new car by Saturday is public transport or hire car.

InsideInsurance

richierich052 wrote: »

Understandable, but nor is it my fault that someone crashed into me. I thought that was the whole point of insurance companies and courtesy cars?

This is nothing to do with insurance or courtesy cars.

Your claim against the third party is governed by common/ case law around the torts of negligence and you have a credit hire car not a courtesy car.

From the date of knowing your vehicle is a total loss plus 7 days after the cheque is issued to you has been deemed a reasonable period in which to locate a replacement vehicle and purchase it.

You could ask the TPI if they'd be willing to give you the other 4 days hire after you return from holiday to complete the purchase of the replacement vehicle but you'd most likely need to find some case law to support your arguement. Not to say that non exists but I cannot ever remember settling such a case and I doubt you are the only person in the world thats ever gone on holiday just after a claim.

Prothet_of_Doom

Have you recieved the value of your old car yet ?

If not, then until you do it's still the third parties problem.

If not you can get some good rental deals from £18 a day.

aliasojo

I was recently in a similar position. I asked the hire company if I could personally extend the hire but at the rate the insurance company paid them, instead of the normal customer rate. They agreed.

Worth asking perhaps?

InsideInsurance

aliasojo wrote: »

I was recently in a similar position. I asked the hire company if I could personally extend the hire but at the rate the insurance company paid them, instead of the normal customer rate. They agreed.

Was that credit hire or your own insurer providing the car?

Insurers own rates tend to be about 1/2 the normal rate
Credit hire rates tend to be about double the normal rate

The OP is in credit hire and so would be daft to offer to pay that rate rather than the normal price if they want to extend hire beyond what they are legally entitled to

aliasojo

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Was that credit hire or your own insurer providing the car?

Insurers own rates tend to be about 1/2 the normal rate
Credit hire rates tend to be about double the normal rate

The OP is in credit hire and so would be daft to offer to pay that rate rather than the normal price if they want to extend hire beyond what they are legally entitled to

It was Enterprise Car Hire. That was who my insurer used to supply a courtesy car. When my insurance stopped covering the cost of the hire car, Enterprise agreed I could continue personally at the same rate.