Will you get a courtesy car through your car insurance?

If you’re involved in an accident and it’s only damaged your car, your main concern might be how you’re going to get around while it’s in the garage.

A courtesy car may be included as part of your insurance policy or you might have to pay extra on top of your premium to get a replacement vehicle. To give you an idea of what to expect if you need a courtesy car, we’re going to take you through the policies that include it.

Fully comp

Courtesy cars can be included in comprehensive insurance policies although there are some exceptions. Fully comprehensive is a standard insurance policy that covers you for any damage to your car caused by an accident (no matter whose fault it is).

You’ll usually need to take your car to a garage approved by your insurer to get a courtesy car. Depending on the policy, you could get a courtesy car similar to your own (although this can be subject to availability) and keep it for as long as your car is in the garage.

If your car is stolen or written off after an accident, your insurer might not give you a courtesy car. This means you won’t have a car unless your policy has hire car cover. This isn’t usually included with comprehensive cover but can be as an add-on.

Hire car cover

If your car is a write-off or stolen, hire car cover will provide you with a similar sized car for a set period, for example 14 to 28 days. To extend this period, you will usually need to pay extra.

Alternatively, if you believe you could manage without a car, you can choose to receive a sum of money instead to cover your own travel expenses. Remember, you will only receive a courtesy car if you take your car to an approved garage.

Without this insurance, you will need to arrange your own courtesy car or make other travel arrangements.

Check your policy

How much do you rely on your car? If you commute a long way or take your children to school every morning then life without a car might be unimaginable. In this case, you might want to consider adding hire car cover to your car insurance.

Before you do, check the terms and conditions of your policy to make sure you’re not already covered. If you find that you’re not, get in touch with your insurer for a quote and use price comparison sites to find out how much standalone cover would be.