Every Car Insurance policy is different. Often when it comes to comprehensive cover, even if your insurer does include the option for a 14-day replacement vehicle, this will not be applicable if it was stolen or written-off. Would you be able to operate without a car during this period?
If your Car Insurance doesn’t include courtesy car cover, or if it does so with these restrictions, it’s a good idea to consider reviewing your existing cover if you need a car to get on with your day-to-day life in the meantime. Whether you need to take the kids to school, commute to work, drive to the grocery store or something else, many people rely on their vehicles more than they realise.
Do you need Courtesy Car Cover?
When it comes to Courtesy Car Cover, there isn’t an industry standard that applies across the board. This means that your experience could differ vastly from one insurer to the next and this could also be affected by where you live and the individual circumstances at the time. This means that even if your insurance does include Courtesy Car Insurance as standard, they could put stipulations on it that hinder or even prevent you from getting it when you need it.
If you’re involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you can likely claim against the other driver’s insurer to gain access to a courtesy vehicle while yours is off the road. This will need to be of a spec that’s similar to your own. However, if no other driver was involved or you were at fault, this will be down to the individual terms of your policy.
Many insurers who do offer a courtesy car as standard do so subject to availability. This typically means ‘if the garage has got one in’. If this lands at a particularly busy time, you could be left without a courtesy vehicle in the meantime. Unless you take out enhanced protection, it’s also likely you will only be entitled to a basic model. This means that if you’re used to driving a particular type of vehicle, the basic replacement may not be suitable if you need a certain number of seats or level of power to navigate trickier roads.
As mentioned previously, most insurers will not offer you a courtesy car if your own car was stolen or written off and some will impose limits on the number of times you will have access to a courtesy car if you make multiple claims in a year.
With this in mind, it’s worth checking the individual terms of your policy to ensure that you are covered for what you expect.
What can I do to increase my cover?
If you’re due a renewal, the team at The Insurance Centre can help you find a policy that offers the level of protection that you need, taking into account their terms and conditions in relation to courtesy cars and other pertinent factors. Some policies offer the option to increase the level of cover you have in place which could offer benefits such as a guaranteed vehicle and a vehicle that’s of similar spec to your own. To find out more, just get in touch on 01253 810630.
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