Am I eligible for a replacement car after an accident?
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If the accident was not your fault and you need a vehicle, you can usually claim a like-for-like replacement while your own car is off the road, with the cost claimed from the at-fault driver's insurer — depending on your circumstances. This page explains eligibility at information level only — the check itself is done on our commercial partner's checker, linked below.
- Any claim flows from the other driver's fault, not from your own insurance policy.
- "Like-for-like" means a car from your vehicle's class (classes explained) — including vans, 7-seaters and plated taxis, not just hatchbacks.
- You need a genuine need for a vehicle during the repair period.
- The legal basis, the limits, and what happens if the claim is disputed are questions of law, and sit outside this site's vehicle-only scope.
Am I eligible for a replacement car after a non-fault accident?
Usually, where the accident was another driver's fault and you need a car: the at-fault insurer is responsible for the reasonable cost of keeping you mobile, which is what credit hire supply delivers. The strength of any individual case depends on its facts — liability, need, and the reasonableness of the hire — which is why the check is done case by case.
Am I eligible for a courtesy car?
A courtesy car is a separate thing: it comes from your own policy or the repairing garage, if it is provided at all, and is usually a small hatchback regardless of what you drive. The vehicle-level difference — and why you are not obliged to accept a courtesy car that does not match your vehicle — is set out on credit hire car vs courtesy car.
Does my car have to be undriveable?
No — eligibility is tied to your car being reasonably off the road, which includes the period it is in the bodyshop for repair, not only the case where it is unroadworthy from the moment of impact. What counts as a reasonable hire period is a claim question rather than a vehicle question.
How do I check my eligibility?
Use the eligibility checker on our commercial partner's site — six questions, an indication of your likely position, no obligation: Check your eligibility — Nationwide Accident Hire (opens external site) (commercial partner link). This site does not run its own checker and does not give advice on individual cases.
While you are here
See what you would actually be given in your vehicle's class, and how supply works once a hire is agreed.