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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that a courtesy car should not be a hidden credit hire car

136 replies

whydoieven · 21/11/2024 20:37

I was involved in a road traffic accident just over week ago (Wednesday 13th) where I was at no fault.

The garage (through the insurance) couldn't pick up till Tuesday (19th). I have cover where I get a courtesy car. When I phoned to update the insurance on Thursday (14th) to say I will need a courtesy car on the Tuesday(19th) they practically threw the car at me to take it the next day (15th). I said my car was still drivable (hardly any damage) and I didn't need it, but in the end I relented.

Because it was such an odd conversation, I started investigating. It turns out that I didn't get a courtesy car, I got a credit hire car, which the "courtesy car" company confirmed yesterday.

I had no idea that my contract is with the hire company. This means that if the other party's insurance objects to the money they have to pay out because of my costs, I am liable for the hire costs if they decide to pursue it. The credit hire means that the hire car can cost £££ per day and it all mounts up. Especially, as I didn't get given a compact car like I expected and my own car is expected to take 3 weeks. I feel like my insurance company, the car hire company and the garage are making money from this, but ultimately I am liable.

AIBU - you should know that courtesy cars can be credit hire cars.
YANBU - it's a racket

OP posts:
Moon30 · 21/11/2024 21:37

This sounds like a nightmare. I'm currently waiting on a curtesy car due to an accident that was no fault of my own. The company that was dealing with the hire and repair said to me yesterday that unfortunately I can't have a hire car and they've passed me on to another repair company who will provide me with a curtesy car, now I'm wondering why and if there will be any hidden costs. I shall be asking before I sign anything. Thank you for your post. I really hope you get it sorted, It's not a easy thing to go through. I imagine it's less hassle for the at fault driver then it is for the people who aren't at fault

Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:36

DanielaDressen · 21/11/2024 21:31

Yanbu

I had this happen a few years ago. They were so sneaky and covert about it i didn’t initially realise. My insurance company offered me a courtesy car which I’m pretty sure I was entitled to. Can’t remember if I realised after it arrived or just before, i certainly never drove it. I was furious as I realised either just before or after delivery and rang them up and told them I was refusing to have anything to do with it. Oddly enough they found me an actual courtesy car at that point! 🤷‍♀️

It's infuriating. I will contact my insurers tomorrow.

OP posts:
WetBandits · 21/11/2024 21:35

Oh this happened to me when someone crashed into me and wrote my car off! It was described as a ‘courtesy car’ on my insurance documents but it was actually a hire car. My insurer passed me on to a solicitor who wanted six months’ worth of payslips and bank statements to prove I couldn’t afford the hire car fees myself (at £50/day for the bloody Fiat 500 they decided to give me!) and eventually covered the costs but it took two years for them to close the case. It was a shitshow and I’ll never use that insurer again. The whole thing was so intrusive.

Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:33

No worries, it was not me!

OP posts:
DangerMouseAndPenfoldx · 21/11/2024 21:32

whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:27

Eh? What other thread?

Show quote history

I thought you had another thread about the courtesy car. Apologies my mistake. It was just another poster who had an accident in a similar timeframe.

DanielaDressen · 21/11/2024 21:31

Yanbu

I had this happen a few years ago. They were so sneaky and covert about it i didn’t initially realise. My insurance company offered me a courtesy car which I’m pretty sure I was entitled to. Can’t remember if I realised after it arrived or just before, i certainly never drove it. I was furious as I realised either just before or after delivery and rang them up and told them I was refusing to have anything to do with it. Oddly enough they found me an actual courtesy car at that point! 🤷‍♀️

Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:29

LeedsUniPlanning · 21/11/2024 21:21

Speak to the third party's insurer and ask if they are willing to provide ypu with a courtesy to mitigate their costs.

Auxillis did this credit hire thing with us as as with Pp ended up in court as a witness for auxillis when the third party quibbled the extortionate costs. What was also really sneaky is the fix on our car took forever..which I strongly suspect was down to deliberate stalling on the part of auxillis and their designated "repair centre".
It is a total money making scam.
You should have been given a waiver thing which means you are covered/not liable if the third party refuses the courtesy car bill..but do double check this.

Edited

Thank you. I don't know how to get other side's insurance detail. I just have the number plate of the other car.

OP posts:
Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:27

DangerMouseAndPenfoldx · 21/11/2024 21:25

I literally told you to watch out for this on your other thread, so I’m surprised that it’s a surprise. I guess people just don’t believe it?

I believe there is a kickback arrangement between Auxilis and the insurer.

Eh? What other thread?

OP posts:
Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:26

They gave me a brand new Corsa. I thought it was all odd. Directline gave a tiny compact a few years ago, which is what I expected tbh.

OP posts:
DangerMouseAndPenfoldx · 21/11/2024 21:25

I literally told you to watch out for this on your other thread, so I’m surprised that it’s a surprise. I guess people just don’t believe it?

I believe there is a kickback arrangement between Auxilis and the insurer.

jennygeddes · 21/11/2024 21:24

Auxillis was the claims management company for me too. It will be fine if the other side's insurer have an agreement with them where they're paying a much reduced rate. Problems come when they don't. Or when the other side does not admit fault. I did a LOT of googling a couple of years ago.

Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:23

TheRutshireWI · 21/11/2024 21:20

And if you're dealing with Auxillis, you're no longer dealing with your insurers but with a claims management company

Oh I didn't realise they were a claims management company. That pisses me off even more. 🤬

OP posts:
Nogaxeh · 21/11/2024 21:22

Oh, so there's an interest charge on the cost of the hire too?

This sort of thing massively drives up the cost of everyone's insurance.

LeedsUniPlanning · 21/11/2024 21:21

Speak to the third party's insurer and ask if they are willing to provide ypu with a courtesy to mitigate their costs.

Auxillis did this credit hire thing with us as as with Pp ended up in court as a witness for auxillis when the third party quibbled the extortionate costs. What was also really sneaky is the fix on our car took forever..which I strongly suspect was down to deliberate stalling on the part of auxillis and their designated "repair centre".
It is a total money making scam.
You should have been given a waiver thing which means you are covered/not liable if the third party refuses the courtesy car bill..but do double check this.

TheRutshireWI · 21/11/2024 21:20

And if you're dealing with Auxillis, you're no longer dealing with your insurers but with a claims management company

TheRutshireWI · 21/11/2024 21:19

Can you go back to the insurers and ask them to take the claim back. Auxillis will want to make money out today the claim hence the credit hire agreement.

I did t realise and it eventually went to court as despite the person who said they were driving the other at fault car wasn't driving - their child had taken it for a spin and I had dash cam evidence, the insurers refused to pay the hire car.

I had to supply bank statements, proof of my children's medical appointment, details of their school and why they needed to be driven there etc.

The whole thing took 18 months to resolve and the at fault insurers backed down on the morning of the court

Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:19

jennygeddes · 21/11/2024 21:15

I had this a couple of years ago. Accident was totally not my fault. The other side refused to pay for the hire car (they had no problem with the repairs). I ended up going to court where I was questioned about length of time I had the car, why it was better than my actual car etc. The other side expect you to mitigate your losses, not take an expensive hire agreement. It didn't cost me anything in the end as the 2 insurers eventually sorted it between them, but it was a horrible experience. Be very careful.

I am sorry to hear that. I think it's more common than people realise. It's a scandal tbh.

If I don't get a resolution, I will ask them to take it back. I am happy to rely on Ubers if necessary.

OP posts:
DanceTheDevilBackIntoHisHole · 21/11/2024 21:18

I've seen two threads on this before. Absolutely awful. Well done for picking up on it OP and it's definitely worth letting people know about it.

stayathomegardener · 21/11/2024 21:18

Thanks for the heads up, I had no idea.

Hope you manage to get it sorted op.

Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:17

OrwellianTimes · 21/11/2024 21:14

There was a big thread on this a while back, someone got hit with a £20k bill from something like this.

Horrible. I started this thread so more people would know about it.

OP posts:
jennygeddes · 21/11/2024 21:15

I had this a couple of years ago. Accident was totally not my fault. The other side refused to pay for the hire car (they had no problem with the repairs). I ended up going to court where I was questioned about length of time I had the car, why it was better than my actual car etc. The other side expect you to mitigate your losses, not take an expensive hire agreement. It didn't cost me anything in the end as the 2 insurers eventually sorted it between them, but it was a horrible experience. Be very careful.

Original poster
whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:15

TheRutshireWI · 21/11/2024 21:08

Are you proceeding through your insurers or did they pass you on to a claims management company?

Yes, still through the insurance.

I will be asking to speak to a British customer services representative tomorrow (the ones overseas don't seem to have any power to make decisions) and escalating it.

OP posts:
BobLemon · 21/11/2024 21:14

whydoieven · 21/11/2024 21:11

Churchill is the insurance company. Auxillis is the hire company.

I signed the agreement without realising it. I wish that insurance companies were more transparent about this.

Show quote history

Just checked some old paperwork and this is exactly it

OrwellianTimes · 21/11/2024 21:14

There was a big thread on this a while back, someone got hit with a £20k bill from something like this.

BobLemon · 21/11/2024 21:12

Auxillis rings a bell in fact!