Can a business get a replacement commercial vehicle after an accident?
Yes. PurpleSquare Hire supplies replacement vans, trucks and commercial vehicles on the same principle that applies to a private car. Where another party caused the accident, the at-fault driver's insurer is responsible for the losses that follow, and the loss of use of a working vehicle is one of them. A like-for-like commercial replacement is supplied on credit hire terms, so nothing is paid by the business while the claim runs.
Why a car is not an acceptable substitute
A replacement has to let you do the same work. That means matching payload, body type and access rather than simply providing transport. A curtain sider, a tipper, a Luton with a tail lift and a refrigerated van are all different jobs, and being offered something smaller usually means the work still does not get done.
What we can supply
- Small and medium panel vans
- Long wheelbase and high roof vans
- Luton vans, with or without a tail lift
- Tippers, dropsides and crew cabs
- 3.5 tonne and heavier commercial vehicles on request
- Electric and hybrid vans where your operation or a clean air zone requires one
Our commercial vehicles page lists the wider fleet, and EV and hybrid hire covers the low emission options.
What to have ready when you call
- The registration, gross vehicle weight and body type of the damaged vehicle
- Any fittings the work depends on: racking, tail lift, refrigeration, tow bar or crew seating
- Where the vehicle is now, whether it is driveable, and where the driver needs the replacement
- The other driver's details, photographs and any witness or dashcam footage
If your business holds an operator's licence, check with your transport manager whether a replacement needs to be notified or recorded, because those obligations stay with the operator. If the damaged vehicle is a car rather than a commercial, see replacement vehicle after a non-fault accident.
How fast does a commercial replacement arrive?
Average time from notification of claim to a replacement vehicle being delivered: 6 hours, measured across the six months to September 2026. Vehicle availability rate: 85% of requests were fulfilled from our own fleet, measured across the six months to September 2026. Heavier and specialist vehicles take longer, because there are simply fewer of them within reach, and we will tell you the honest position rather than a number we cannot hold.
The single biggest thing that shortens downtime is early notification. The sooner we have the registration, the body type and the location, the sooner the search starts. Our FNOL page explains how first notification works when you report through us.
Courtesy van or like-for-like replacement?
A courtesy van from an insurer or garage is usually a small panel van, whatever is free. If you run a Luton, a tail lift, a refrigerated body or a tipper, that does not keep the work going. PurpleSquare Hire matches the body type, payload and fittings of your own vehicle, because a replacement that cannot do the job is not a replacement. See what like-for-like means.
Who pays, and what does it cost the business?
Where liability is clear, nothing upfront. No deposit, no excess, no invoice to the business. The charges are recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer under a credit hire agreement, which is explained on our credit hire page. If liability is disputed or your own driver was at fault, we can supply on a direct, self-pay basis instead. See direct hire.
Running more than one vehicle?
Fleet operators usually want the same thing every time an incident happens: one number to call, a vehicle moving within hours, and a record of what happened. That is set up in advance rather than negotiated during an incident. See fleet hire and how a fleet accident management partner works.
Need a replacement vehicle now?
If your car is off the road after an accident that was not your fault, call us on 01606 662300 and we will tell you straight away what we can get you and how quickly. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, with after-hours support available.