Do I have to accept the other insurer's courtesy car?
No. After a non-fault accident you are entitled to a replacement vehicle, but you choose who supplies it. The at-fault insurer's offer is one option. A credit hire company such as PurpleSquare Hire is another, and where liability is accepted, the cost is claimed from that insurer either way.
What is insurer capture?
Insurer capture is the industry name for the at-fault insurer contacting you directly, often within hours, and offering to arrange your repair and a courtesy car. It is legal and sometimes convenient. The thing to remember is that the insurer is managing a claim it is paying for, so it has a reason to keep the vehicle, the repair and the hire period as cheap as possible.
Which courtesy car are you being offered?
The phrase covers three different things, and they work differently:
- Your own insurer's courtesy car. Part of your policy. Usually a small car, often only provided while your car is repaired at their approved repairer, and you may have to pay your excess first.
- The at-fault insurer's courtesy car. Offered directly by the other driver's insurer, as described below.
- A credit hire vehicle. Supplied by an independent company such as PurpleSquare Hire, matched to your own vehicle, with the hire claimed from the at-fault insurer.
When taking it can make sense
There is nothing wrong with accepting a suitable offer. It can be the simplest route when:
- The car offered genuinely matches yours in size, transmission and fuel type.
- You do not rely on your vehicle for work.
- You are happy for that insurer to choose the repairer and run the claim.
When a like-for-like credit hire vehicle is the better choice
- You drive a van, a larger car, an automatic, an EV or a plated taxi or PHV.
- You need the vehicle to earn, so a smaller car means lost work.
- You want your own representative dealing with the insurer, not the insurer dealing with you.
The standard to expect is set out on like-for-like replacement car, and the costs on will I have to pay.
If you choose credit hire, you sign a hire agreement. In limited cases, for example if fault is later found to be yours, you could become liable for some of the charges, so read the agreement and ask us to explain it.
What if my car is written off?
Many policies only provide a courtesy car while your car is being repaired, so it often ends when the car is declared a total loss. Credit hire follows the applicable hire terms and reasonable need instead. See car written off, what are my options.
If your vehicle is written off, we confirm the applicable hire end date with you. Where the GTA applies and the credit hire organisation (CHO) is dealing with a non-roadworthy vehicle, its total-loss table allows 5 working days from payment received to off hire. The overall limit is 14 working days when the CHO raises and sends the pre-accident valuation (PAV), or 10 working days plus the insurer's PAV release time when the case is forwarded to the at-fault insurer. These are GTA claim-handling periods, not a guarantee of hire until you accept a settlement. Other cases depend on the applicable terms and reasonable need.
Source: GTA General Terms of Agreement, 16 March 2026, total-loss periods table, CHO dealing not-roadworthy rows. The table does not require the CHO to raise the PAV.
Courtesy car versus credit hire at a glance
A courtesy car is usually whatever is available and runs while the repair is active. A credit hire vehicle is matched to your own and runs for the reasonable repair period, or the applicable total-loss period explained above. The full comparison is in credit hire vs courtesy car.
What to say if they call you
You can simply say thank you, you already have a replacement vehicle arranged, and ask them to note their claim reference. Then call us. You do not need to argue or explain.
Talk to us first
If you have been offered a courtesy car and are not sure, get in touch or call 01606 662300 and we will tell you plainly whether a like-for-like vehicle is available. See also replacement vehicle after a non-fault accident.