Chances are you’ve been there yourself, or know someone who has been unfortunate enough to have a car accident that wasn’t their fault. It can quite often be a nightmare, with your car off the road in the repair shop for days, weeks or even months. Life goes on though, and with it the need for your vehicle.
It’s a little known fact that if you are not to blame for an accident you are legally entitled to a replacement vehicle, paid for by the at fault insurance company. Many insurance companies encourage people to rent the vehicle themselves then claim the costs back. As we all know though, the cost of renting a vehicle can be impossible for some people to cover. Luckily the industry of accident replacement vehicles has evolved to address this very problem. So what exactly are accident replacement vehicles? Effectively they are rental cars provided to you free of charge while your car is repaired, with the at fault insurance company covering the cost.
The accident replacement vehicle movement started in the U.K where the shipping term “demurrage” has been appropriated to cover the industry. There are numerous operators in the UK providing anything from regular passenger vehicles right through to exotic super cars. Some of the better known operators like Albany Assistance & Easi-Drive have fleets in excess of 10 000 vehicles!
In Australia the industry is less evolved, having been implemented here based on the UK industry. Even still there are some companies found servicing the local population in the various capital cities, and one national company, Acorn Rentals with fleets of cars in multiple capital cities.
Typically the free rental vehicle is delivered to the customer at the smash repair shop when they are dropping their cars off for repair. The customer then has the rental car until their vehicle is repaired, at which point they return the rental car to the panel shop and pick their own vehicle up. It should be a seamless process, with no down periods without a vehicle. The rental company then sends their bill direct to the at fault party’s insurance company.
Of course as with anything in life it’s best to go into any rental with your eyes open. Acorn Rentals is a reputable company that has been long established, has a lot of customer feedback and is open and transparent with our terms and conditions. Some things to watch out for are high excess charges should you have an accident in the rental vehicle, having to pay large deposits or leave credit card details and also the risk of having the rental company charge you if they don’t end up getting paid by the insurance company.
With these potential pitfalls in mind, the benefit of having a like for like vehicle delivered to you while your vehicle is repaired is obvious. So if you happen to find yourself without the use of your vehicle through no fault of your own keep this in mind – seek out a free accident replacement vehicle through Acorn Rentals.