Replacement car
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Everyday cars
From small hatchbacks through to family estates and larger saloons, based on the size and seating you normally rely on.
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Replacement car after an accidentReplacement Car After an Accident
Work, school runs, appointments and shopping do not pause because your vehicle is being assessed or repaired. Where the claim qualifies, Sterling considers replacement mobility matched to your reasonable need.
This is not automatic A replacement vehicle depends on claim eligibility, liability, availability and the applicable terms. We will tell you honestly whether it is likely in your circumstances before anything is arranged.
Replacement vehicle handover
What a replacement might look like
What type of replacement car can you get?
We look at what you actually use your vehicle for: how many people you carry, what you carry, and whether you have specific access requirements. Availability at the time will also shape what can be offered.
Vehicle categories shown are illustrative. A specific make, model, specification or vehicle size cannot be guaranteed. What can be offered depends on eligibility, liability, availability at the time and the applicable terms.
Eligibility
When can you get a replacement car after an accident?
Several things feed into it, and not all of them are within our control. Being open about that from the start is better than a promise we cannot keep.
Liability
Who was at fault, and whether that is accepted or still in dispute, is usually the biggest factor. Liability is determined on the evidence between the parties and their insurers.
The route your claim takes
Whether the claim proceeds through your own insurer, the third party's insurer, or another route affects what mobility assistance is available and who bears the cost.
Whether you need a vehicle
A replacement is there to cover a genuine loss of use. If you have another vehicle available, or your own car is still safe and legal to drive, the position may be different.
Availability
Suitable vehicles are finite, and specialist or adapted vehicles more so. Availability at the time of your claim is a real constraint, not a formality.
Your circumstances
Driving licence status, age, endorsements and any conditions attached to a hire agreement can all affect what can be provided. These are checked before a vehicle is arranged.
The applicable terms
Any replacement vehicle is provided under a written agreement. You will see those terms before you accept a vehicle, and we will talk you through anything you are unsure about.
Getting the vehicle to you
Delivery, changeover and collection
How a replacement vehicle reaches you depends on where you are and what is being supplied. We agree the arrangement with you rather than assuming.
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1We confirm the details
Licence checks, the address, the dates and the vehicle type are confirmed with you first.
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2You see the terms
The agreement, your responsibilities and any charges are set out before you accept the vehicle.
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3Handover and condition check
The vehicle's condition, mileage and fuel or charge level are recorded with you at handover.
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4Return or changeover
When your own vehicle is ready, we arrange the changeover so you are not left without transport.
Your responsibilities
What you take on when you accept a replacement vehicle
A replacement vehicle is not a free-for-all, and pretending otherwise causes problems later. These are the obligations that normally come with one.
The exact obligations are set out in the agreement you sign. Where the wording below and the agreement differ, the agreement applies.
- Hold a valid licence for the vehicle and disclose relevant endorsements or medical conditions
- Only allow named, approved drivers to drive it
- Use it lawfully and in line with the agreement, including any mileage terms
- Keep it secure and look after it as you would your own vehicle
- Report any damage, incident or breakdown to us straight away
- Deal with fuel or charging, and any parking or traffic penalties you incur
- Return it when asked, in the condition it was supplied allowing for fair wear
- Cooperate with the underlying claim while you have the vehicle
Insurance, fuel and charges
The money side, without the small print buried
Most disputes about replacement vehicles come down to a cost nobody explained. So here is how the money side works, and where the detail comes from.
Every replacement vehicle is supplied under a written hire agreement between you and the supplier. That agreement — not this page — sets out the specifics for your vehicle: who insures it, what excess applies if it is damaged, whether there is a mileage limit, who pays for fuel or charging, and how long you may keep it. Those terms vary by supplier and by vehicle, which is exactly why we put the actual document in front of you instead of printing a general version here that might not match.
The sequence, so nothing is a surprise
- We tell you whether a replacement vehicle looks likely in your circumstances, before anything is arranged.
- We tell you what you may be responsible for, and in what circumstances, in writing.
- You receive the hire agreement and have the chance to read it and ask questions.
- Only then do you accept the vehicle. Nothing is committed on your behalf before that point.
Costs that stay yours in any event
Whatever the claim route, a few things are always the driver's own responsibility, and it is fairer to say so here than to leave you to discover it:
- Fuel or charging while you have the vehicle.
- Any parking, congestion, clean-air or traffic penalty you incur.
- Damage caused by misuse, or by an unapproved driver.
- Losing the keys, or returning the vehicle without them.
- Anything the hire agreement specifically makes yours — which we will point out before you sign.
What we will always do
- Tell you, before you accept a vehicle, what you may be asked to pay and in what circumstances.
- Give you the written agreement to read rather than summarising it verbally and moving on.
- Explain what happens if liability is later disputed or the claim does not proceed as expected.
- Answer questions about charges on the phone, without you having to put it in writing first.
Please do not assume a replacement vehicle is at no cost to you Whether any charge falls to you depends on liability, the route the claim takes and the terms of the agreement. Ask us before you accept a vehicle if you are unsure, and we will set out the position for your specific claim.
Typical sequence
How the replacement-car process works
We have deliberately not put hours or days against these stages. How quickly each one completes depends on liability, licence checks and what is available.
| Stage | What happens | What we need from you |
|---|---|---|
| Report | You send the accident details and photographs. | Registration, what happened, whether the vehicle is driveable. |
| Review | We assess the claim route and whether mobility assistance is likely. | Insurer details if you have them, and the other driver's details. |
| Eligibility discussion | We explain what can and cannot be offered, and why. | Your genuine need for a vehicle, and any specific requirements. |
| Checks | Licence and eligibility checks are completed. | Any licence details requested during the eligibility checks. |
| Agreement | You receive the written terms to read. | Questions raised before you sign, not after. |
| Handover | The vehicle is delivered or collected, and its condition recorded. | Availability at the agreed time and place. |
| Changeover | The replacement is collected when your vehicle is ready. | Personal belongings removed, fuel or charge as agreed. |
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
Replacement-vehicle questions
Questions we are asked about replacement vehicles
We aim to match reasonable need rather than match the badge on your own car. That normally means a similar size and type of vehicle with the practical features you rely on. A specific make, model or specification cannot be guaranteed, and availability at the time is a genuine constraint.
Generally for as long as you have a genuine loss of use that the claim supports — usually while your vehicle is being repaired, or while a total-loss settlement is being resolved. The agreement you sign sets out the basis, and we will tell you as soon as we know the vehicle needs to go back.
Only drivers named and approved on the agreement. Adding a driver is often possible, but it has to be arranged in advance and may depend on their age, licence and driving record. Letting an unapproved driver use the vehicle puts you at risk and breaches the agreement.
Make the scene safe, call 999 if anyone is injured or the road is blocked, then contact us as soon as you can. Do not arrange repairs to the vehicle yourself. What you may be liable for depends on the cover in place and the terms of your agreement, which we will go through with you.
Tell us at the very start what adaptations you rely on. Adapted and wheelchair-accessible vehicles are in shorter supply and take longer to source, so early notice makes a real difference. We will be straight with you about what is realistically available.
No. If you do not need one, or you would rather not take on the obligations that come with it, say so. Declining a replacement vehicle does not affect the rest of your accident report or the repair.
Replacement-car options after an accident
Choose the right replacement-car route for your situation
Replacement mobility depends on eligibility, liability and hire terms. Each part of the position is set out below.
Replacement vehicle eligibility
Replacement-vehicle eligibility after an accident
After a non-fault accident
Replacement-car support after a non-fault accident
Courtesy car after an accident
Courtesy-car and replacement-vehicle options explained
Costs and terms
Costs, obligations and hire terms explained before commitment
Replacement vehicle claims
Replacement-vehicle claim support while yours is off the road
Find out where you stand
Tell us what you need and we will tell you what is possible
Report the accident, mention your mobility needs and we will look at whether a replacement vehicle can be part of the arrangements — before anything is committed.