DSA AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Credit-hire as a concept has been around for about twenty years. In the 1980s 'courtesy cars' were more or less unknown and at that time there was little no assistance for innocent victims of non-fault accidents - either from the "at-fault" parties insurance company or indeed from their own. A few firms of solicitors recognised that this was unfair and were able to find car-rental companies who would provide accident replacement vehicles to their clients but give a period of credit to allow the rental charges to be recovered from the "at fault" party. Credit-hire as a service and as an industry was created.

Since then, an understanding has been reached between credit-hire companies and the insurance industry whereby daily hire rates are agreed under the Association of British Insurers' General Tariff Agreement. Under this agreement the "at-fault" parties insurer is invoiced for car-hire at daily hire rates set by the Association of British Insurers. The car-hire bill is then settled directly by the "at fault" parties insurance company.

Any claim for car-hire charges can only be made against the "at fault" party in a non-fault accident where: There has been a loss (i.e. the replacement car has to have been hired and not be a 'free' courtesy car); The claim is made by the person who suffered the loss; Any replacement car must be needed When renting an accident replacement vehicle on credit-hire from DSA the client will be asked to sign a credit-hire agreement that clearly lays out the terms of hire, the charges and the period of credit.