A fleet claim's real cost is often not the bodywork, it's the time: the days a vehicle is off the road. The question – “what do we drive while it's being repaired?” – is therefore an operational basics question, and there's more than one answer. This article sets out the options at the “typically” level – the specifics depend on your policy terms.
- The replacement-car element can be an add-on to casco packages: its content (when, for how long, what category) varies from package to package.
- For a no-fault claim, the question of rental-car cost can be raised with the at-fault party's insurer – within reasonable limits, and documented.
- The fleet's own spare vehicle or a framework rental deal is often the fastest solution – that's a planning question.
- For downtime-sensitive fleets (courier, refrigerated, service), a mobility plan is a key point when comparing quotes.
The replacement-car element: what does it cover in the package?
A replacement-car add-on is available in several casco arrangements – but the content varies a great deal: which claims it applies to (during repair, for a total loss), how many days, what category of vehicle, and how you request it. When comparing quotes, we go through these lines item by item – “it has a replacement car” on its own says very little. Where operations stop when the vehicle does, this add-on can be worth disproportionately more – as the add-ons article also points out.
A no-fault claim: the at-fault party's side
If your fleet vehicle is damaged through no fault of yours, the justified cost of replacing the vehicle while it's off the road can be raised with the at-fault party's insurer – under the general logic of compensation, within reasonable limits (a justified period, a proportionate category), with itemised documentation. This isn't automatic – it's a claim that needs solid support: the rental invoice, proof of the repair time, the operational need. In a disputed situation, help from the broker applies here too: the broker's role.
The fleet's own answers
Alongside insurance solutions, operational responses matter too: a deliberately kept spare vehicle (an older but working car isn't always ready for sale), a framework agreement with a car-rental provider, or a rule for reassigning vehicles within the fleet. For a downtime-sensitive operation – courier, refrigerated, service call-outs – this mobility plan is a natural extension of your internal claims process: the replacement should start the moment the claim is notified.
Planning: part of the renewal round
The downtime question shouldn't be worked out when a claim happens – it should be planned for in advance: at a review, if you ask for one, it's worth going through which vehicles' loss would hurt immediately, and what the plan is for each – a replacement-car element, a framework rental, a spare vehicle. These few lines are part of your coverage matrix (coverage-levels article), and at claim time they're worth days. For a well-planned fleet, the answer to “what do we drive?” isn't improvisation – it's a line in a table.
The small print of renting: what the fleet manager should watch for
If your company bridges a repair with a rental car, the rental agreement's small print deserves a close look: the rental car's own insurance arrangement (what casco, what deductible), the price and value of deductible-reduction options, whether use abroad is permitted, and recording the vehicle's condition on return (photos here too!). Damage to a rented vehicle doesn't directly load your own claims record, but disputes over the rental deductible still cost money and time just the same. For a framework rental deal, it's worth negotiating these terms properly once – for a one-off rental, run through the four points above before you sign.
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