A replacement van, not a hatchback
If your van is off the road after a non-fault accident, you need a van back. Not a courtesy car with the seats folded down. We supply like-for-like vans, usually the same day, at no cost to you.
On a non-fault claim you are entitled to a replacement of the same class as the vehicle you lost. For a van driver that means a van of comparable size and payload, not whatever car happens to be on the forecourt.
We deliver to your home, your yard or your first job of the day, and you pay nothing. The charges go to the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Why the size actually matters
A van is not transport. It is the business. It carries the racking, the stock, the ladders and the tools, and it is sized for the work you do.
Put a plumber in a small hatchback and he cannot take a bath to a job. Put a courier in one and half the round will not fit. The vehicle has to do the same work as the one that was taken off you, and on a non-fault claim the law does not expect you to make do with less.
This is the single most common thing van drivers get wrong. They accept the small car they are offered because they assume it is that or nothing, then lose a fortnight of work quietly and never claim for it.
What we can supply
Matched to what you were driving, with the extras that make it usable.
Small and medium vans
Caddy, Transit Connect, Vivaro, Transporter and similar. The everyday working van.
Long wheelbase and high roof
Transit, Sprinter, Crafter, Movano and Boxer, in the length and roof height you actually had.
Luton and box vans
With or without a tail lift, for removals, furniture and multi-drop work.
Tippers and dropsides
For groundwork, landscaping and builders, where a panel van is no use at all.
Crew cabs
Where you carry a team as well as the kit and a two seater will not do.
Refrigerated vans
Where the load has to stay cold. Less common, but we can usually source one.
If you had racking, a tow bar, a roof rack or a ply lining, tell us. It is often possible to match it, and where it is not, the loss of it forms part of your claim.
Van off the road right now?
Call us and we will get a like-for-like van to you, usually the same day, with nothing to pay.
What van drivers lose by waiting
A van sitting on a driveway costs money every single day, and most of it is recoverable.
Jobs cancelled
Work turned away because you cannot get to it. If you can evidence what you turned down, it forms part of the claim.
Subcontract rates
Paying somebody else to cover a job you would have done yourself, at a worse margin.
Hiring a van yourself
Paying daily rates out of your own pocket when the at-fault insurer should be carrying it.
Losing a contract
Multi-drop and contract work rarely waits. Miss a week and the round can go to somebody else permanently.
Fixed costs that carry on
Finance, insurance and tax on a van you cannot drive do not pause because it is in a compound.
What you would normally be charged - and what you pay us
A replacement van costs a great deal more per day than a car, which is exactly why so many van drivers are quietly offered a car instead.
| Charge | Typical provider | PTH Claims |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery from the scene | £150 - £350 | FREE |
| Secure storage, per day | £15 - £40 | FREE |
| Replacement vehicle, per day | £40 - £150 | FREE |
| Total cost to you | Often four figures | £0 |
Terms and conditions apply. Typical provider figures are industry ranges and vary by provider, location and circumstances. All claims are subject to identity, fraud and anti-money laundering checks.
With PTH Claims that figure is zero. We carry the cost and recover it from the at-fault driver’s insurer. It never reaches you, and it never depends on how your claim ends.
If your van is on finance or lease, do not agree to anything with the at-fault insurer before speaking to us. The finance company has an interest in the vehicle, and a settlement agreed without them can leave you owing money on a van you no longer have.
What we need to get you moving
Very little. The registration of your van, roughly when and where the accident happened, and the make and model if you have it to hand.
From that we can normally confirm what we can supply and when. Delivery is arranged to wherever suits you, including a first job in the morning if that is what keeps you working.
If you also lost tools or stock in the accident, read our page on tools and equipment claims, because that is a separate head of loss and it is regularly missed.
Why people use us
Nothing to pay
No cost to you, whatever the outcome of your claim.
No claim on your policy
Run against the other driver’s insurer, so no excess and no effect on your no-claims.
One point of contact
We deal with the insurers, the engineer and the compound. You deal with us.
Nationwide, 24/7
Recovery and replacement vehicles arranged anywhere in the UK, day or night.
Common questions
That is the whole point of a like-for-like replacement. On a non-fault claim you are entitled to a vehicle of the same class as the one you lost, so a van driver gets a van of comparable size and payload.
Usually the same day, and often within a few hours where the vehicle is a common size. Specialist vehicles such as tippers, tail lifts and fridge vans can take a little longer.
No deposit and nothing up front. Identity, fraud and anti money laundering checks are carried out on every claim before we act, as we are required to do.
Tell us and we will try to match it. Where we cannot, the loss of use of that equipment can form part of your claim, so make sure it is recorded at the start.
For as long as you reasonably need it, which normally means until your own van is repaired and back with you, or until a fair settlement is paid if it is a write-off. Our guide on how long you can keep a hire vehicle goes through it.
Loss of earnings can form part of a non-fault claim where it can be evidenced. Keep the messages and job sheets showing what you turned away, because that evidence is what makes the difference.
It makes no difference to your entitlement to a replacement. What matters is that the accident was not your fault and you have lost the use of your vehicle.
Terms and conditions apply to all services described on this page. Free recovery, storage and replacement vehicles are provided on the basis that the charges are recovered from the at-fault party’s insurer. We will explain the terms in plain English before anything is arranged.
Before we act for you we are required to verify your identity and to carry out fraud and anti-money laundering checks. This may include checks with credit reference and fraud prevention agencies, which will leave a record on your file.
Where fraud is suspected, information may be shared with fraud prevention agencies, insurers and law enforcement. Providing false or misleading information in support of a claim may mean your claim is refused, and can be a criminal offence.