A courtesy motorbike is a temporary bike provided under your own insurance policy while yours is off the road, and many motorbike policies don’t include one at all or offer it only as a limited add-on. After an accident that wasn’t your fault there is a second option: a replacement bike equivalent to your own, with the hire charges claimed from the at-fault driver’s insurer, which National Accident Support Line can arrange if you need one. See motorbike accident claims for how that works.
Riders usually find out what their policy says about courtesy bikes at the worst moment, with the bike in the back of a recovery truck. The two terms also get mixed up, and some riders don’t realise they’ve signed a credit hire agreement until the paperwork arrives. Knowing which is which, and whether you need a bike at all, saves trouble later.
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What a courtesy bike from your insurer usually is
This kind of bike is a benefit of your own insurance policy, not a legal entitlement, so what you get depends entirely on the policy wording. Many motorbike policies don’t include one at all and exclude loss of use altogether. When cover exists it’s often an optional bike hire add-on with limits: a cap on engine size, a fixed number of days, and in some cases only when your bike is stolen or written off. If a courtesy bike is included as standard, expect a small-capacity commuter bike, tied to a repair at the insurer’s approved garage. Read the “courtesy vehicle” or “bike hire” section of your policy documents before you rely on it.
A courtesy bike also means the claim is going through your own policy. Your insurer pays for the repair and then tries to recover its costs from the other side, and until it does, the claim can sit on your record as open.
Courtesy bike or a like-for-like replacement bike
| Courtesy bike from your insurer | Replacement bike after a non-fault accident | |
|---|---|---|
| Who provides it | Your own insurer, if your policy includes one | A hire company, arranged by NASL |
| What you get | Often nothing; where included, usually a small bike for a limited time | A bike equivalent to yours, that you’re licensed to ride |
| How long | While your bike is at the insurer’s garage, or a fixed number of days | Until yours is repaired and ready to collect, or the write-off is settled |
| If your bike is written off | Depends on the policy | You keep the replacement until the settlement is paid |
| Who pays | Part of your policy; your excess may apply, though on a non-fault claim it’s usually recovered from the other side afterwards | Claimed from the at-fault driver’s insurer under a credit hire agreement |
| When it applies | Depends on the policy wording | Only when the accident wasn’t your fault, and you need a bike |
The difference comes down to whose claim it is. A courtesy bike is your insurer helping you under your contract with them. A like-for-like replacement is part of your claim against the person who caused the accident: losing the use of your bike is a loss they’re responsible for, so the cost of putting you on an equivalent bike is recovered from their insurer. Our post on whether you can get a replacement motorbike after an accident explains how that works. The agreement itself is explained on our replacement vehicle hire page.
Do you need a replacement bike at all?
Not always, and it’s better to be honest about that at the start. A replacement bike after a non-fault accident has to be justified by need. A rider with a car on the drive, one too injured to ride for a while, or one whose bike is a summer toy may not need one, and taking one anyway means the hire charges may not be recovered, and under the agreement you could be asked for them. Riders who commute, ride for a living, or get everywhere by bike almost certainly do need one.
When the accident was your fault, or the blame is likely to be shared, your own policy is the route, and we’ll point you back to your insurer. A courtesy bike, where your policy has one, is better than none. It also makes sense when the repair is quick, the courtesy bike is close to what you ride, and you’d rather keep everything with your insurer. And if your own policy does include a suitable courtesy bike, tell us on the call, because it can affect what can be recovered for hire.
Questions to ask before you accept any bike
Whichever bike you’re offered, ask the same questions. Is it equivalent to mine, in size, type and performance? Am I licensed to ride it, particularly on an A2 or A1 licence? How long can I keep it, and what happens if my bike is written off? Is insurance included, and is there an excess on the hire bike? What happens if the repair takes longer than expected? And is this a courtesy bike under my policy, or a credit hire agreement? If it’s credit hire, read the agreement before you sign and ask what happens to the charges if the other side disputes the claim. If your own insurer or broker passes you to a hire company, it should explain that you’re moving outside your insurance policy and tell you about any courtesy cover you already have.
Situations we hear about
“My policy doesn’t include a courtesy bike”
That’s common with motorbike insurance. If the accident wasn’t your fault and you need a bike, you don’t need a courtesy bike: a replacement can be arranged through the claim against the other driver.
“I thought it was a courtesy bike, and now I’ve got hire agreements in the post”
Then it was probably credit hire. That isn’t wrong in itself, but it is a credit agreement. Read what you signed, keep a note of how you use the bike, and ask the hire company what happens if liability is disputed. If your insurer or broker referred you without explaining it, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at how that referral was handled.
“Why is credit hire more expensive than normal rental?”
Credit hire rates are higher than everyday rental rates because the hire company provides the bike with nothing paid up front and waits until the end of the claim to recover the charges from the at-fault driver’s insurer. That’s also why the bike has to be needed and the case has to be clear. Before any bike is booked, NASL checks that the accident wasn’t your fault, and liability disputes are taken up with the other insurer by our recovery team.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get a courtesy bike with my motorbike insurance?
Only if your policy includes one. Many motorbike policies don’t, or offer it only as a paid add-on with limits on engine size and days. Check your policy documents.
How long can I keep a courtesy motorbike?
It depends on the policy: usually while your bike is repaired at the insurer’s garage, or for a fixed number of days on a hire add-on. A replacement bike after a non-fault accident stays with you until your bike is repaired and ready to collect, or until a write-off settlement is paid.
Can I refuse a courtesy bike?
Yes. If the accident wasn’t your fault and you need a bike, a replacement equivalent to your own can be claimed from the other driver’s insurer instead. If the courtesy bike offered is suitable, though, tell us, because turning it down can affect what can be recovered.
Will a non-fault claim affect my no-claims bonus?
A claim the at-fault driver’s insurer pays in full shouldn’t count against you as a fault claim, and a claim through your own policy can stay open until your insurer recovers its costs. You still need to tell your own insurer about the accident, and your premium can be affected even when you weren’t at fault.
Is a courtesy bike free?
If your policy includes one, there’s no hire charge, but your excess may apply to the repair, though on a non-fault claim it’s usually recovered from the other side afterwards. With a replacement bike there’s no excess to pay if the accident wasn’t your fault.
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