PCO and Taxi Accident Claims: A Plated Replacement So You Keep Earning
After a non-fault accident, a licensed taxi or PCO driver in the UK is entitled to a plated replacement vehicle equivalent to their own, with the hire cost recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer rather than from the driver; National Accident Support Line arranges that plated replacement, aims to have it with you within 48 hours, and pursues the costs so you can carry on working.
A standard courtesy car does nothing for you. It isn't plated, so you can't take a job in it, and every day without a licensed vehicle is a day's income gone. NASL works with the UK's largest credit hire taxi fleet, over 700 licensed vehicles, and covers drivers licensed in the majority of council areas across England, Scotland and Wales, not just TfL drivers in London. If the accident wasn't your fault, the hire is not charged to you and there is no excess and no deposit.
No excess to pay if the accident wasn't your fault. Fill in our form and we'll call you back within 2 minutes (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-1:30pm).
What a taxi or PCO driver is entitled to after a non-fault accident
The law in England and Wales puts a non-fault driver back in the position they were in before the accident. For a working driver that means a vehicle you can actually work in, not whatever is on the forecourt. A plated replacement, licensed for private hire or hackney work in your licensing area, for as long as your own vehicle is off the road, is a reasonable cost of the accident and is recoverable from the at-fault driver's insurer. So is the repair of your own vehicle, its pre-accident value if it is written off, and your loss of earnings for the days you could not work.
The condition is fault. If the accident was not your fault, the costs sit with the other driver's insurer. If it was your fault, or fault is shared, the position is different, which is why NASL confirms the accident was a genuine non-fault case before any hire begins. That check protects you: a properly verified claim is one the at-fault insurer pays without argument, and it is the reason the hire cost does not come back to you later.
What National Accident Support Line does on a PCO claim
We start by checking two things: that the accident wasn't your fault, and that a plated vehicle is available for your licensing area. We confirm availability with our hire providers before anything else moves, so you are not waiting on a promise nobody has checked. Then we deliver the vehicle, plated and ready for work, with plating and licensing handled by our providers. Where availability allows it is like-for-like, including hybrid and electric models, and suitable for Uber and other app work.
If a plated vehicle isn't ready on the day, you are not left without transport. You can be placed in a standard vehicle immediately so you stay mobile, and you swap into the plated replacement the moment it is ready. Hire vehicles come with unlimited mileage and no fixed limit on how long you keep them, because nobody can tell you in advance how long a repair or a settlement will take.
While you drive, our in-house recovery team deals with the at-fault insurer. If they dispute who was at fault, the team argues it, on the evidence. We take on disputed-liability claims that many companies won't, and we work each one until every option has been pursued. If your vehicle is written off, we pursue its pre-accident value and the other losses the accident has caused you, including lost earnings.
Courtesy car, standard hire or plated credit hire: what the difference means for a working driver
| Courtesy car from a garage or insurer | Standard credit hire car | Plated credit hire from NASL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can you take a fare in it? | No, not plated | No, not plated | Yes, plated and licensed for your area |
| Who pays? | Your policy, often with an excess | The at-fault insurer, if the case is verified | The at-fault insurer, if the case is verified |
| Matched to your vehicle? | Whatever is available | Usually like-for-like | Like-for-like where available, including hybrid and electric |
| How long? | Repair period only, if offered at all | Until repair or settlement | Until repair or settlement, unlimited mileage |
| Loss of earnings? | Not covered | Pursued separately if at all | Pursued as part of the same claim |
Compare this with what a standard credit hire vehicle covers for a private car. The mechanism is the same; the difference for a working driver is the plate. If the accident involved your private car rather than your taxi, the non-fault car accident page covers the whole claim from the roadside.
No excess to pay if the accident wasn't your fault. Fill in our form and we'll call you back within 2 minutes.
The situations PCO drivers actually describe to us
"They've offered me a courtesy car but I can't work in it"
This is the most common call we take. The insurer or garage has done what their policy allows and handed over a small unplated car. It keeps you mobile and it earns you nothing. You do not have to accept it as your replacement. Tell us what happened and we will check plated availability for your area the same day.
"My car is off the road and the other driver is now saying it was my fault"
Fault is not decided by who says what afterwards. It is decided on the evidence: dashcam footage, photographs of the damage and the scene, witness details, the positions of the vehicles. Send us everything you have. Our recovery team argues disputed cases with the other side's insurer directly, and it is exactly the kind of case we take on.
"I'm licensed outside London, can you still help?"
Yes. We arrange plated replacements for drivers licensed in most council areas across England, Scotland and Wales. When your claim comes in we confirm availability for your specific licensing area first, because a vehicle plated for one council is no use to a driver licensed by another.
"How long will I be off the road?"
Our aim is a plated replacement within 48 hours of a verified claim, and a standard vehicle straight away if the plated one is being prepared. What you send us on day one makes the biggest difference to that timing, which is why the document list below matters.
How a PCO claim works with National Accident Support Line
You tell us what happened, by the form, WhatsApp or a call to 0333 212 2730, and web enquiries are called back within 2 minutes during opening hours. We confirm the claim is non-fault and check plated availability for your licensing area with our providers. We deliver your plated replacement, aiming for 48 hours, with a standard vehicle in the meantime if needed. We then recover the hire charges, the repair or write-off value and your lost earnings from the at-fault driver's insurer while you carry on working.
What you'll need
Having these ready when you get in touch is the single best way to speed the claim up: your driving licence; your National Insurance number; three proofs of address, each dated within the last 3 months; your insurance certificate; photos of the vehicle damage; the taxi licence for both you and your vehicle; any evidence from the accident (photos, witness details, dashcam); a stop notice where one has been issued. Self-insured drivers may also be asked for tax returns.
Who qualifies
The accident wasn't your fault; you are a licensed PCO, private hire or taxi driver aged 23 or over; and you are in England, Scotland or Wales. That's it.
A recent example
Imran, a PCO driver in Watford, was hit when a third party failed to give way at a roundabout. The accident wasn't his fault and his vehicle was off the road. We arranged a plated replacement within 48 hours so he could keep working while his claim was handled. (Anonymised; details changed to protect the client's privacy.)
Why drivers choose National Accident Support Line
A plated replacement within 48 hours is the aim on every claim, from the UK's largest credit hire taxi fleet of over 700 vehicles. No excess to pay if the accident wasn't your fault, and no deposit. An in-house recovery team that takes on the disputed claims others walk away from. Coverage across England, Scotland and Wales, not just London. FCA-regulated (registration 829991) and helping drivers since 2015. Two-minute callbacks on web enquiries during opening hours. And if the accident was your fault, we will tell you straight and point you to your own insurer, because we don't take a case we can't help with.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can I get a replacement PCO vehicle?
We aim to place you in a plated replacement within 48 hours of a verified claim, depending on the claim and liability. If a plated vehicle isn't immediately available for your licensing area, you can be placed in a standard vehicle right away so you stay mobile while the plated one is prepared.
Do I pay an excess or deposit on the hire vehicle?
No excess to pay if the accident wasn't your fault, and no deposit. The hire vehicle is insured by the hire company rather than on your own policy, and the hire charges are recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer. The only costs that could ever fall to you are ones within your control, such as fines picked up in the hire vehicle or returning it later than agreed.
Will claiming affect my own insurance or no-claims bonus?
The claim is made against the at-fault driver's insurer, not under your own policy, so in a straightforward non-fault case your no-claims bonus is not used. You should still tell your own insurer the accident happened, because most policies require it, even when you are not claiming through them.
Can I drive for Uber in the replacement vehicle?
Yes. The replacement is plated and licensed for private hire work in your licensing area, and where availability allows it is like-for-like, including the hybrid and electric models most app work requires.
I'm licensed outside London. Can you still help?
Yes. We arrange plated replacements for drivers licensed in the majority of council areas across England, Scotland and Wales, and we confirm availability for your specific licensing area before the claim moves.
What if the other driver denies fault?
Our in-house recovery team takes the case on and argues it with the other side's insurer on the evidence. We take on disputed-liability claims that many companies won't, and we work each claim until every option has been pursued.
Can I claim for lost earnings?
Yes. Time off the road is lost income, and loss of earnings is pursued as part of the wider claim alongside your hire and repairs. Tell us about lost work when you first get in touch so it is included from the start.
How long can I keep the hire vehicle?
For as long as you genuinely need it, until your own vehicle is repaired or your claim is settled, with unlimited mileage and no fixed limit on the hire period.
No excess to pay if the accident wasn't your fault. Fill in our form and we'll call you back within 2 minutes.
National Accident Support Line Ltd is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activities, registration number 829991.