Credit Hire
Our self drive hire rates information, litigation-support reports and market intelligence are recognised as the best in the market. Together with our wide experience of presenting evidence acceptable to the court, they enable the vast majority of our clients to settle disputes successfully.
UK Self Drive Hire Rates - IRIS (Instant Rate Information System)
Our clients in the insurance and credit hire industries use our unique reporting system, IRIS (Instant Rate Information System, accessible via our website), to settle many disputes over rates. Updated each month, our data gives a broad guide to UK self drive hire rates and is the ideal tool for assessing whether a disputed charge is reasonable.
You simply input the hire details of the claim and select the claimant and hire vehicles from a series of dropdowns; IRIS will determine which Autofocus group they each belong to and show the results for those groups; by inserting the rental charged and the number of days hire, IRIS will display the daily rate being charged, compared to the Autofocus daily rates (highest, average & lowest) and the ABI GTA maximum settlement rate, as percentages for each vehicle.
UK Self Drive Hire Rates are obtained by internet and telephone from the local branches and call centres of a wide range of rental companies operating across the UK. The rates include comprehensive insurance and excess waiver, if available, but do not include delivery and other surcharges. Highest, average and lowest rates are calculated on a three month rolling basis and any abnormally high or low rates are excluded.
Beneath the results table are two calculation features, which are displayed and printable on the same page as the results:
- Actual charges - by inserting additional surcharges and delivery & collection charges in the first calculation feature, total charges including VAT will be calculated, so that you can compare them with:
- Proposed settlement charges - after referring to the results tables, you simply input your considered daily rate for an acceptable number of days hire, together with surcharges and delivery charges, and the calculation feature will calculate the total hire rate including VAT.
The system is available online and, once your subscription is complete, you will be provided with a login and password. To view a sample of our IRIS rates report, please click here.
Among its users are motor insurance claims departments, who use it to validate claims submitted by credit hire companies, and credit hire companies, who use it to gauge their own tariffs against the self drive hire market. The report considers:
- UK highest, average and lowest rates for 1-2 day, 3-5 day, 6 day, 7-27 day and 28+ day hires
- ABI maximum settlement rate
- 52 car groups
- 8 light commercial groups
- 4 minibus groups
- 6 motorcycle groups
- Excess and Waiver details
- Additional Driver surcharges
- Under 25 driver surcharges
Litigation Support
case specific reports
The hostile nature of credit hire litigation calls for watertight supporting evidence. Our highly cost-effective Case Specific reports are designed to meet every potential challenge and to withstand cross examination.
In fact, more than 90% of rates disputes are settled following disclosure of a Case Specific report.
The report, which is available in expert or lay witness versions, replicates the original hire in every way. For each report we carry out a rates survey that covers the following factors:
- Claimant’s own vehicle
- Replacement vehicle hired
- One off hire to private individual or company, as applicable
- Location of hire
- Period of hire
- Driver’s age and any endorsements
- Additional charges such as additional drivers and young driver surcharges
- Surveyed companies operating at time of original hire
- Vehicle availability
- Rates at time of original hire
- Retail price index data
To view a sample extract of UK Rates Survey, please click the image .
oral evidence
Disclosure of a case specific report is usually enough to settle claims but in the rare cases where it is not, our rates surveyors are experienced in providing oral evidence in court.
Management and Consultancy Support
Our extensive knowledge and understanding of the credit hire and motor insurance industries, means that we are able to undertake a wide range of consulting and project management work on behalf of clients..
We can also provide short term management support to create the flexibility needed to achieve successful implementation of important projects, allowing your own management to ensure that the day to day running of your business is maintained at optimum level.