Fast, flexible and affordable cover
Fast, flexible and affordable cover
- Cover for cars, bikes and vans
- From 1 hour to 28 days
- Suitable for learner drivers and tradesmen
Compare temporary car insurance
Use Finder to compare the best short term car insurance providers in the table below and start saving on your premiums.
★★★★★
1100+ customer reviews
1 - 6 of 6
How does temporary car insurance work?
Short term cover can be extremely handy if you want to help share the driving on a longer journey, you’re borrowing a car for a weekend, or you’re loaning your car to a friend or family member whilst you’re away on holiday.
Temporary or short term car cover policies usually last between 1 and 28 days. This type of insurance policy offers the perfect solution for infrequent drivers, and people borrowing or lending a car on a short-term basis. During the pandemic, people have typically been driving fewer miles so more consumers have been considering options like temporary cover and pay-as-you-go policies as an alternative to traditional car insurance.
What does temporary car insurance cover?
Short term car insurance offers flexibility. In theory, you’ll have the option to decide whether you prefer fully comprehensive or third party, fire and theft coverage levels. However, most temporary car insurance companies will only offer fully comprehensive cover.
If you’re lending your car to someone, temporary car insurance policies often also protect your no-claims bonus in the event that the driver borrowing it has an accident.
Likewise, if you’re taking out short term insurance and already hold a no-claims bonus on a regular policy, it won’t be penalised in the event that you claim for an accident whilst driving another vehicle with a short term policy.
Who might wish to consider temporary car insurance cover?
- Shared driving. Many of us go on holiday with friends or family and share transport to cut down on fuel consumption. If you’re sharing the driving on a long journey or weekend getaway, temporary car insurance can provide a cheaper alternative to amending your own policy. Similarly, if you’ve got a license but very rarely drive, it’d be more cost effective to take out short term cover (as long as it’s not for your own car!).
- Borrowing a car. Whether this be borrowing a more reliable vehicle from a family member for a lengthy journey, loaning a friends car whilst yours is in for repair, or sharing your parents car whilst you’re home from uni, temporary car insurance is easy, accessible and affordable. However, it’s always best to check with your provider to look at their specific exclusions.
- Test driving a car. Lots of car companies let potential buyers borrow a car to test drive for a period of time. If you’re already insured on your own vehicle, then you’ll most likely already be covered third party. However, if you’re test driving a pricey vehicle, it may seem appropriate to take out a temporary insurance policy that covers you on a fully comprehensive basis.
- Moving house. If you’re moving house and planning to borrow a car or van from a friend or family member to make life easier – and less expensive than hiring a removal team – then temporary cover is a go-to.
- Buying a new car. If you’ve bought a new car and don’t have the appropriate time to find the best annual cover right away, temporary car insurance offers a quick-fix in the interim period.
| Temporary car insurance could be an option if | You might not need temporary car insurance if | |
|---|---|---|
| Renting a car | You’re renting a car for an extended period but don’t want to pay the rental company’s higher car insurance fees. | You’re renting a car and can get coverage through the rental company or your credit card. Check the fine print of your credit card coverage, as they often offer limited protection. |
| Borrowing a friend’s car | You’re borrowing a friend’s car that you intend to use on a regular basis. | If you’re borrowing a friend’s car for occasional use, your friend’s current policy will likely cover you, or you could get a nonowners policy. But if you’ll be driving a friend’s car on a regular basis, you’ll need to be added to the current policy or get temporary insurance. |
| Selling your car | You’re buying a car that you’ll resell in a short period of time. | You’re selling your car in the next few months. You can get a 6-month policy and cancel anytime from most insurers. |
| Moving | You’ve moved outside your current insurer’s coverage area and need insurance for a short time until you choose a new long term policy. | You’re moving but your insurer offers nationwide coverage. You can easily update your address and get a new quote online from most companies |
Can anyone get short term car insurance?
Provided you hold a valid full UK driving license and are aged 18 to 75 you will be eligible to take out a temporary car insurance policy.
Unfortunately, learner drivers are not eligible to take out cover on a temporary basis.
Is temporary car insurance expensive?
Short term cover is a quick-fix insurance solution. It can be a cost effective way to insure a car in the short term, however, if you’ll be needing temporary insurance for a month or longer, it quite often works out cheaper to buy an annual policy.
Temporary car insurance is more expensive than annual policies, when you break it down to a daily charge. But, before making any definite decision, you need to also factor in any cancellation fees that could be incurred if you come to cancel your annual cover.
Short term car insurance options
Compare the easiest option for getting car insurance for a day, a week, a month or however long you need it.
-
-
-
- Compare and contrast quotes. If you’ve already got a can insurance policy it’s worth contacting your existing provider to get a quote for additional cover on the temporary vehicle. Then, you’ll need to compare this side by side with temporary insurance quotes. You could find that by going back to your existing car insurance provider and stating you’ve found a lower quote elsewhere, that there’s some room for negotiation.
- Consider your coverage needs. If you’re borrowing a valuable vehicle for a long journey laden with motorways and heavy traffic, then comprehensive cover could be advisable, especially if the owner would be devastated by any damage caused to the vehicle. However, if you’re moving house, and only travelling a short distance a handful of times, it might be worth seeking out a provider that offers temporary third party, fire and theft cover.
- Compare providers. There are literally hundreds of temporary car insurance providers out there. Make sure you compare quotes from a diverse range of companies rather than picking the first quote you get.
- Discount codes and coupons. Here at finder, we’re in the loop when it comes to discounts and deals. If there is a discount or offer on temporary car insurance we will be the first to let you know and elicit those savings you’re after.
- Do you really need it? It’s ideal if you don’t have an existing policy already, or if you’d prefer the extra security of being fully comp on a borrowed car, but if you already have your own existing fully comprehensive policy, you may already be covered to drive the car third party without the additional cost.
- How long will you be needing the cover to last? Remember, if it’s a month or more, it might be more cost effective to take out an annual policy and cancel it when you no longer need it. Just don’t forget to factor in any cancellation fees applicable to annual policies before finalising your decision.
- What level of cover do you need? Whilst most insurance companies do only offer fully comprehensive policies on a short term basis, there are some out there that will offer temporary third party, fire and theft cover. If you’re an occasional driver taking out a short term policy, for example to share the driving, consider what level of cover you need. And be realistic.
- What’s your driving history? Things like convictions, points on your license and previous insurance claims will factor into the quotes you receive.
- Are you road tripping across Europe? Some temporary insurance companies will allow you to take out European cover for an additional fee. Handy if you’re planning a sightseeing road trip.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
How can I save on temporary car insurance?
The best way to cut back on the cost of taking out temporary car insurance is to shop around. Compare and pick out the best temporary car insurance provider and quote. Here’s some other hints to help steer you in the right direction to saving on short-term insurance.
Things to consider before you buy
Here’s a list of the top things to think about before you choose temporary car insurance cover:
Bottom line
There are many insurers that offer short term car insurance so make sure to compare deals.
It’s also worth remembering to be as realistic as possible with the length of time you’ll need cover for as every extra hour or day is likely to increase your premium.
Get temporary car insurance
Common questions about short-term car insurance
The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
More guides on Finder
-
Bitcoin halving 2024 takes place: What next?
Bitcoin halving 2024 happened on 19 April. We take a look at what’s next for Bitcoin’s price and the crypto market.
-
Women-led firms lag behind in startup funding despite equality drive
The gulf between the amounts received by men vs women from government-backed startup loans has widened, despite calls for more funding for women entrepreneurs.
-
Kroo vs Monzo: Which is the best?
We take a closer look at two of the digital banking brands leading the way in the UK. Compare Kroo and Monzo in our side by side guide.
-
How to buy Rubrik (RBRK) shares when it goes public
Everything we know about the Rubrik IPO, plus information on how to buy shares.
-
Problems in the growth pipeline? The female startup funding gap
Is the UK leaving £250 billion in growth on the table? Our free report shows how female entrepreneurs aren’t getting the same startup funding as men.
-
Robinhood statistics 2024: Users, revenue and growth
We look at the latest statistics on global trading app Robinhood, including the number of users, revenue and profitability.
-
Financial adviser vs coach: Who to talk to about your money
From financial advisers to accountants – if you need help with your personal finances, here’s who to talk to about what.
-
Best ways to invest £20k
Discover how you can build wealth by investing £20,000 and explore some of the top strategies for investing your money.
-
Zing review: An international money transfers app from HSBC
The multi-currency account could be a cost-effective option for anyone who is going abroad, provided you don’t plan to withdraw lots of cash.
-
What is a good salary in London?
According to the latest figures, a single person living in London would need a gross salary of £37,000 to be financially stable.