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.
Car insurance for 1 month
Need car insurance for one month? The easiest and cheapest option is to choose an insurer that offers monthly payment and no cancellation fees, then cancel before you pay for your second month. You’ll get the rest refunded if you only need insurance for a little less than a month or if you had to pay for an extra month up front. Most insurers don’t have cancellation fees, and many let you pay monthly.
Car insurance for 1 week
Getting car insurance for a short trip away or a weekend holiday is probably easier if you get a rental car and purchase insurance through the rental company.
Otherwise, if it’s a car you’re borrowing from a friend or family member, just make sure their policy will cover other permitted drivers.
Car insurance for 1 day
Need car insurance for one day? A handful of specialty insurers like Insure Daily and Cuvva will offer on-demand car insurance for anytime as short as a few hours to a few days, or longer if you need.
If you’re just taking your classic car out for a spin to keep the engine working, talk to classic or collector car insurers.
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.
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.
Things to consider before you buy
Here’s a list of the top things to think about before you choose temporary car insurance cover:
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.
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.
Yes, car dealerships are able to help with the purchase of temporary policy, so it’s worth asking your car dealer about it.
This is usually done within 48 hours, however bear in mind that it can take up to 7 working days.
You can usually get short term car insurance for 1 to 30 days, though some providers offer insurance on an hourly basis.
This depends on factors such as the length of cover you need, as well as your age, driving experience and location. You may be able to get temporary car insurance for around £7 per hour, or from £20 per day.
If you’ll only be driving for a couple of hours, it will likely be cheaper to get insurance at an hourly rate, as opposed to cover for a full day.
Each insurer will have their own rules. However, you’ll usually need to have held a full driving licence for at least six months or one year.
This means learner drivers won’t be able to buy temporary car insurance. They can opt for learner driver insurance instead. A lot of temporary car insurance providers also offer this.
Temporary car insurance is commonly needed when someone is borrowing a car for a couple of days. It is often bought when students return to the family home for the holidays. It may be needed when you’re collecting or delivering a vehicle.
It’s unlikely. Most insurers only offer comprehensive car insurance on a temporary basis.
Yes, temporary car insurance still has an excess that works in the same way as it does with regular car insurance.
If you get temporary car insurance, you will only be covered to drive the specific car listed on your policy, and not covered to drive in general. Some providers may also have limits on the types of cars you can cover under temporary car insurance.
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Danny is a publisher at Finder specialising in insurance and investing. He previously worked at the global insurer Aon and has appeared in national media giving advice on insurance. Danny holds a BA in International Business from the University of Plymouth and has undying loyalty to his average-poor football team, Portsmouth FC. See full bio
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