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
In the UK, the average car insurance policy will set you back around £465. But if you’re someone who only needs to be insured while you’re borrowing Mum’s car or to drive your new wheels off the dealership lot, you could save big with a temporary car insurance policy that could be, on average, as cheap as £42 a day. Use the table below to compare policies by time span, excess amount and expert ratings. Table: sorted by promoted deals.
Temporary or short-term car insurance is a type of time-limited cover that typically insures you on a vehicle for periods between 1 and 28 days. With a boom in demand for temporary cover options in recent years, some providers will also provide short-term cover for anything from a few hours to several months.
Temporary cover is ideal for anyone who needs a flexible policy, either because you’re borrowing a car, sharing a long drive, picking up a new car or in between switching annual policies. It is not an alternative to a regular annual premium if you regularly drive the same car.
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.
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.
1. Consider your circumstances. Are you looking to borrow a car for the weekend? Are you in between switching providers and need time to research your options? Or sharing a long drive? Then temporary cover could be a great option for you. The equivalent of 365 days of temporary cover will typically not work out cheaper than an annual premium. So if you regularly drive the same car, it’s likely you’ll need a regular car insurance policy.
2. Research policies and providers. Start hunting for the best deal by comparing as many policy options and providers as possible.
3. Consider any optional extras. As with a regular car insurance policy, you can customer your cover to suit you. If you’re taking a long trip or holiday, for example, would you benefit from additional breakdown cover or EU cover?
4. Balance cost against cover needs. A great deal isn’t all that valuable if it doesn’t offer you the cover you need. Try and balance the best price with the best cover options to suit your circumstances.
5. File documents somewhere safe and accessible. Once you’ve bought your policy, make sure you keep your documents somewhere safe and memorable so that they’re easily accessible should you need to make a claim or query.
The cost of your temporary car insurance will depend on a number of factors such as the length of cover you need, the vehicle that you’re driving, your age, your driving experience and where you live. The average cost of a one-day policy is around £42.
If you’ll only be driving for a couple of hours as a one-off, it will likely be cheaper to get insurance at an hourly rate rather than a full day’s cover. It’s always best to compare quotes with different providers based on your own individual circumstances before purchasing a policy.
Unlike a standard annual policy, temporary car insurance can give the same level of comprehensive insurance but for a duration that works for the individual.”
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 |
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.
Compare the easiest option for getting car insurance for a day, a week, a month or however long you need it.
Even with temporary car insurance you have the option to customise your cover with optional extras including:
Additional drivers. If you plan on sharing the driving for a short period of time, add extra drivers to your temporary policy.
Breakdown cover. Protect yourself against getting stranded in the event you need roadside assistance.
European cover. If you plan on taking your road trip overseas, invest in EU cover to insure you’re protected abroad. Check in advance with your provider to make sure it covers all the countries you plan to drive in.
Consider these four hacks for reducing the price of your temporary cover policy.
1. Compare and contrast quotes. Depending on how long you need cover for it’s a good idea to compare and contrast regular car insurance policies with pay-as-you-go and temporary cover to get the best deal. If you already have an insurance policy but have found a better deal elsewhere, it’s worth letting your current provider know in case they can match or improve upon the deal without you needing to switch.
2. Choose a small, cheap car. Borrowing your mum’s Bentley versus borrowing your mate’s Honda Jazz will typically have a serious impact on the cost of your premium.
3. Raise your excess amount. Increasing the amount of excess you’re willing to pay should bring down the cost of your premium.
4. Drop unnecessary optional extras. If you don’t need to share the driving or you’re not planning to head to Europe, make sure you’re not paying out extra for EU cover or additional drivers.
Here’s a list of the top things to think about before you choose temporary car insurance cover:
Thanks to increased demand, there are plenty of providers out there who offer comprehensive short term cover so make sure you compare a whole bunch before picking the best one for you.
As with any type of insurance, take the time to consider your specific cover needs before investing in a policy. Particularly, when it comes to temporary insurance, the length of time you’ll need cover for as you don’t want to get caught short. Plus, adding last-minute hours or days could end up costing more than if you had originally taken out a policy for that extended period of time.
Start comparing temporary car insurance
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