RAC temporary car insurance review

The temporary car insurance through the RAC gives the highest level of cover (comprehensive) as standard, and you can get it for 1 day – or even 1 hour – up to 30 days. Plus, the RAC says that an extra discount could apply for temporarily insuring a car that is already annually insured, and any claims made under a temporary policy won’t affect the annual no-claims discount.

Who is the RAC?

RAC stands for the Royal Automobile Club. The UK-based company was set up in 1897 to provide a breakdown recovery service. Over the years, it has branched out to provide other services, such as car insurance, home insurance and travel insurance.

The RAC says it aims to provide customers with affordable, quality car insurance and offers both personal and business short-term car, van and motorhome cover. RAC temporary insurance is arranged and administered by DayInsure.com Ltd.

RAC will accept almost anyone with a valid and full UK driver’s licence and can also cover customers who hold a full EU, EEA, Australian, New Zealand and South African driving licence and have done so for at least six months (or three months if aged over 25).

• Who underwrites the temporary car insurance from the RAC?

  RAC Financial Services Ltd acts as an introducer to the temporary insurance from Dayinsure.com Ltd. All Dayinsure policies are underwritten by Aviva Insurance Ltd.

  Aviva Insurance Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

RAC policy features

• Flexible insurance. You can choose cover from just 1 hour up to 30 days.
• Comprehensive cover. The highest level of cover comes as standard. If you are responsible for causing an accident, you’ll be protected for damage to other people’s vehicles or property and for your own vehicle against accidental damage and vandalism. You’ll also have protection against any fire damage or theft of your car.
• Instant cover. Get instant cover from the moment you purchase with the process taking around 15 minutes.

What does the RAC’s temp cover include?

Here are some of the benefits of the RAC’s temporary car insurance:

• Legal liability
• Loss or damage by fire, theft or vandalism
• Accidental damage
• New car replacement
• Accident recovery and approved repair service
• RAC short-term UK breakdown cover (optional)
• Full EU cover (optional)
• RAC short-term European breakdown cover (optional)

Can anyone take out RAC temporary car insurance?

Unfortunately not. To get short-term car cover, both you and the car must meet the RAC’s eligibility criteria.

You must:

• Be aged 18-75
• Hold a full GB driving licence for at least three months (or six months if you’re aged under 25)
• Have had no more than one fault claim in the past 12 months
• Have had no more than 9 penalty points and no disqualifications in the previous 12 months
• Have had no motoring offence in the last 6 months starting with the code IN or CU80
• Not have any unspent criminal convictions (other than driving offences)

The car must:

• Be registered in Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man
• Have a market value of less than £75,000
• Have no more than eight seats including the driver’s seat
• Not be over 3.5 tonnes gross vehivle weight (GVW)
• Not be leased under an agreement of 12 months or less
• Not have modifications to the engine, changes to the body (wraps) or interior of the vehicle unless fitted at manufacturer or were the marker’s optional extra or they were carried out specifically for a disabled driver or passenger
• Not have had any cosmetic or performance-related modifications (some other modification exceptions apply)
• Not have been imported
• Not be used to carry goods or passengers for hire or reward
• Not be used to carry hazardous goods
• Not be driven at any hazardous location

What is my excess?

Your car insurance excess is the amount of money you will need to pay towards a claim. Your insurer won’t pay out for a claim that costs less than this amount. A compulsory excess amount might vary depending on the age of your car and your driving experience.

A voluntary excess is on top and is normally set by you when taking out a policy. You’ll have the option of adding a voluntary excess or increasing it – which should lower your premium.

You’ll find details about any compulsory or voluntary excesses in your policy document.

What is the claims process for the RAC?

You should call the DayInsure claims line on 08000 156 166 to make a claim. This 24-hour claims line is open 7 days a week.

You will need to provide the following information:

• Your own insurance policy details
• Details about the incident
• Names and contact details of everyone involved in the incident such as third parties, passengers and witnesses
• Details about the damage or injuries sustained

It’s vital that you let your insurer know about an incident straight away, even if it’s not your fault. Failure to do this could result in a rejected claim later on.

Pros and cons for RAC temporary car insurance

Our verdict

If you’re looking for temporary car insurance, RAC offers comprehensive cover as standard but if you need protection for more than 30 days, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Remember to shop around for short term insurance and compare other temporary car insurance policies that match your needs.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I get temporary car insurance if I'm learning to drive?

  No. RAC temporary car insurance can only be taken out by drivers holding a valid and full driving licence for at least six months (or three months if aged over 25). RAC offers car insurance specifically for learner drivers, which can provide cover from two hours up to five months.

• Can I still get temporary car insurance even if I don't have an annual car insurance policy with the RAC?

  Yes. The RAC offers separate temporary car insurance to new customers and existing customers wishing to temporarily insure a second car.

• Can I get insurance that starts immediately?

  Yes. If you wish, temporary cover can start instantly.

Written by

Liz Edwards

Editor-in-chief

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Liz Edwards has been a consumer writer and editor for more than 20 years. She led award-winning teams at the campaigning publisher Which?, and has covered a range of consumer rights and personal finance topics including pensions, credit, banking and insurance. Liz has appeared frequently in national media such as The Sun, Metro, HuffPost and The Independent. She loves to cut through waffle to give consumers the real lowdown. And she loves puns. See full bio

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