Fast, flexible and affordable cover

- Cover for cars, bikes and vans
- From 1 hour to 28 days
- Suitable for learner drivers and tradesmen
Car insurance can be a confusing subject, even without the addition of alternative cover policies to the table. However, if you need insurance for a limited time or for a car you don’t drive very often, it’s good to know you have options.
We’ve reviewed the differences between pay-as-you-go and temporary car insurance, to help you decide which one would work best for your circumstances.
Pay-as-you go insurance means you only pay for the miles you drive. So, if you only use your car for the occasional trip to the supermarket or the countryside at the weekend, you won’t be throwing money away while it’s sitting in your driveway or garage.
Also known as PAYG or usage-based car insurance, there are three main ways in which this type of cover is measured:
Temporary car insurance usually provides instant cover from one hour to 30 days. It’s usually offered as a comprehensive policy, though cover levels vary by insurer.
Temporary car insurance designed for learner drivers is also available.
The most important difference between these two types of policy is that temporary cover cannot be used as the sole car insurance policy for a car.
This means that it can only be used if you are borrowing a car from someone who already has an annual policy covering their vehicle. The reason for this is that it’s illegal to own an uninsured car without declaring it as SORN, even if it’s kept on your driveway or in your garage.
Temporary car insurance is also often used for rental cars, but this is normally arranged by the hire company.
If you need cover for a car you rarely drive or that you’re borrowing from someone else, having the option to take out either of these policies can save you a lot of money and hassle.
For a car you own but don’t drive very often, pay-as-you-go insurance is the best option. If you’ll only be using the car for a limited amount of time, you need temporary cover.
The main difference is that temporary cover cannot be used as the sole policy for the car, so make sure it already has annual cover in place.
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