Do I need temporary car insurance?
If you only need car insurance for a short period, temp cover offers a handy alternative. You can choose the policy length from one hour, one day or one week.
There are many drivers who could benefit from a temporary car insurance policy:
Hourly car insurance could help you get smaller tasks or situations sorted, for example:
- Car shoppers who need temporary cover to test drive a new car could get insurance cover for an hour. Sometimes car dealerships have their own insurance to cover you for a test drive. So it’s best to check with them before you get your own.
- Car buyers who need driveaway insurance. If you’ve just bought a car and need to get it home, you might want temporary cover for an hour or 2 until you can arrange a longer-term solution. Dealerships can sometimes deliver cars as part of the service or for an extra small cost.
- Home movers that need to borrow a larger car or van to move home. Short-term insurance cover for an hour could be a great solution.
Daily car insurance could be the solution when you need a car for longer than an hour or so, including for:
- Road trip lovers borrowing a car for the day or wanting to share the driving for a long or weekend trip. Daily temporary car insurance for a day or 2 covers you and your friends.
- If your car is in the garage and you need to go somewhere, you might need daily temp cover for a few days to borrow a car until yours is back on the road.
- Car enthusiasts who own a convertible or sports car. You might want to let a friend or relative borrow it for a weekend or a special occasion like a wedding day or birthday.
- If your car has been impounded and you want to get it out, you need to prove it's insured. If you don’t have insurance, a daily car insurance temporary policy for a day can give you the short-term cover you need to get your car back.
Weekly car insurance can help when need car insurance for at least a week, for example:
- Young drivers who don’t have their own car but have access to a friend or relative’s car. Weekly car insurance can cover you for a week or two while visiting friends or family.
- If there's an emergency and you need immediate cover to drive a friend or family member's car, you can get short-term weekly cover fast.
What isn't covered by temporary car insurance?
There are certain things that aren't included in a temporary car insurance policy. These include:
- Driving other vehicles
- Additional drivers
- Claims that happen outside of the stated use of the car
- Anyone other than the car owner releasing the car from an impound
Driving other vehicles. You only have short-term cover for the car that’s listed under the policy. If you want to drive another car or van, consider a 12-month insurance policy.
Additional drivers. Cover is only for the person officially named on the temporary car insurance policy.
Claims that happen outside of the stated use for the car. You can only use the car for the purpose you listed in the policy details. If you didn’t include business use in your policy and go on to use your car for business, you aren't covered for any claims.
Anyone other than the car owner releasing the car from an impound. The police only allow the vehicle owner to reclaim an impounded car.
How much does temporary car insurance cost?
The average prices for one day and one week are1
One day
£35
One week
£104
1Based on Confused.com data from Tempcover average policy purchase prices in September 2022.
Your own costs will depend on:
- Your age
- Your driving experience
- The car you want to insure
- How long you'll need short-term cover for
The easiest way to get an idea of how much it'll cost is to get a quote.
Need more help?
How old do I have to be to get temporary car insurance?
This depends on the type of driving licence you have:
Provisional licence
If you’ve got a provisional licence, we can’t help you find temp cover but a learner driver insurance policy might be more suited to what you need.
Full licence
If you’ve passed your test and have held a valid full UK licence for at least 6 months, you'll normally need to be aged between 18 and 80 to get a policy.
If in doubt always check with the provider, who can give you an exact answer one you receive your quotes
What is one day car insurance?
One day insurance provides you with the short-term cover you need. It also spares you the hassle and cost of committing to a longer-term policy. This is useful if you need to borrow somebody else’s car or let someone drive yours.
What are the benefits of short term car insurance?
Arranging one day car insurance is quick and can be a saviour in an emergency. You can set up cheap daily car insurance as and when you need. This spares you the expense of being added as a named driver to a standard car insurance contract.
One day car insurance allows you to enjoy the benefits of:
- No long-term contracts
- Cover from 1 hour to 28 days
- Insurance as and when you need it
- Comprehensive cover
- The chance to arrange cover instantly
How long does it take to get a temporary car insurance policy?
You can get a quote and buy cover online in just a few minutes. You should get the documents emailed to you straight away so you can quickly hit the road.
How does temporary car insurance affect an existing insurance policy?
Short-term cover shouldn’t impact your existing policy. That’s as long as the details you provide are correct and you’re driving within the arranged policy start and end date.
If the policy is valid, any accidents that happen should be covered by the temporary car insurance policy.
This shouldn't affect any existing no-claims bonus you or the car owner hold.
Can I get weekly car insurance?
Yes, you can get temporary car insurance cover for a week. When you get a quote, you can select the policy cover length you want and you’re good to go.
Can I use temporary car insurance to drive in Europe?
Yes, you can get temporary car insurance to drive in Europe. Although the UK has left the EU, you don't need to carry an insurance green card with you when driving in the EU. You might still need a green card if you're travelling in a non-EU country, though.
If you have an existing car insurance policy, you might already have some level of cover for driving in Europe. It’s worth checking with your provider to find out the details.
Do I need to let the existing insurer know?
No. As long as you have the car owner’s permission to use the car, you’re good to go.
Are there any restrictions to temporary car insurance?
Exact restrictions can vary between insurers. Generally, to be a driver you must confirm that you:
- Haven’t been disqualified from driving or had your licence cancelled in the last 2 years
- Have never been refused insurance or had a policy cancelled or voided
- Have no criminal convictions or pending prosecutions
- Have had no more than 7 penalty points on your licence in the last 3 years
- Have had no more than 2 accidents, claims or losses in the last 3 years regardless of blame
You also need to confirm that the car:
- Has a valid MOT, unless you’re using the policy to attend a pre-booked MOT - and hasn’t been declared as SORN
- Hasn’t been modified, unless designed to aid disabled drivers
- Has valid car tax, unless you’re using the policy to buy the car tax immediately after taking out a policy
Can I tax a vehicle with temporary car insurance?
Yes, you can tax a vehicle with a temporary car insurance policy. You do it the same way as you would with a 12-month policy. Either online through the DVLA website or through your local Post Office.
What details do I need to get a quote?
To get a quote we need to know:
- The vehicle registration or, if you don’t know that, the make and model
- How long you want cover for, between 1 hour and 28 days
- When you want the cover to start
- Details of the driver – date of birth, postcode, type of driving licence and how long you’ve held the licence
- How much the car is worth. The minimum you can enter is £1,500
- The email address and mobile number you want your insurance documents sent to
What types of vehicle can I insure?
You should be able to get temporary car insurance cover for most vehicles. We also offer temporary van insurance if you need cover for something slightly bigger.
Will I be covered for business use?
Policies cover you to use your vehicle for social and domestic use, as well as commuting to and from a permanent place of work.
Some policies may include additional cover such as class 1 business use which can help when travelling to multiple places of work, such as for meetings or site visits. Once you get your quote, check the insurer's declaration to see what is and isn’t included, as exact cover varies depending on your insurance provider.
Can new drivers get short-term cover?
Yes, but you need to have held a full UK licence for a minimum of six months to get a temporary insurance policy and be aged between 17 and 78.
What our expert says
Temporary car insurance can be a great option if you need short term comprehensive cover quickly. You might need to drive a friend’s car at short notice but only need car insurance for one day, a week or more. Temp cover can give you peace of mind when you’re on the road.
Car insurance product manager
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