Temporary Car Insurance
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Compare Short-Term Car Insurance in the UK
What is temporary car insurance?
Temporary car insurance is a cost effective alternative when buying annual insurance or being added as a named driver is excessive for what you need. When you only need to borrow or drive a car for a few hours or months, you can stay on the right side of the law with short term car insurance in the UK.
Temporary insurance can not only be cheaper, but the cover can start immediately. This is helpful in emergencies, when other vehicles break down, or if you decide on a last minute road trip.
You can get cover for as little as 1 hour or 1 day, right up to a few months. This means you stay safe on the roads and only pay for what you need.
Who can benefit from a temporary insurance policy?
Those borrowing or driving a car short term
Temporary coverage can help in a range of circumstances. You might be stuck without transport after a collision. Or you could be visiting family and don’t want to lose your independence.
Young drivers seeking flexible coverage
Car insurance costs for young drivers are becoming notoriously high. Taking out temporary insurance for young drivers can help cover the gaps. For example, if you are buying your first car privately and need to take it for a test drive.
Temporary car insurance for non UK licence holders
Temporary insurance is widely available to drivers with a full EU licence. This is great for those visiting family, or taking a holiday in the UK.
Temporary insurance for business use
Temporary insurance providers can also offer short term cover for business use on cars. This can cover you for driving to one-off events or conferences or picking up clients and visitors from the airport.
Temporary European coverage
Whether you are taking a holiday, or travelling for work, you can get short term insurance for a car in Europe. This could be cheaper than adding this cover onto your existing insurance for the year.
Learner drivers practising outside of lessons
When learners are with an instructor, they are protected under their instructor’s insurance. But this is not the case when learning in a privately owned car. Temporary learner driver insurance allows you to cover only the time spent practising in a parent or family member’s car.
What does temporary car insurance cover?
What is covered
Temporary insurance offers the same main coverage options as standard car policies. These include:
- Third party only – Covers third parties.
- Third party, fire & theft – Covers third parties and your vehicle in the event of fire or theft.
- Fully comprehensive – Covers third parties, and your vehicle from a more comprehensive range of accidental damage or loss.
- Business use – You can choose from a range of usage covers, including social, domestic, commuting, and/or business use cover.
- Add-ons – Extras like misfuelling cover, or windscreen protection can be useful, especially if you are borrowing the car.
Common exclusions and limits
- Theft when the car was left unlocked or with keys in the ignition.
- Accidents or damage that occur as a result of driving under the influence.
- Driving without the correct licence.
- Using the car for services like taxiing or transporting goods for reward.
How much is temporary car insurance?
The cost of your short-term insurance policy will depend on a range of personal risk factors. A fast way to get personalised costs is to get quotes from temporary insurance providers. As a guide, the average cost* of temporary car insurance is:
| 1 hour | 1 day | 1 week |
| £20.78 | £33.87 | £90.93 |
Factors influencing the price of short-term car insurance
Risk factors that insurers use to set the cost of your short-term car policy include:
- How long you need the insurance.
- If you have made any previous claims.
- The make, model and value of the car you are insuring.
- How old you are.
- Your location.
- If you have a clean driving record.
- The coverage and add-ons you choose.
Tips for finding cheap temporary car insurance
It is important to know that the cheapest temporary policy is not always the best option. You will want to balance the premium with the coverage you need. These steps could help you find cheaper temporary insurance without compromising on cover:
- Choose only the coverage and add-ons you really need.
- Increase your voluntary excess.
- Be precise with how long you need cover to avoid over-insuring
- Shop around to compare temporary quotes.
How to get temporary car insurance in the UK?
Finding temporary insurance in the UK is a quick and easy process. Simply enter a few key details about yourself, the car you need insured on, and the coverage you want, and providers will give you instant quotes. Always be sure to shop around before you commit to a policy. Buying the first temporary policy you see could mean you miss out on a cheaper deal. Quotezone makes this easy by providing a list of UK temporary insurance providers in one place.
Alternatives to temporary car insurance
Add drive other cars (DOC) cover on your current insurance
Be added as a named driver to an existing policy
Take out an annual policy
Choose a pay-as-you-go car policy
Temporary car insurance FAQs
Who does the cheapest temporary car insurance for the UK?
Why can’t I get temporary car insurance?
Is temporary car insurance available for European travel?
Is temporary insurance the same as driveaway insurance?
Who does the best temporary car insurance in the UK?
What people have to say about us
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Southampton, United Kingdom
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Stourbridge, United Kingdom
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Related Insurance
*https://www.rac.co.uk/insurance/temporary-car-insurance