Looking for a cheap tenporary car insurance policy? Why not compare quotes here, from some of the UK's top insurance providers?
Will it take long?
No. Provided you have your UK driving licence and car registration details handy, you can get quotes online within seconds!
Can I insure a car for just a few days?
Yes, short term car insurance is available from a single day upwards. Some policies allow for cover for up to three months but the usual upper limit is 28 days. You can, however, apply for a new policy to start when an existing one expires, if necessary.
Can I insure a car for just a few hours?
This could be very risky. You may have a breakdown, get stuck in traffic, or have other delays - and find yourself uninsured. Apart from that, the cost difference between cover for a day or just a few hours is not usually very much anyway, and it gives you much more leeway if plans change.
Do I have to own the car, in order to insure it?
No! Normally, insuring someone elses's car with a conventional yearly policy is very expensive, even if you can find an insurance company to cover it. However, with a short term policy you can apply to insure a car that you have borrowed from a friend or family member provided that you have the owner's permission to drive it.
Is it expensive to buy car insurance for a short period?
Short term insurance costs more per day than it would cost for a normal yearly policy but most motorists find it economical if they only need cover for a few days or weeks. Compare short term insurance quotes now and see how cheap it is for yourself. It only takes a couple of minutes to use one simple form to ask several insurers for quotations, and the cost could be much less than you think.
Can visitors from overseas buy short term car insurance?
Policies can be applied for by non-UK residents with most EU and some Commonweath driving licences. It would be necessary for the applicant to actually be in the UK in order to get a quotation; this is a security measure and policies cannot be bought from outside the United Kingdom.
What can I use thisinsurance for?
Are you a student coming home from university who would like to drive a family member's car for a couple of weeks? Or an overseas visitor, borrowing a friend's car for a while? Do you want to share driving with a friend on a long journey? Is there a car you would like to test drive before buying it? Do you need to take over driving a car at very short notice? Do you need to borrow a larger car to move some goods? You can use one of these policies for all of these reasons, and many more.
Can I buy short term insurance at the last minute for emergencies?
Yes. Once you buy a policy and pay for it you can be covered right away. You can get one 24 hours a day, seven days a week and it only takes a few minutes to arrange. This is ideal for when you need to borrow a car, or take over as driver, at very short notice.
Can I insure any car for a short time?
Each insurer has a list of cars which they will accept. These usually include most modern cars on UK roads but you may struggle to find cover for a very old or rare model. You can find out if the one you want to cover is acceptable by getting a quote; it only takes a minute or so and places you under no obligation whatsoever.
Are there age limits for buying short term car insurance?
Yes. The usual limits are 19 to 75, although this varies from one insurer to another. Some insurers will only accept applicants over the age of 25. This is another reason why comparing quotes is a good idea.
What level of cover is included with short term car insurance?
Cover is fully comprehensive whilst driving in the UK.
Can learners buy short term cover?
Yes, several insurers provide learner driver insurance for inexperienced motorists with provisional driving licences to allow them to practice in a friend's car. There are different rules for learners from those which apply to motorists with full driving licences, and the insurers that provide this type of cover offer different types of plans. This is another reason for comparing several low cost quotes so that you can select the learner driver insurance package that best suits your needs.
Do I have to have a clean driving licence to insure a car, short term?
Every insuer has it's own acceptance criteria. Just like with a conventional policy, most of the insurers may cover people with the odd accidents or convictions but every case is considered individually. Again, just compare quotes and it will only take a moment or two to find out if you qualify for cover.
Does short term cover count towards my no claims bonus?
No. A temporary policy is completely separate from any other car insurance policy you may have and it doesn't count towards a no claims bonus.
Can I bring my own foreign registered car to the UK and insure it temporarily?
No. Most insurers will only cover cars that were first registered, and are normally kept, in the United Kingdom. You would be far better arranging cover in your own country of origin.
Can I use a short term policy to export a car?
I am buying a car. Will I need to insure it temporarily?
Most car dealers carry insurance for customers who want to test drive a car. Private sellers inevitably do not.
You may be covered to test drive a car under an 'any car not belonging' clause on an existing policy you own but this would probably only be third party cover so if you damaged the car you would be personally liable for repair costs.
One you had bought the car, though, the situation would change. You would no longer be covered by the dealer's policy or your own existing one so you would need to at least get cover for one day. You could then shop around to get a cheap quote for a suitable annual insurance policy.
Can I use temporary car insurance to get a car out of a police pound?
No, but there is a special policy designed for impounded vehicles.
To comply with the law an insurance policy for releasing a car from impound has to last for a minimum of 30 days. This means that a short term policy with a 28 day maximum will not be accepted but not to worry, there is a special policy designed for cars in police pounds which lasts for this minimum period, and it provides third party cover only to keep you within the law and keep costs as low as possible. Click here for a quote.
Is breakdown cover included with short term insurance?
Roadside Assistance is not included as standard but it is available as an optional extra.
Important!
The temp cover information above is generalised information only and will vary from one insurer to another, and terms may vary from one policy to another, too. It is important that you check the policy details before committing yourself to buying cover.
