Compare temporary car insurance quotes

If you want to borrow a friend or family member’s car or you’re only looking to drive a car as a one-off, temporary car insurance can be a good option.

You might find temporary car insurance useful in the following situations: 

To compare temporary car insurance and buy a policy you will need permission from the car owner. You will also need the following information: 

Most short-term car insurance policies will include fully comprehensive cover as standard. However, some insurers may be able to offer third party or third party, fire and theft cover.

Comprehensive cover will normally include:

Fully comprehensive cover means you have cover for any damage and theft of the car you are driving as well as for any damage you cause to a third-party, their vehicle or their property. This can provide peace of mind, particularly if you don’t own the car you’re driving. 

Most short-term car insurance policies will allow you to bolt on additional cover for an extra cost. This could include:

Temporary car insurance policies usually offer short-term cover from 1 to 28 days, but some policies will insure you for up to 90 days.

Insurers that offer short-term car insurance will usually offer cover to drivers between the ages of 17 and 75. However, some providers will exclude those under 25 so it’s important to shop around for temporary car insurance to ensure you find the right deal.

Many insurers that offer temporary cover will require you to have held a full driving licence for at least six months. The more driving experience you have, however, the more quotes you’re likely to be able to choose from. That said,  there are specialist providers out there offering temporary car insurance to those with less experience or different licence types, and other providers that cover learner drivers.

If you have points on your driving licence, previous motoring convictions or a history of several insurance claims, you might find it difficult, or more expensive, to get temporary insurance cover, but it’s worth shopping around as some providers will be happy to cover you.

Some insurers will allow you to take out short-term car insurance if you live abroad, but you may have to prove your permanent address and have previously resided in the UK. You may also find there are age restrictions and some insurers will require you to have held a driving licence for at least 12 months.

Most insurers also apply limitations on the value of the car and will usually cover drivers for cars worth up to £50,000.

Temporary car insurance can be an affordable alternative to hiring a car or being added as a named driver on another policy. However, the amount you pay will depend on factors such as:  

If you’re thinking about taking out temporary cover to last a few weeks, it could be more cost-effective to take out an annual policy and then cancel it when you no longer need cover. You’ll need to pay a cancellation fee, however, so weigh up the cost of this against the cost of a temporary policy to see which works out cheaper.