Compare temporary car insurance

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: 

• you are learning to drive in a family member’s or friend’s car

• you are borrowing a parent’s car while home from university

• you are using a courtesy car and you want more than third party cover

• you are borrowing someone else’s car to help you move home 

• you’re borrowing a friend’s car while waiting for yours to be repaired

• you’re driving your new car home and haven’t yet arranged annual car insurance 

• you only drive occasionally, for example if you own a classic car which you don’t use all the time.

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:

• loss or damage caused by vandalism, theft or fire 

• damage to the car in an accident

• accident recovery and repair

• legal cover in case of death or injury to other people

• legal cover for damage to other people's cars or property

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. 

You will need some form of insurance in order to legally to drive your car away from the point of purchase. A temporary car insurance policy can allow you to get insured for the day or two until you've had a chance to get a longer-term policy.

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.

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

• the car’s registration number or details of the make and model

• the owner’s details

• details of your licence and driving history

• personal details including your name and address.

Most temporary car insurance policies protect no claims discounts in the event of an accident, but this can vary so make sure you check before signing up.

If you don't want to sign up to a temporary car insurance policy, you could ask to be added as a named driver to a friend or family member's policy, which would allow you to use their car as and when needed.

The idea behind temporary car insurance is that you're only paying for the specific amount of time you need to be insured for, rather than for a full year, so it should usually be a way of keeping car insurance costs down. If you're finding it expensive, this may because it's less cost-effective than simply buying an annual policy.

No, a temporary cover policy won't generally be cheaper than an annual policy on a day-by-day basis.

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

• European driving cover – third party cover might be included as standard, but you may prefer to pay extra for fully comprehensive cover

• breakdown cover - useful if you are taking the car on a long trip

• additional drivers – if you are sharing the car with other drivers, some insurers will let you add up to four additional drivers

Yes, and it may be the best option if your existing car insurance policy doesn't cover you to drive in Europe. Make sure that any temporary policy covers you to drive in Europe to the level you need (potentially including breakdown cover), as some may only provide third-party cover.

Yes, you can get temporary car insurance policies that cover you for business use, though you'll need to check before signing up.

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.

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

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.

Yes, you can get temporary van insurance that works exactly the same as temporary car insurance - this can be useful when moving home.