Written by Graham Cutbill-White
Temporary car insurance is time-limited cover that’s ideal for when you need to borrow a car, pick up a new vehicle or just share a long drive. Whenever you need to use a car that you’re not already insured to drive, temporary cover is the flexible and affordable option.
While temporary and annual cover are different products, with short term car insurance you get the same level of comprehensive insurance but for a duration that works for you.
It works in the same way your usual insurance does except there are no long term contracts. Once the policy duration you choose is over, it won’t automatically renew, the policy simply expires and that’s it.
You will receive a reminder when the policy is due to expire so you can quickly and easily purchase more short term car cover if you need it.
We are confident that most drivers will be able to get a short term car insurance policy but there are a few restrictions. You can expect to be insured if you:
There’s still a good chance we can offer you temporary car cover even if you have penalty points – although time limits and certain restrictions do apply. This is specifically for our temporary car insurance scheme; the acceptance criteria for other schemes may vary.
On the other hand, there are unfortunately some occasions when we won’t be able to offer you short term cover. These include the following circumstances:
You’ll be able to find quotes for temporary car cover that range from hours up to 28 days of cover. While prices will vary depending on the driver, their driving histories and the vehicle, you can expect cover to start from less than £20 for a day.
Yes, you will always need to be insured when you borrow a friend’s car. You will need either:
If you have your own annual policy you may be covered to drive other cars, but this is unlikely.
There’s no sense in rush-buying an expensive annual policy when you could give yourself some time to assess your options thanks to short term car cover. If you’re in a rush to get the car home, this could save you money in the long run.
With options ranging from hourly policies up to renewable 28 day cover, you only pay for the time you’ll actually use the vehicle. This saves you paying over the odds for an annual policy that you don’t even need.
Almost certainly not. You’d either have to be formally added to the vehicle owner’s policy or you’d have to buy a whole years’ worth of cover for that vehicle yourself. Both these options can be very expensive and would take a lot of time and effort to arrange.
Short term cover keeps the cost of insurance down while giving you and the owner of the car the reassurance that should the worst happen, it won’t impact their annual insurance.
With temporary car cover, you get complete peace of mind because if you have an accident in another person’s vehicle, it will have no impact on their No Claims Discount. This is because it’s a separate policy which sits alongside their existing annual insurance (which the vehicle owner must have). This is a relief for both parties as No Claims Discount is something that takes a long time to build and can save the owner a lot of money on their annual cover.
A No Claims Discount of 5 or more years can reduce the cost of annual insurance by up to 65%, a huge expense for any driver and even more of a blow if they were to lose it without even having been behind the wheel.
Temporary policies can be designed to suit your own personal circumstances. If you only want cover to pick up the vehicle, you can get hourly policies, but if you want more time to find annual insurance, temporary cover can be used as a stopgap while this is arranged.
Getting your own temporary policy quote from Tempcover is super quick. You can get quotes from a range of insurance providers in under two minutes and once you’ve tailored the policy to suit your needs, you can get covered instantly or at a time that suits you. This means you can arrange to pick up your new set of wheels and drive it straight home knowing that you’re protected.
If you’re going away a short term holiday insurance policy is a great way to only pay for the cover you need whether you’re in the UK or need cover to drive abroad. If you’re going on a day trip or are away for much longer, we’ve got you covered.
You can even extend your short term car insurance for one week if a change in circumstances demands it, or keep it rolling over if you’re heading out on a spontaneous trip.
Sharing a car is a great way to spread driving long distances between multiple people – save money, share the responsibility, reduce environmental impact and enjoy each other’s company. If you need car sharing cover for work or for pleasure, we can help.
Getting car insurance for drivers with convictions can be tough. Convictions can increase the cost of insurance and lots of insurers won’t even quote for it. Fortunately it’s an area we specialize in so getting cover with motoring offences to your name has never been easier.
A short term insurance policy is incredibly quick to buy. Most people can get cover in less than five minutes online – ideal if you need temporary car insurance in an emergency. This is much faster and cheaper than adjusting an existing policy, meaning you can focus on what’s really important.
If you use your personal vehicle for occasional business use, a temporary business use car insurance policy might be much more cost-effective than adding business use to your annual policy. Just get short term, fully comprehensive cover for individual trips to save time and money and know you’re completely covered.
Impounded vehicles are considered higher risk and many insurers won’t cover them as part of a regular policy. Even short term policies don’t usually cover impounded vehicles – short term policies are only available for a maximum of 28 days and impounded cars require a minimum of 30 days cover. That’s why you need specialist impounded vehicle insurance.
If you’re one of the millions of drivers looking to buy a new car each year, the last thing you want to worry about is making sure it’s properly insured to drive home.
So, when looking for drive away insurance, you’ll want cover that’s fast, flexible and cost-effective – and with Tempcover you get all three.
If you’re no longer a UK resident and are returning to see friends or family, short term expat car insurance is the ideal solution. Just get covered for the time you’re back in the UK instead of being added as an additional driver to someone else’s insurance and being responsible for their No Claims Discount.
Buying a car in another country can save money and reduce the cost of tax, but getting it home is another matter. Insuring vehicles outside the country can be pricier than those in the UK, so getting temporary imported car insurance will help you get your car home safe and sound at a reasonable price.
It’s widely known that insurance for young drivers aged 18-25 is more expensive than for any other age group. 18-22 year-olds are the worst affected so getting just the right policy for the minimum amount of time can help save money. We also cover young people who are:
As you can see there are many reasons why temporary insurance is the best option if you want to borrow a vehicle from a friend, colleague or family member.
Since its inception in 2006, Tempcover has been dedicated to providing the best temporary vehicle insurance possible to hundreds of thousands of drivers.
We currently have a 5 star, 9.1/10 rating on the consumer review website TrustPilot and here’s what just some of the drivers who’ve used Tempcover before thought of our service.
It couldn’t be simpler to get a short term insurance policy. Whether you prefer to buy online or on the phone, we’ve made the whole process quick and easy for you.
You can buy a policy online anytime you need it, and with our speedy quote process, you can get prices and policies to compare in just a couple of minutes – whether you want cover for a few hours or it’s weekly car insurance you need.
Once you’ve chosen from the temporary car insurance quotes, you’re just a few clicks away from being covered.
You can pay for your short term car insurance policy in several ways. Using our secure payment system, you can use the following payment methods:
After you’ve bought your policy, your documents will be emailed to you instantly so there’s no waiting around.
We all know that comparing prices is the best way to save money and to make sure you’re getting exactly what you’re looking for at the fairest possible price.
There are countless comparison sites for annual cover, but when it comes to short term car insurance, Tempcover is the only site that compares prices from different insurers. We compare prices and policies from a panel of leading insurance providers to give you multiple quotes to choose from – that way you can pick the one that works best for you.
It’s not all about money though. Different providers may offer different variations of the same product. By comparing the different details of the policy, you can find the cover that not only offers you the best price but is best for your circumstances and makes sure you comply with the law.
