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Temporary car insurance

Borrowing your dad's car to pick up some furniture? Or maybe you're heading out for a test drive in your new dream car? Whatever the reason, you need to have the right insurance.

Get hassle-free, temporary car insurance from Confused.com and make sure everything is covered before you jump in the driver’s seat.

*Based on Confused.com data from Tempcover average policy purchase prices in February 2024.
1Correct as of February 2025

How to compare short-term car insurance?

Compare temporary car insurance with Confused.com in 3 easy steps…

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Tell us about you and your car

To get you the best quotes, we’ll need your name, age, address, driving history, and the make and model of the car you want to cover.

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Choose the type and length of your policy

Choose the type of cover you need and how long you’ll need it. Just a day? A week? The whole month? You’re in charge.

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Decide when you want your policy to start

Need insurance now or in a few days? No problem. Set the start time that suits you and avoid paying for cover you don’t need.

We’re serious, it’s that easy.

What is temporary car insurance?

Short-term car insurance is the ultimate fail-safe for drivers. If you don’t own a car, you’ve just bought one, or you want to use someone else’s for the weekend, temporary insurance is for you.

Temporary insurance is designed to work around you. You can buy a policy that lasts as little as an hour up to 28 days. This means there’s no paying over the odds for cover you don’t need.

Temporary car insurance saves you time, money and stress, so you can focus on the journey ahead, wherever you’re heading.

Looking for longer-term cover? You’ll probably want to check out a standard annual car insurance policy.

Get temporary car insurance for

Test drives

If you’re buying a new or used car, you need to test it. Before taking it for a spin make sure it’s insured with temporary, convenient cover.

Trips

Planning a weekend away? Whether you’re escaping to the country or heading on a city break, get coverage just for your trip to avoid wasting money.

Transport

If you’re using some new wheels for work or need extra boot space for moving out, save with temporary coverage that works around you.

How temporary car insurance works

Temporary insurance is designed to work around you. You can buy a policy that lasts from as little as an hour up to 28 days. It’s everything you’d expect from a fully comprehensive policy without tying you down to a lengthy contract.

Here’s how it works in practice:

  • You tell us which vehicle you need to insure, when you want the policy to start, and how long it should last.
  • You choose from a suitable range of affordable, fully comprehensive policies that are tailored to your needs.
  • The policy activates as soon as you complete your purchase, so you can be on the road in just a few minutes.
  • When your temporary car insurance policy expires, your cover ends. If you need extra cover, that’s fine! You can just buy another policy that gives you more time. Honest, it’s that easy.
  • Whether it’s yours or your parent’s car, it doesn’t matter. Temporary policies don’t affect existing insurance. So, if (heaven forbid) anything goes wrong, it won’t affect your no-claims bonus.

How much is temporary car insurance?

What you pay for short term cover depends on factors like your age, reason for cover, the car you're driving and the length of cover your take out.

To give you an idea of what you might pay, here’re the average prices of temporary car insurance policies*:

Temporary driver car insurance icon

Hourly car insurance

1 hour: £18.18

2 hours: £20.53

3 hours: £22.63

4 hours: £24.18

Temporary driver car insurance icon

Daily car insurance

1 day: £31.35

2 days: £48.09

3 days: £60.20

4 days: £65.58

Temporary driver car insurance icon

Weekly car insurance*

1 week: £98.60

2 weeks: £142.43

3 weeks: £190.97

4 weeks: £262.88

*Temp cover data September 2024.

Why compare temporary car insurance quotes?

Sure, going for the first option you find might save you a bit of time, but time is money. So surely you’re better off comparing prices, finding the right deal and saving yourself a few quid? We thought so too.

Comparing temporary car insurance quotes also means you…

  • Avoid being caught out by gaps in the cover
  • Only pay for what you need
  • Can change policy add-ons to avoid unnecessary spending
  • Choose a voluntary excess that works for you

Getting into the nuts and bolts of the small print is hardly a fun task, but it’s important. Otherwise, you risk buying the wrong type of cover and overspending. Not cool.

Compare temporary car insurance from up to 7 insurers1 with our partner Tempcover

What does temporary car insurance cover?

If you’ve had to look for car insurance before, you’ll know how complicated it can be. We don’t like this, and you shouldn’t have to deal with it. That’s why all of our temporary car insurance policies include comprehensive cover.

Comprehensive cover is just that. It means you can get to where you are going with peace of mind that you're covered* should anything go wrong.

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What's covered:

  • Cover for yourself, your car, any involved third parties and their property
  • Protection against non-collision risks, such as theft, vandalism, and weather-related damage
  • Cover if you’re involved in an accident with an uninsured driver
  • Reduced out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an incident
  • Legal liability cover
  • Cover for driving in the EU (third-party-only)
Cross

A temporary car insurance policy does have some exclusions, so it’s best you know about these up front:

  • Driving other vehicles (e.g. someone else’s car) is not covered by temporary insurance
  • Additional drivers who want to get behind the wheel (only the person named on the policy is insured) are not covered
  • Claims that happen outside of the car’s stated use are not covered

*Always check the policy wording and exclusions of your chosen insurer, as what’s covered can differ from provider to provider.

You also need to know that our temporary car cover isn’t suitable as a long-term solution. This is because you’ll need to take out a new policy every time you get behind the wheel.

When you’re not driving, you’ll need to put a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) on your vehicle. This declares that it’s not being driven and means you don’t have to pay tax or insurance on the vehicle.

It also means that you’ll need to remove the SORN when you want to drive again. Combine this with sorting out a new insurance policy, and you’ve got a healthy bit of administrative work to do before you can drive again. No thanks.

Instead of jumping through these hoops, you could get an annual policy. Or, pay-as-you-go car insurance is another option. With this, you pay a base rate and get billed for every mile you drive. So, when you’re not driving, you’re not paying.

Who’s eligible for temporary car insurance?

As with any insurance product, certain eligibility criteria apply to short-term car insurance policies.

Generally, you must confirm that you:

  • Are aged between 17 and 77 years old
  • Haven’t been disqualified from driving or had your licence cancelled in the last 2 years
  • Have never been refused insurance or had a policy cancelled or voided
  • Have no criminal convictions or pending prosecutions
  • Have had no more than 7 penalty points on your licence in the last 3 years
  • Have had no more than 2 accidents, claims or losses in the last 3 years, regardless of blame

That’s it, though. There are no hidden rules or fees. And, as for excruciatingly long waits for approval, we’ve got rid of those, too.

Please note: Approval depends on previous claims and convictions.

In their place, we have straightforward policies that work for you, designed by people who understand that convenience is key.

That’s what it feels like when you use Confused.com.

What our expert says

“You take out temporary car insurance when you don’t want to commit to something long-term. So why should you have to wait a long time for a response?

Our short-term car insurance provides you with the cover you need when you need it. This ensures our customers have the freedom to be ready for whatever life throws at them.”

Rhydian Jones - Confused.com Commercial Director
Commercial Director & Motoring Expert Confused.com logo

FAQs about temporary car insurance

Still got a couple of lingering questions about short-term car insurance? No problem. Our experts have compiled the key FAQs about temporary car cover. They’ve answered them all as well. That’s helpful, isn’t it?

Are there any age restrictions or limitations for short-term insurance?

To qualify for a policy, you need to have held a full UK licence or provisional licence for a minimum of 6 months. You must also be aged 17 to 78.

If you're 17-18, you may have more difficulty finding a quote as not all insurers offer short-term insurance for your age group. Luckily, we do, so check out our temporary student car insurance page.

If you require a longer-term policy, see our car insurance for 17-year-olds or learner driver car insurance.

Can I have more than one temporary car insurance policy at a time?

You can! Let’s say you’re temporarily insured on your parent’s car but want to drive your mate's car for a weekend. You can take out a short-term car insurance policy on both at the same time.

For legal reasons, you can’t share policies between vehicles. So make sure each car has its own policy.

Will claiming on temporary car insurance affect my no claims bonus?

Nope. Your temporary car insurance is completely separate from your annual policy. So, if you have a scrape or bump, your no claims bonus is safe. Please note the price of an annual policy can still go up when an accident is declared on a different car.

Can I extend my temporary car insurance policy?

You can’t extend an existing policy, but you can buy a new one as soon as the old one ends. It only takes a couple of minutes!

Confused.com's temporary cover solution is provided by Tempcover LTD. Tempcover LTD are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 746985. Tempcover LTD is registered in England No. 9923259 at office: 2nd floor, Admiral House, Harington Way, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 4BB. Confused.com is an intermediary and receives a percentage of commission received by Tempcover LTD.