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Temporary car insurance

Get short-term car insurance for an hour, a day, week or a month

The average cost for a one day temp policy is just £31.35*

  • Get a quote in 90 seconds

  • Fully comprehensive cover

  • Flexible insurance with no lengthy contracts

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

Why choose temporary car insurance?

Temporary or short-term car insurance is an easy, flexible way to get insurance for different needs.

Available from 1 hour to 28 days, it can be a great option if you want to borrow a friend's car, test drive a new car, or share a long drive.

You only pay for the cover you need as and when you need it.

  • All short-term policies come with fully comprehensive cover as standard.
  • There's no impact on your annual policy's no claims bonus (NCB). And if you're borrowing a car, the owner's NCB isn't affected either.
  • No need to adjust your annual car insurance policy, if you have one.

What does temporary car insurance cover?

All temporary insurance policies come with comprehensive cover as standard.

Most comprehensive policies include cover for:

  • Accidental damage to the car, and to other cars
  • Injury to another person following an accident
  • Third-party European car insurance or the equivalent level depending on what country you visit

With all policies you have the option to add extra cover for a cost:

  • Breakdown cover, with 3 levels to choose from, including roadside callout, home start and national recovery
  • Legal expenses cover to help you recover uninsured losses and potentially claim up to £100,000 in legal costs 
  • Excess reduction cover

Cover differs depending on your car insurance provider so it's best to check your policy details to see if you have the cover you need.

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

What isn't covered by temporary car insurance?

Although short-term policies are usually comprehensive as standard, they do have some exclusions for cover:

  • Additional drivers: Only the person named on the policy is insured to drive.
  • Driving a different car: Your insurance only covers you for the car that's listed on the policy.
  • Uses you aren't covered for: If you select 'test drive' as your reason for cover, you aren't covered if you decide to use the car for another reason.
  • Courtesy cars: You won't be provided with a replacement car if yours is in the garage following an accident.
  • Impound release: If your car is seized, you'll need to buy a specific impound insurance policy.

What is the eligibility criteria for temporary insurance?

To get a temporary car insurance quote you need to meet certain criteria. Exact restrictions can vary between insurers.

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Generally, to be a driver you must confirm that you:

  • 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
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You also need to confirm that the car:

  • Has a valid MOT, unless you’re using the policy to attend a pre-booked MOT
  • Hasn't been declared as SORN
  • Hasn’t been modified, unless designed to aid disabled drivers
  • Has valid car tax, unless you’re using the policy to buy the car tax immediately afterwards
  • Is worth more than £1,500

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

You need to have held a full UK licence, or provisional licence if you're a learner for a minimum of 6 months, and be aged 17 to 78 to qualify for a policy.

If you're 17 you may have more difficulty finding a quote as not all insurers offer temporary car insurance for 17-year-olds. If you're 17 and learning to drive, a learner driver car insurance policy might be more suited to you in this case.

How long can you have temporary car insurance for?

You can take out a temporary car insurance policy that’ll last for anything from 1 hour to 28 days.

Most are flexible too, so if you take out a policy for a week, but then find out you’ll need cover for longer, you should be able to extend it.

It might not work the other way around though, so make sure you’re taking out enough cover in the first place.

Unsure how long you need? Here’s some scenarios where each cover period could come in handy:

Temporary driver car insurance icon

Hourly car insurance

These super-short-term policies are fuss free and affordable, giving you flexible cover fast.

They’re useful for:

  • Getting a new car home

  • Test driving a car that you're buying privately

  • Short term borrowing of a car that isn't yours

  • Sharing the driving duties on shorter trips

Temporary driver car insurance icon

One day car insurance

These longer-term policies offer better value for money if you’re looking for a full day's cover. 

They’re useful for:

  • Borrowing a car for a day

  • Driving a new car home from further afield

  • Borrowing a car while yours is in for repairs

  • Sharing the driving duties on longer trips

Temporary driver car insurance icon

One month car insurance

Available for up to 28 days, these policies are ideal for things like long-term car borrowing.

They’re useful for:

  • Longer-term car borrowing

  • Students using the family car while home from uni

  • Borrowing a car while awaiting delivery of a new one

  • Long driving holidays with shared driving duties

Temporary driver car insurance icon

One week car insurance

These longer policies offer value for money for those covering themselves for multiple days.

They’re useful for:

  • Holidays with a borrowed car

  • Sharing the driving duties on road trips

  • Borrowing a car while yours is off the road

  • Students on borrowing the car on home visits

What our expert says

"Temporary car insurance is a convenient option if you're looking for short-term cover. When you get your quote, we'll ask you why you need cover, and there are several options to choose from. Just make sure the policy meets your specific needs and provides enough protection for the length of time you need."

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

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.

Will I be covered for business use?

You can select your reason for cover when you get a quote. If you want temporary business car insurance, just select 'temporary business need' if that's what you require when getting a quote.

Once you get your quote, check the insurer's declaration to see what is and isn’t included, as exact cover varies depending on your insurance provider.

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Page last reviewed: 06/11/2024

Reviewed by: Rhydian Jones

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.