Temporary car insurance explained

What is temporary car insurance?

Temporary car insurance gives you immediate short-term cover for driving a car – either a vehicle you own yourself, or someone else's. 

You can choose how long to buy insurance for – typically anything from an hour to a couple of months – and the cover is usually fully comprehensive, just like a standard policy.

There are many circumstances in which this type of insurance could prove useful:

• Helping out a friend or family member by driving them in their vehicle
• Learning to drive in someone else's car
• Buying a car on a trial basis
• A second or 'SORNed' car you only drive occasionally.

Learner drivers also have access to specialist learner driver policies and, once qualified, could save money by opting for black box car insurance.

Compare car insurance deals

Check Which? insurance ratings and compare deals using the service provided by Confused.com

Angebot anfordern

Which insurers offer temporary car insurance?

Get quotes from comparison sites, as well as contacting firms directly, as prices may differ.

Do you need temporary car insurance?

If you already have a car insurance policy in your name, you're likely already covered to drive another person's car under the policy's DOC (driving other cars) guidelines. 

Our car insurance reviews include the level of cover you'll get for driving other cars, if any.

Drivers under the age of 25 aren't usually covered and even your job can exclude you, so check any restrictions. 

Once you get behind the wheel of someone else's car, the level of protection changes from comprehensive to third party, meaning if you get into an accident only damage to the other vehicle involved is covered. 

If you don't have a car insurance policy, you can add yourself as a second driver to another person's policy. This works out well as a long-term solution but consider any admin costs. 

The average adjustment fee is around £20 and if you're only looking for an hour to one day's cover, buying temporary cover separately is likely to be cheaper and avoids the risk of losing someone else's no-claims discount.

• Find out more: Best car insurance companies in the UK 2024 

How much does temporary car insurance cost?

What you'll pay depends on the sort of factors that affect the cost of all car insurance – including your age, occupation, where you live and how long you've been driving for.

If you only need insurance for a few days or weeks, there is a good chance you'll be better off with a temporary policy. 

But the longer you want to buy cover for, the more it will cost. Eventually you'll reach a point where an annual policy is more affordable. And you're likely to reach that point more quickly if the alternative to a temporary policy is paying to become a named driver on someone else's policy.

It's also important to check what you're getting for your money. For example, temporary policies often come with higher excesses – the amount of any claim you have to settle yourself – so you'll be more out-of-pocket in the event of an accident.

How can you get cheap temporary car insurance?

Shop around for the best deal. Price comparison sites can be a good way to identify the cheapest temporary policies, but try searching on several to catch as many providers as possible.

Don't buy more cover than you need – most insurers will sell you temporary insurance by the hour. 

Opting for features such as a higher excess could mean a lower premium, but make sure it's still affordable.

Alternatively, an independent insurance broker may be a good option – it will scan the whole market on your behalf and should have a good feel for which insurer is the best match for your circumstances.

• Find out more: How to find cheap car insurance 

Can you get temporary car insurance without a main policy?

Yes, you can. You don't need to hold an annual car insurance policy to take out temporary car insurance.

You need a valid driving licence and, if you're borrowing the vehicle you're insuring, permission from the owner.

Can you tax your car if you have temporary car insurance?

Yes. When you buy car insurance, your insurer will add the details to the Motor Insurance Database (MIB), the digital register of vehicle insurance that operates in the UK. This applies with temporary insurance in the same way as a standard policy.

This is important because you can't pay for vehicle tax on a vehicle that hasn't been insured – and when you try to tax your vehicle, a check on the MIB will be made before the purchase goes ahead. 

As long as your details are on the MIB, you will be able to tax your vehicle.

• Find out more: car tax explained

Temporary car insurance for young drivers

As with annual car insurance, your age will affect what you pay, and drivers under 25 are likely to pay more.

If you're getting insurance to drive someone else's car, it's worth comparing temporary car insurance quotes with the cost of being a named driver on the car owner's insurance.

For periods of more than a week, temporary car insurance can prove very expensive.

• Find out more: How black box car insurance works 

Temporary car insurance for driving in Europe

Only one in five standard policies cover drivers if they take their vehicles to continental Europe – and they may offer a reduced level of cover, such as third-party cover only. 

If you're planning on driving across the English Channel, you therefore need to double-check your position with your insurer.

If you find you don't have sufficient European cover for your needs, your current insurer may be prepared to upgrade your policy, or sell you cover specifically for the trip, but it will charge for doing so. It might be cheaper to buy separate temporary car insurance for European driving from a different insurer.

Got more questions on car insurance? Take a look at our guides:

• Best car insurance companies
• How to get cheap car insurance
• Best car insurance for the over-50s
• How do I make a car insurance claim?
• Car insurance no-claims bonus explained
• Car insurance: add-ons, fees and charges explained
• Modified car insurance explained
• Electric car insurance explained
• How black box car insurance works
• Learner driver car insurance explained
• Multi-car insurance guide
• Gap insurance explained
• How to insure a classic car