Temporary car insurance
Cover in no time
Why choose Covertime?
Do everything online
Insure only for the time you need
Comprehensive cover
Docs available immediately after purchase
Protect existing No Claims Discount
Cover from one hour to 28 days
Get on the road in minutes
Quick and flexible
What is temporary car insurance?
Temporary car insurance gives you quick and easy short term coverage for driving a car.
Whether it's your own or a car that belongs to a friend or family member, you can get insured quickly for the exact amount of time you need. It can start immediately after you've paid or a chosen point within 30 days.
Our temporary car insurance is comprehensive so it will cover you, the car you're driving, as well as other people and other vehicles.
Short term car insurance can be seriously handy for lots of different situations such as:
Driving a friend's or family member's car to help them out or for your own use
Driving a new car home before you sort an annual policy
Test driving a new car before you buy it
Driving a second car that you don't use very often
Sharing the drive on a long trip
Using a car in an emergency
Our policies are Comprehensive
What is covered?
Damage to the car you're driving
Theft or attempted theft
Fire damage
Third party: damage to other vehicles / property / injury to others
What isn't covered?
More than one driver on a temporary policy
Delivery, courier or taxi work
Theft or damage due to neglect; such as leaving the car unlocked
Wear and tear
How to get temporary car insurance
Getting temporary car insurance really couldn't be easier!
Forget the days of filling out pages of relentless questions for your annual car insurance quote. With our simple quote process, you can get a quote in a couple of minutes in just a few simple steps...
1
Just let us know the vehicle reg and a few details about yourself
2
Then we need to know when you need the cover and how long for
3
Get your quote, check the terms, choose how you want to pay and you're off!
Do I need temporary car insurance?
There is a common misconception that all comprehensive insurance policies allow you to drive any other car.
If you already have an annual comprehensive car insurance policy in your name, you might be covered to drive someone else's car under the 'Driving Other Cars' (DOC) rules.
However, this is not standard and not everyone has this cover in their Comprehensive policy. If you do have DOC, it is only meant for emergencies and not regular use.
Drivers under the age of 25 will not usually have DOC cover, so make sure you check with your insurer.
It's important to be aware that when you drive someone else's car under Driving Other Cars, the cover changes from Comprehensive to only covering damage to the other car or other people if you have an accident - referred to as Third Party Only (TPO).
If you don't have your own insurance then you can be added as a second driver or 'named driver' to another person's policy.
However, if a second driver has to make a claim on this policy then it would impact the main driver's No Claims Discount (also known as No Claims Bonus). It could potentially increase their insurance premium at renewal.
If you only need to use a car for a short period of time, then choosing a Covertime temporary car insurance policy could be more convenient. It also avoids risking the car owner's No Claims Discount; which will give them peace of mind when you borrow their car.
Who is temporary car cover suitable for?
Personal use
Ages 21-74
Full UK licence holders
Vehicle value from £1,500 to £50,000
*Other terms and conditions apply.
How much does temporary car insurance cost?
The premium you will pay for your short term car insurance will depend on things such as your age, experience, where you live, when you need cover, the car you'll drive and how long you need to drive it for.
If you only need to drive a car for a small amount of time, then a temporary car insurance policy might be an affordable option for you. However, the longer you need to insure yourself on the car for, the more it will cost.
You can buy multiple temporary car insurance policies throughout the year, but at some point an annual car insurance will become more cost effective, if you're always using the same car.
How can you get the cheapest temporary car insurance?
The golden rule to get the cheapest temporary car insurance is: Only buy the cover for the time you need.
The beauty of temporary car insurance is that you can insure yourself at the exact time you need to start driving and set it to end when you need it to.
By only insuring yourself on the car for the time you need to drive it, you can keep your short term car cover costs to a minimum.
Choose from as little as one hour all the way up to 28 days. If you need more time after one policy ends, then you can take out new temporary car policies.
Do everything from your phone easily & quickly
Short term car insurance
Benefits of temporary car insurance
Choose your time
You decide when your cover starts and ends, providing complete control and flexibility.
Comprehensive cover
Our short term car insurance protects you, your passengers, your car as well as other people, property and vehicles.
Great for emergencies
In a hurry? Get on the road in minutes, driving a car you don't own (with the owner's permission of course!).
Quick, easy and affordable
Get a quote quickly, with a minimal amount of questions for just the length of time you need to drive to keep costs to a minimum.
Pay securely and easily
Temporary car insurance FAQs
Did you know?
Driving other cars using an annual policy usually only insures you for Third Party claims, meaning damage to the car you are driving is not covered.
