24 hour car insurance
Instant, comprehensive car insurance for 24 hours.
Get a price in under 60 seconds!
Why choose
Covertime?
- Do everything online
- Comprehensive cover
- Protect existing No Claims Discount
- Get on the road in minutes
- Insure only for the time you need
- Docs available right after purchase
- Cover from one hour to 28 days
- Quick and flexible
What is
24 hour car insurance?
24 hour car insurance gives you exactly 24 hours of cover, running from the precise start time you choose. Set it to begin at 8am and it runs until 8am the next day. Set it for 11pm on Friday and it runs until 11pm on Saturday.
It does not need to align with a calendar day, and it does not need to start in the morning. The cover clock starts at the time you set - not at midnight.
It sits completely outside any existing annual insurance on the vehicle. The car owner's annual policy, their no-claims discount, and your own existing insurance are all untouched.
When does precise 24-hour timing matter?
- Evening or overnight collections. You are picking up a car at 7pm and need cover through the night and into the next evening. A 24-hour policy runs from your actual start time.
- Cover that crosses midnight. If you need a window that spans two calendar dates - 10pm to 10pm, for example - a 24-hour policy matches that precisely.
- Short notice borrowing with a defined window. You need cover quickly, you know exactly when it starts, and you want to know exactly when it ends.
How much does 24 hour car insurance cost?
The price depends on several factors:
- Your age and driving history - younger drivers and those with points on their licence pay more
- The car's make, model, and insurance group - higher-value and higher-performance cars cost more to insure
- Where the car is kept overnight - postcode affects the risk calculation
- When the cover starts - some time windows carry higher risk
Covertime shows your price before you commit. There is no obligation to buy after you get a quote.
If you need cover for several consecutive days rather than exactly 24 hours, daily car insurance lets you pick the exact number of days you need.
Is 24 hour car insurance the same as one day car insurance?
They use different framing to describe closely related cover.
One day car insurance is occasion-driven: you have a specific day in mind - a calendar date - and a specific reason for needing the car. It is the most natural fit when you are thinking about a day, not a clock.
24 hour car insurance is clock-driven: cover runs for exactly 24 hours from the moment you set. This makes it the right choice when your window crosses midnight, when you are picking up a car in the evening, or when you want to match your cover precisely to a time window rather than a date.
Both protect the car owner's no-claims discount, both sit outside any annual policy on the vehicle, and both are comprehensive.
If you need cover across multiple days, daily car insurance lets you pick exactly how many days you need.
Our 24 hour 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 24 hour car insurance
- Enter the car's registration number
- Add your driving licence details
- Set your exact start date and time - including evenings and overnight
- Pay and receive your insurance documents immediately by email
Cover starts at the precise time you have set. Documents are on screen immediately and emailed to you. There is no need to phone anyone or wait for a callback.
When is 24 hour car insurance the right choice?
Choose 24-hour car insurance when the timing of your cover matters as much as the date.
If you are borrowing a car from a friend in the evening, collecting a purchased vehicle at night, or need cover that runs precisely from one time to the same time the following day, 24-hour insurance matches your window exactly. You are not paying for hours you do not need, and you know exactly when your cover starts and ends.
It is also the natural choice when your cover window crosses midnight - something a calendar-day framing does not handle cleanly.
For a single daytime occasion where you are thinking in dates rather than hours, one day car insurance is the more natural fit. For cover across multiple consecutive days, daily car insurance lets you pick exactly how many days you need.
Who is
temporary car cover suitable for?
Benefits of 24 hour 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.
24 hour car insurance FAQs
Is 24 hour car insurance the same as one day car insurance?
Closely related, but the framing differs. One day car insurance is occasion-based - a specific day, a specific event. 24 hour car insurance is clock-based - cover runs for precisely 24 hours from the exact start time you set, which can begin at any time of day or night and will often cross midnight. Both are comprehensive and protect the car owner's no-claims discount.
Can 24 hour car insurance start at night?
Yes. You choose the exact start time and cover runs for 24 hours from that point. A policy starting at 11pm on Thursday runs until 11pm on Friday. There are no restrictions on start time - cover is available round the clock, including weekends and bank holidays.
Can I drive someone else's car with 24 hour car insurance?
Yes, provided you have the owner's permission. The 24 hour policy is in your name and completely separate from the owner's annual insurance. Their no-claims discount and annual premium are unaffected.
Does 24 hour car insurance show on the Motor Insurance Database?
Yes. All Covertime policies are registered on the Motor Insurance Database (MID). The vehicle shows as insured during your active policy window. The MID can take a short time to update, but your policy documents are available instantly and you are legally insured from the moment your cover begins.
Can I take out another 24 hour policy when mine ends?
Yes. There is no restriction on consecutive policies. If you need more time, take out a fresh policy. If you regularly need several consecutive days of cover, daily car insurance may be more practical - you set the number of days upfront and pay for that block.
Is 24 hour car insurance suitable for business use?
Covertime's 24 hour cover includes personal use, social, domestic and pleasure, and commuting. It does not cover delivery work, courier use, or hire and reward. If you need business cover, that is available separately.
Did you know?
If you add a driver to a car insurance policy, any claims made by that additional driver will affect the main policy holder's No Claims Discount.