Daily car insurance
Instant, comprehensive car insurance by the day.
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
daily temporary car insurance?
Daily vehicle insurance is a standalone policy, completely separate from any existing annual cover on the vehicle. You pay for a defined period, the cover begins at your chosen start time, and ends when that period is up, with no ongoing commitment.
When does daily car insurance make sense?
There are a few common situations where it tends to be the right fit:
- Borrowing a car: Whether you're helping someone move, visiting family, or running an errand in a car that isn't yours, your own daily policy means the car owner's no-claims record stays untouched.
- Driving a new car home: Just bought from a dealer or private seller? A daily policy covers you from the moment you drive away, giving you breathing room to arrange something longer-term.
- Emergency cover: If your own car is off the road and you need to use a family member's vehicle, you can get a quote in under a minute. Just make sure you've read through the terms before confirming your purchase.
Why daily cover rather than adding yourself to an annual policy?
The main advantage of daily car insurance is that it's a separate policy entirely. This means:
- If there's a claim, the car owner's No Claims Discount isn't affected
- You only pay for the time you actually need, no hidden admin fees
- Cover is active from your chosen start time, and your details are registered on the Motor Insurance Database (MID) immediately
Is daily cover legal for all drivers?
Yes, provided you have the owner's permission and hold a valid full UK licence. Covertime's daily car insurance is uploaded to the MID as soon as your policy start time begins, so you're visible to ANPR cameras straight away.
How much does daily temporary car insurance cost?
The price of car insurance by the day varies depending on a few things:
- Duration: Longer cover will generally cost more.
- Your vehicle: The make, model, value and power of the car all feed into the calculation.
- You and your licence: Your age, driving history and experience are also taken into account.
Our quote process only asks for what's needed to calculate your premium, nothing surplus.
Our daily insurance 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
- Sole damage to the windscreen
How to get daily temporary car insurance
Getting a quote for daily car insurance takes under a minute. Just answer a handful of questions, no lengthy forms, nothing unnecessary.
We only ask what we actually need to know. Everything else happens behind the scenes, keeping the process short and straightforward.
Need to get insured for a day starting today? Just select immediate start and you'll be on the road shortly. Do make sure you read through the terms and conditions before completing your purchase.
Prefer to plan ahead? You can schedule cover to begin at a specific date and time, up to 30 days in advance.
Who is
temporary car cover suitable for?
Benefits of car insurance by the day
Your cover, your duration
Choose exactly how long you need, from one hour to 28 days. No need to pay for time you won't use.
Comprehensive cover
Daily car insurance from Covertime covers you, your passengers, the car you're driving, and any third-party damage or injury.
Useful when buying a car
Need to drive a new purchase home? A daily policy gives you cover from the moment you take the keys, while you sort something longer-term.
Straightforward from start to finish
Get a quote in under a minute and have your documents available immediately after purchase. Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Can Covertime provide daily car insurance?
Covertime's daily car insurance is built around your schedule rather than ours. Pick the start time, choose how long you need cover, and you're sorted, no annual contract, no guesswork.
Each policy runs for exactly the duration you select, starting at the time you choose. Whether that's cover for a single day, a couple of days, or a long weekend, you set the parameters.
There's no need to commit to anything beyond what you actually need. Car insurance by the day puts you in control of how long you're covered and when it starts.
Who needs daily car insurance?
Car insurance by the day suits a range of situations. Perhaps you need to insure a car for a day to help with a house move, or you're heading somewhere and want to share the driving in someone else's vehicle. It also works well if you've just picked up a new car and need cover while you arrange something longer-term.
If a day isn't quite enough, two or three days car insurance is just as simple to set up, and if you need to extend on the go, you can take out a fresh policy at any point, including via the app.
How to keep the cost down with daily car insurance
One way to keep costs manageable is to only take out cover for as long as you genuinely need it. There's no obligation to round up, pay for what you'll actually use.
You choose the start time and duration, so the policy fits around your actual plans. Cover runs from as little as one hour right the way up to 28 days, use the duration slider when getting your quote to dial it in.
Daily insurance FAQs
Can I get car insurance for one day?
Yes, you can take out a comprehensive policy for just one day, or stretch it to two days if you need a little longer. You set the duration, and cover ends exactly when you've specified.
Can I get daily insurance to borrow a friend's car?
As long as you have the owner's permission, yes. Taking out your own policy is straightforward, it keeps their no-claims discount intact and means there's no need to add you as a named driver on their policy. Take a look at our non-owner car insurance page for more on this.
How will I know when my cover expires?
Your start and end times are fixed at the point of purchase, so there's no ambiguity. You'll receive a confirmation email with links to your policy documents straight away, and we'll send a reminder as your cover approaches expiry so you're not caught out.
I already have an annual policy on my own car, do I really need to get insurance to drive a different car?
In most cases, yes. Your annual policy covers you in your own car, not automatically in someone else's. Some comprehensive policies do include Drive Other Cars cover, but it's not universal and often comes with restrictions, check your policy documents to be sure.
Temporary car insurance is a straightforward way to make sure you're properly covered for a day in another vehicle, and it won't affect anyone's no-claims record.
What happens if I need to extend my cover?
Policies can't be extended once active, but getting a new one is quick. Just get a fresh quote for however long you need, there's no restriction on consecutive policies, and you can sort it from the app if you're already out.
Did you know?
Driving someone else's car on your own annual policy usually only provides third-party cover. That means any damage to the car you're driving would not be covered under that policy.