Non owner car insurance
Instant, comprehensive car insurance for non-owners.
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
non-owner car insurance?
Non owner car insurance UK gives you the option to insure a car you don't own on a temporary basis. You could be borrowing the car from a loved one such as family member or partner, or perhaps you have a trusting friend!
Whoever the car belongs to, as long as you have permission from them to insure it and use it, then you can insure yourself on a car you don't own for a short period of time, from one hour up to 28 days.
Non owner car insurance is a form of temporary car insurance and comes in multiple durations, these include hourly car insurance, daily car insurance, weekly car insurance and monthly car insurance.
You can take out multiple non owner car insurance policies in the UK per year, but there will be a point where it would make financial sense to be added to the annual insurance policy, if you're always using the same car.
Car insurance for non car owners may require insurance for a car that is not in their name for many different reasons, maybe you're:
How can you get cheap non-owner car insurance?
The premium you'll pay for non vehicle owner car insurance depends on things like your age, experience, where you live, when you want the cover to start and the car you want to drive.
The key to keeping your non owner car insurance as cheap as possible is to only insure it for the exact amount of time you need. When getting a quote, you can use the slider to change your duration to make sure you’re getting the best value for the time on cover you need.
With non vehicle owner car insurance on a short term basis, you can insure yourself from as little as one hour up to 28 days. You can also choose to start the insurance at a very precise period within an exact day, so you really can tailor your timings to suit your exact requirements.
Our non owner 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 non-owner car insurance
Getting non owner car insurance really couldn't be easier!
Forget the days of filling out pages of questions for your annual car insurance quote. With our simple quote process, you can get a non owner car quote in a couple of minutes in just a few simple steps...
Do I need non-owner car insurance?
Yes absolutely, if you have the car owner's permission you can insure yourself temporarily and drive a car that you don't own.
If you already have car insurance in your name, you might be covered to drive someone else's car under the ‘Driving Other Cars’ (DOC) rules. But it is not standard and certainly not everyone will have this cover.
People under the age 25 will not often have DOC cover, so check your policy carefully. If in doubt, contact your insurer or broker directly to make sure.
It's important to be aware that when you drive someone else's car, the cover changes from comprehensive to Third Party Only, also known as TPO. This means that only other people, cars and property are covered in an accident, the car you are driving is not.
If you don't have your own car insurance, you can be added as a second driver to another person's policy. However, if a second driver must make a claim on this policy, then it will impact the main driver’s No Claim Discount (NCD) and could potentially drive up their insurance premium at renewal.
If you only need to use a car for a short period of time, then going for a Covertime temporary car insurance policy could be cheaper and it also avoids risking the car owner's No Claims Discount – making borrowing their car for your needs potentially more likely!
The situation that comes up most often is a driver who sold their car and has not yet bought a replacement, but still needs to borrow one occasionally in the interim. A second common situation is a driver based in a city who manages without a car day-to-day but needs one several times a year - a large collection, a visit to family in an area with poor public transport, or moving between addresses. Non-owner cover lets them insure the specific borrowed car for the specific window they need it, rather than being added permanently to someone else's annual policy.
Non-owner car insurance vs being added to someone's policy
When you need to drive a car you do not own, there are two ways to become insured: getting your own policy, or being added to the car owner's existing annual cover as a named driver. They are not equivalent, and the difference matters.
Being added as a named driver
Adding someone to an annual policy requires the insurer's approval and usually increases the premium for the primary policyholder. More importantly, if the named driver makes a claim, it is the primary policyholder's no-claims discount that is at risk. The car owner takes on exposure every time you drive — which creates an awkward dynamic for any arrangement that is not long-term.
Taking out your own temporary policy
A non-owner temporary policy is entirely in your name. If there is a claim, it is handled under your policy — the car owner's annual cover and no-claims discount are completely unaffected. There is no need to contact the car owner's insurer, no premium increase for them, and no approval process.
When each approach makes sense
Being added to someone's policy makes sense if you will be driving their car regularly over a long period — it can work out cheaper per day and creates a shared insurer relationship. Temporary non-owner cover is the better option when the use is short-term, occasional, or when you want to avoid affecting the owner's policy entirely.
The other side of the arrangement
If you own the car and need to arrange cover for someone borrowing it from you, lending car insurance covers the same transaction from the owner's perspective — you arrange cover for the borrower, keeping your own annual policy and no-claims bonus separate.
Who is
temporary car cover suitable for?
Benefits of non owner car insurance
Choose your start and end times
You decide when your cover starts and ends, providing complete control and flexibility.
Comprehensive cover
Our non owner car insurance protects you, your passengers, your car as well as other people, property and vehicles.
Great if you need insurance quickly
In a hurry? Get on the road in minutes, driving a car you don't own (with the owner's permission of course!).
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.
Regulated, trusted and independently reviewed
Covertime Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under Firm Reference Number 1022738. You can verify this on the FCA register. Covertime is also a member of the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) - the UK's leading professional body for insurance brokers and intermediaries. You can view our BIBA listing in their broker directory.
Over 700 customers have rated us 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot. Our temporary car insurance is also listed on Compare the Market, GoCompare and MoneySupermarket - each of which independently vets the providers they feature before making them available to customers.
Our car insurance policies are underwritten by a panel of FCA-authorised UK insurers, including First Underwriting, Allianz, KGM and Somerset Bridge.
Buying insurance from an FCA-regulated firm means you have defined protections. If you have a complaint that Covertime cannot resolve to your satisfaction, you have the right to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service - a free, independent service for consumers. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) may be able to provide compensation if a regulated firm cannot meet its financial obligations. If your policy has not started, you can cancel for a full refund.
Non-owner cover insures you as a driver across multiple vehicles without tying cover to one you own. Regulated cover from a firm listed on the major comparison platforms means the policy is correctly documented in your name and legally recognised for the vehicles and journeys it covers.
Non owner car insurance FAQs
How does non owner car insurance work?
Non owner car insurance is completely flexible and it allows you to drive a car that you don't own, such as one that belongs to a family member or friend. Choose the exact amount of time you need to use the car for; as little as one hour to 28 days.
Can I insure a car that’s not in my name?
Yes you can insure yourself on a car that is not in your name. With Covertime's non owner temporary insurance UK, as long as you have the owner's permission to insure and drive the car, you can get on the road in the same day. Car insurance for non owners could be a great option for you to get on the road today.
Can I take out multiple short term policies in one year on a car I don't own?
Yes, you can take out multiple temporary policies in a year on a car you don't own. There will come a point that it would make more sense financially to take out an annual policy, as long as it's the same car each time.
How much is non owner car insurance?
With annual car insurance you pay for a full year's worth of cover, whereas the temporary nature of non owner car insurance means you simply pay for the exact amount of time you need.
It only takes a few minutes to get a non owner car insurance quote, so to get the exact cost for insurance on a car you don't own, just complete a few simple steps with Covertime today.
Can you get driver insurance for non car owners?
Yes, you can insure a driver on a car that they do not own. Often referred to as non owner car insurance, it is a form of temporary insurance that allows you to insure a car on a short term basis. Insurance can last from one hour up to 28 days, plus you can take out further policies once one policy has finished.
Does the registered keeper have to insure the car?
No, the registered keeper of a car doesn't always need to insure the car they own. With car insurance for non owners, anyone can insure on a a car they don't own, as long as they have the permission of the owner to insure and drive their car.
Is non owner car insurance more expensive?
Just because you don't own the car you need to insure, it doesn't mean that it's more expensive to do it. With temporary non owner car insurance UK you only need to insure the car for the amount of time that you need to use it for, so it's worth getting a quote to see if it can save you money.
Can I insure a car I don’t own?
Yes, you can insure a car you don’t own in the UK if you have the owner’s permission to drive it. Some insurers offer policies for drivers who are not the registered keeper, particularly for temporary or short-term insurance cover.
Did you know?
Not every Comprehensive car insurance policy allows you to Drive Other Cars; it must be mentioned specifically in your policy.