One day car insurance
Comprehensive cover for a single day — sorted from your phone in minutes.
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
one day car insurance?
One day car insurance is short-term temporary cover that insures you to drive a car for a single day. It is separate from any annual policy — yours or the car owner's — and runs independently in your own name.
You choose the start time and the policy runs for 24 hours from that point. Because it sits outside any existing annual policy, making a claim does not affect your no-claims discount or the car owner's cover.
It is designed for one-off situations: borrowing a friend's car for the day, collecting a car you have just bought privately, helping someone move house, or any scenario where you need to be fully insured for a specific 24-hour window.
Covertime can issue a policy in under two minutes. You receive full documentation immediately by email, and cover can start the same day — including evenings and weekends.
How much does one day car insurance cost?
The price of one day car insurance depends on several factors:
- Your age and driving history
- The car's make, model, and insurance group
- Where the car will be kept overnight
- Whether you have any penalty points or claims in the last three years
As a guide, most drivers pay between £15 and £35 for a single day of comprehensive cover. Younger drivers or those with points on their licence will pay more. Covertime shows your price before you commit — no obligation.
One day car insurance is comprehensive
What is covered?
- Damage to the car you are driving
- Theft or attempted theft
- Fire damage
- Third party: damage to other vehicles, property, and injury to others
What is not covered?
- More than one driver on a single 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 one day car insurance
- Enter the car's registration number
- Confirm your driving licence details
- Choose your start time — today, this evening, or a future date
- Pay and receive your documents instantly by email
The whole process takes under two minutes. There is no need to phone anyone or wait for a callback. Your documents arrive immediately and cover starts at the time you choose.
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.
When do you need one day car insurance?
One day cover is the right choice whenever you need to drive a specific car for a defined 24-hour window and do not want to commit to a longer policy. Common situations include:
- Borrowing a friend's or family member's car for the day
- Collecting a car you have just bought privately and driving it home
- Helping someone move house in their vehicle
- Using a relative's car while yours is in for a service
- A one-day road trip in a borrowed car
If you need cover for longer than a day, two day car insurance and three day car insurance are available in the same way — instant, comprehensive, and in your own name.
For all durations from one hour to 28 days, the full options are on our temporary car insurance page.
Is one day car insurance the same as daily car insurance?
They are similar but serve slightly different needs. One day car insurance is a single 24-hour policy for a specific occasion. Daily car insurance typically describes a pay-per-day arrangement used on a recurring basis — for example, someone who drives occasionally and wants to pay only for the days they use the car.
If you need cover across multiple separate days, daily car insurance may be more flexible. If you need cover for one specific 24-hour window, a one day policy is the cleaner option.
One day car insurance FAQs
Can I get car insurance for just one day?
Yes. Temporary car insurance can be taken out for as little as one hour and up to 28 days. A one day policy gives you 24 hours of fully comprehensive cover, starting at the time you choose. You receive proof of insurance documents immediately.
Does one day car insurance affect my no-claims bonus?
No. Because a one day temporary policy sits entirely outside any existing annual policy, making a claim on it has no effect on your or the car owner's no-claims discount. This is one of the main advantages over being added to someone else's annual policy.
Can I insure someone else's car for one day?
Yes. You can take out one day insurance on a car you do not own. You need the registration number, your driving licence details, and confirmation that the car owner is happy for you to drive it. The policy is in your name and the owner's annual cover is unaffected.
How quickly can I get one day car insurance?
Covertime can provide a quote in under two minutes. You enter the car's registration, confirm your details, choose a start time, read the T&Cs to male sure all is in order and correct... then pay. Documents are available on screen immediately and emailed to you. Cover is available to start the same day, including evenings and weekends.
Is one day car insurance comprehensive?
Yes. All Covertime temporary policies are comprehensive, including one day cover. This means damage to the car you are driving, third party liability, fire, and theft are all covered. You are not limited to third-party-only cover.
What is the difference between one day and 24 hour car insurance?
They are effectively the same product — a policy that runs for 24 hours from the start time you choose. Some providers use '1 day' and others use '24 hour' to describe the same duration. Covertime offers both, and you choose the exact start time when you buy.
Did you know?
Driving someone else's car on your own annual policy usually only provides third-party cover. A one day temporary policy gives you fully comprehensive protection — and leaves the owner's no-claims bonus completely untouched.