Single trip car insurance
Instant, comprehensive car insurance for a single trip.
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
single trip car insurance?
If you're needing to insure a car for a single trip, then insurance for just one journey with Covertime could be the answer.
No matter how long the trip is, if it's between 1 hour and up to 28 days, you get to decide how long you need cover.
An insurance policy for a single trip could come in handy in cases such as an unexpected emergency, borrowing a friends car or a fun-filled weekend trip.
You can conveniently get comprehensive car insurance for just a single trip that won't affect your no claims discount, which is great news for those drivers that need to keep things flexible.
How much does single trip car insurance cost?
The premium you will pay for your single trip 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 single trip 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 cheap single trip car insurance?
The golden rule to get the cheapest single trip car insurance is: Only buy the cover for the time you need.
The beauty of single trip cover 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 one trip car policies.
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 single trip car insurance
Need to get car insurance for a single trip but don't know where to start? You're in the right place and it's never been easier.
We've made getting a quote online as simple as possible- Covertime is proudly faff-free. We won't waste your time with long, overly complicated online forms. We only ask you the basic information that we need to get you covered and out on the road.
Who is
temporary car cover suitable for?
Benefits of single trip insurance
Choose your time
You decide when your cover starts and ends, providing complete control and flexibility.
Comprehensive cover
Our one trip 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.
Who needs insurance for a single trip?
This type of short but mighty comprehensive insurance is for drivers who need car insurance for a single trip and don't want to pay for more than what they need. You might only need two or three days cover for your trip, this isn't a problem.
Whatever the reason - whether it's emergency, spontaneity or necessity - a short car insurance policy is a simple and quick way to make sure you have the cover you need.
If the trip fits within a single day, one day car insurance is the most precise option - cover for 24 hours, nothing more.
If the trip is specifically to collect a car you have just bought privately, drive away insurance is designed for exactly that journey - comprehensive cover from the seller's driveway to yours.
The most common occasion-based trigger is collecting something large that needs a car you do not own. A sofa from Facebook Marketplace, a wardrobe from a seller an hour away, furniture a friend is passing on. You borrow a car with the boot space to do the job, take out cover for the trip, and the policy ends when the journey does. The second most common is a long one-way journey: driving a friend to an airport early in the morning, collecting a relative from a station several hours away, or moving belongings between two addresses in a single run.
Single trip vs longer cover — which do you need?
Single trip car insurance is built around one defined occasion. You choose when the policy starts, and it covers that specific journey or use. Once the trip is done, the policy ends — you are not paying for days you do not need.
The question of which option suits you comes down to how long the trip is and whether you need the car on more than one separate occasion.
If the trip spans more than one day
A journey that runs overnight or across a long weekend fits better with two day car insurance or three day cover. A single trip policy is best matched to a journey that starts and ends in one continuous period without an overnight stop.
If you need cover across multiple separate days
Driving the same borrowed car on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for example, is a different situation. Daily car insurance lets you take out cover on each individual day rather than committing to a block — you only pay for the days you actually drive.
If you need the car for a full week
Weekly car insurance covers the full seven-day period at a flat rate and is usually better value than combining several single-trip policies.
When single trip is the right choice
Single trip cover is the most precise option when your need is genuinely one-off: borrowing a car for an afternoon, collecting something from the other side of the country, making a one-way journey in a vehicle you do not own, or covering a test drive. You pay for exactly what you need, and nothing more.
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.
Single-trip cover protects one specific journey in a vehicle you do not own. Underwritten by FCA-authorised UK insurers and listed on Compare the Market, GoCompare and MoneySupermarket, your documents are correctly issued before you set off - not after the fact.
Single trip car insurance FAQs
How long can I get insurance for a single trip?
Single trip insurance is completely flexible, not only does it allow you to drive the car of a family member or friend, it allows you to choose the exact amount of time you need to use the car for. Maybe it's only two days but you can insure a car for as little as one hour up to 28 days.
Can I drive someone else’s car with single trip insurance?
Yes, you absolutely can insure yourself on someone else’s car with single trip car insurance, that is one of the main reasons people get it. Just make sure you have the owner’s permission.
Can I take out multiple single trip policies in one year?
Yes you can take out multiple temporary policies in a year, but there will come a tipping point that it would make more sense cost-wise to take out an annual policy.
What happens if I need cover for a single trip abroad?
You have comprehensive cover as standard to drive in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the islands of Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney.
All journeys must start and end in the UK however, if you do decide to travel a little further and you're driving inside the EU, you'll be covered for the minimum legal level required by law in that country. In the EU the minimum legal level is third party only (TPO), meaning damage to the car you are driving is not covered.
We are not able to cover countries outside of the EU.
Can I drive a new car home without insurance?
You cannot legally drive a car home without insurance. If you have an accident you won't be insured and the excuse that it's a new car and you haven't had chance to insure it yet, wouldn't cut the mustard.
You can use single trip car insurance or drive away insurance as it can also be referred to, to get a new car insured. This way you can give yourself more time to find a competitive and suitable annual car insurance policy.
Can I get single trip insurance as a new driver?
You need to have held your full UK driving licence for at least six months to get single trip short term cover. So, if you've just passed your test, congratulations, but you'll need to wait for six months before you can get a temporary car insurance policy.
What isn't one trip insurance suitable for?
Single trip cover is perfect for short term needs, but if you require coverage for a longer duration, an annual policy may be more cost effective.
It doesn't cover you for driving a rental or hired car; you'll need a specific hire car insurance policy for that.
Short term cover also is not suitable if you're planning on using it to be a cabbie - you'll need proper taxi insurance to do that. It's also not to be used for deliveries or courier work.
One trip car insurance is also not suitable for releasing a vehicle from a Police or Local Authority impound, learning to drive, driving outside of the EU/EEA and for importing / exporting cars; the vehicle must be in the UK at the start and end of the policy.
What counts as a single trip for insurance purposes?
A single trip in the context of temporary car insurance means a defined period of cover rather than a literal one-way journey. You choose a start date and time and an end date and time, and the policy covers you for everything in between. You can make as many journeys as you like during that period. It is single in the sense that it is one continuous policy, not that it covers one drive.
Can I get single trip car insurance for a journey to Europe?
UK temporary car insurance policies are designed for use on UK roads. Some policies may include a limited period of European cover, but this should be confirmed in the policy documents before travelling. If you are planning a trip that takes you outside the UK, check specifically whether the policy extends abroad or whether you would need to arrange separate cover for the European portion of the journey.
Is single trip car insurance the same as one trip car insurance?
Yes. Single trip car insurance and one trip car insurance describe the same type of policy - temporary comprehensive cover for one specific journey or period of use. Whether you need cover to borrow a car for a single journey, drive a newly purchased car home, or insure yourself on one particular occasion, both terms refer to the same short-term product. The policy runs in your own name and has no effect on the car owner's no claims discount.
Did you know?
You can buy insurance for a single trip on any car, even one you don't own, but you must have the owner's permission!