Temporary Business Car Insurance

What is temporary business car insurance?

Temporary business car insurance is a type of short-term cover for when you need to use your vehicle for work-related driving. This is useful if your car is usually for personal use but you occasionally have to travel for business reasons.

We offer quick, easy and affordable cover that means you’ll be able to legally drive for work purposes right away. We’ll give you a quote in under 2 minutes, so you can arrange your cover and get on the road in no time.

How does temporary business car insurance work?

Do you need temporary business car insurance to cover you for an hour? Or are you looking for a policy that will run for a few weeks? We have flexible policies that are tailored to the length of time you need. To get started, simply tell us a few details about the driver, the car, and how long the cover is needed for.

1. Get a quick quote

All you need to do is enter a few details, such as the car registration number, when you want your cover to start, and how long you need it to last. You can do this on our website or via our Tempcover app.

2. Check your quote

Once you have your quote, confirm you’re happy to move forward and read the declaration carefully.

3. Get your cover

Buy your policy and we’ll email all the documents you need, including the certificate of insurance, to get your business travel underway.

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The benefits of temporary business car insurance

It’s quick

We can get you on the road in no time. We just need a few details and you could receive your quote in under 2 minutes – perfect if you’ve been booked for a work event at short notice.

It’s flexible

We know that last-minute business meetings can come up from time to time. If your car is already insured for personal use but you need to use it to get to a client’s office, we can provide you with temporary business cover for as little as an hour or as long as 28 days. You only pay for what you need.

It’s simple

Once you’ve paid, all your documents will arrive by email so you’re good to go straight away.

Your No Claims Discount is protected

A temporary car insurance policy is separate from other policies. So, when you need short-term cover for business use, there’s no impact on your annual No Claims Discount.

Get in touch with us for more information or to get a quote.

What our expert says

“Tempcover’s temporary business car insurance gives you both flexibility and peace of mind when it comes to business trips and other work-related travel. Fully comprehensive, you can get a quote in under 2 minutes and it won’t affect any existing policies.”

Sarb Sidhu

Director of Pricing & Underwriting

Get temporary business car insurance quotes in under 2 minutes

When might I need temporary business car insurance?

If you have an accident while driving for work and don’t have the right policy, you could be refused for any claim you make. There are several reasons why you might need to update your cover to include business travel. Here are some of the most common ones:

Going to a meeting or event

You might be going to a meeting at a client’s HQ, heading to a two-day conference, or taking a one-off business trip.

Travelling to another office

Does the company you work for have several offices? If you’re going to be working at one that you’re not officially based at, you’ll need insurance to cover the journey.

Borrowing a car

If you’re briefly using a vehicle belonging to your manager or colleague for business, you can both get peace of mind with temporary car insurance cover.

What does temporary business car insurance cover?

Buying comprehensive temporary business car insurance covers yourself, your car and any third parties affected by an accident.

What’s covered with short-term business car insurance?

Fully comprehensive insurance on temporary policies from 1 hour to 28 days
Accidental and malicious damage to your car
Cover for injury or damage to another person or their property
Driving in the UK
In some instances, driving in the EU with the third-party or equivalent level

What’s optional with temporary business car insurance?

Excess Reduction Cover, reducing your policy excess to as close to £100 as possible

What’s not covered with temporary business car insurance?

The excess you agreed to pay
Release from an impound (unless you buy a specific temporary impounded vehicle policy)
Additional drivers – we can only cover the driver named on the policy
A sole claim or separate cover for broken/damaged glass, including the windscreen

Tempcover works with a panel of insurers to ensure we can help as many drivers as possible. Because of this, the full details of your temporary business car insurance may differ depending on the insurer. Please double-check the policy wording before purchasing to confirm what’s covered.

Need more information on how you can buy temporary business car insurance to suit your circumstances? Simply get in touch with the team. Alternatively, get a quote in under 2 minutes.

Am I eligible for temporary car insurance for business use?

Like all temporary policies from Tempcover, short-term business car insurance* is available to a wide range of drivers. Having sold millions of policies, we’re confident that most people can get cover with us.

To get temporary business car insurance, you must

Be aged 17-78 years old.
Hold a full UK or EU driving licence with no more than 7 points in the last 3 years.
Have been a permanent UK resident for the last 12 months or be a British expatriate.
Have no criminal convictions.
Not had a previous policy of insurance declared void by an insurer.

To get temporary insurance, your car must

Be valued between £1,500 and £65,000.
Be taxed and in a roadworthy condition with a valid MOT.
Not be modified in any way except if designed to aid disabled drivers.
Be a right-hand drive car with no more than 8 seats.
Not be declared SORN.

Each insurer on our panel has its own eligibility criteria. Please pay close attention to the Proposer’s Declaration.

How much does it cost to buy temporary business car insurance?

Looking for cheap temporary business car insurance? Like any other policy, the cost of your cover will take several factors into account, such as:

Your age
Your location
Your driving history
Your driving licence type
How long you’ve been driving
The make and model of your car
How old your car is
The value of your car

Our customer feedback

Want to know how past customers have made the most of our temporary business car insurance and other products? We have thousands of reviews on Trustpilot and an overall rating of ‘Excellent’.

See our reviews

We’ve been recognised for our work with plenty of awards

UK Business & Innovation Awards
Best Customer Service

Insurance Times Awards
B2C Marketing Campaign of the Year

British Insurance Awards
Brand Management Award

UK IT Industry Awards
Best User Engagement Project of the Year

UK Customer Experience Awards
Online Customer Experience Award

Insurance Times – Tech & Innovation Awards
Best Use of Technology for Customer Experience

UK Broker Awards
Customer Service Award
Digital Broker Award

UK Digital Experience Awards
Best Digital Team
Online User Experience Programme Award

UK Business Awards
Insurance/ Banking and Financial Services Award

We work directly with insurers to provide you with short-term insurance to suit your needs

You can pay for your short term insurance policy in several ways. Using our secure payment system, you can use the following payment methods:

After you’ve bought your policy, your documents will be emailed to you instantly so there’s no waiting around.

The cover you want for the duration you need

Full cover, no impact

Get fully comprehensive temporary business car cover with no impact on your annual insurance policy’s No Claims Discount!

Hourly or longer

Choose the duration you want, whether that’s hourly, daily or weekly, with policies available for anything from 1 hour to 28 days.

All customised, nothing added

Customise your policy to suit your needs.

Why get temporary business car insurance from Tempcover?

We can give you the peace of mind that comes with having comprehensive cover for as long as you need it. Here’s why we’re a great choice:

Tempcover is a leading provider of temporary insurance for drivers in the UK, with over 15 years of experience in the industry. We’ve helped millions of car owners get flexible insurance at affordable prices
Our temporary car insurance policies are ideal if you just need to quickly borrow a vehicle or lend someone yours for business use
Our highly skilled team is always working hard to make it easy for you to access a flexible policy
Getting a quote from us and setting up your cover is quick and simple
We’ve been praised by customers and recognised by other businesses and insurance bodies for our customer-centric approach in a field that can sometimes appear complex
We have an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot

Temporary business car insurance FAQs

Do I need business car insurance?

You must tell your insurer exactly what you’re using your car for. This is because you won’t be covered if your car isn’t being used for the reasons you said it would be.

If you regularly drive for work, you’ll likely need to tell your insurer that you need business use cover throughout the year. If you typically use your car for social and domestic driving and then you’re asked to drive to a last-minute client meeting or you need to borrow a colleague’s car for a work trip, you still need cover.

Updating your annual policy can be time-consuming, so that’s where our temporary business car insurance comes in. We offer you short-term cover for anything from one hour to 28 days. This is a separate policy that won’t affect your standard insurance.

What are the different car insurance classes of use?

There are different categories – known as ‘classes’ – when it comes to car usage. Insurers use these to determine the level and type of cover that’s needed. It’s worth double-checking the car use class on your annual policy before you buy temporary business car insurance – it may be that you’re already covered to drive for work reasons.

The classes are:

Social, domestic and pleasure: You can do normal day-to-day driving, such as visiting friends and family or doing the school run. This class will not cover you if you drive your car to work.
Social and commuting: This includes what’s covered in a social, domestic and pleasure policy, but it also covers commuting to your workplace. You’ll need this type of cover even if you don’t take your car all the way to work. This level of cover is just for commuting, however. It doesn’t allow you to drive your vehicle for any kind of business use.
Business (Class 1): This applies if you use your vehicle for anything relating to the work you do, like if you need to travel to another office or site. Commercial travelling is often covered by this level of insurance too.
Business (Class 2): This is similar to Class 1, but it also allows a named driver on the policy.
Business (Class 3): This is for people who frequently travel between business locations.
Commercial: This is for those who primarily use their car for business – for example, if you were a taxi driver or a driving instructor.

Can I insure a car for business use by the hour?

We offer cover from an hour that gives you the same flexible, comprehensive cover that you’d get if you wanted to purchase a standard daily or weekly car insurance policy.

Whether you need business car insurance for an hour or 28 days, our temporary cover can give you peace of mind. Getting a quote is quick and easy and your policy can begin instantly. There are no long-term contracts, you’re not tied into anything, and you only pay for the cover you need.

What do I need to apply for my temporary business car insurance?

Getting a quote from us is straightforward. To get your quote underway, let us know:

Your car’s registration number
The estimated value of your car
Your name, date of birth, and address
Your driving licence number and type
Your email address and phone number
When you’d like your temporary business car insurance to start

Where will I find my temporary business car insurance policy documents?

We’ll send them to the email address you provide us with as soon as your policy is confirmed and your payment has gone through.

After that, you’ll be ready to get to that meeting or business conference!

How do I find out the date and time my cover expires?

You can find out when your business car insurance expires by checking the ‘You’re Covered!’ confirmation page or via the secure link in your confirmation email.

How do I make a claim with Tempcover?

If something does happen on the road and you need to make a claim, your insurer’s dedicated claims-handling team will help. You’ll find the claims number to call displayed on your Certificate of Motor Insurance or policy wording.

Once it’s safe to do so, call your insurer as soon as you can. This is especially important if you need your vehicle to be recovered.

Can I insure a car if I'm not the registered keeper?

Yes, if you plan to drive someone’s car it’s sensible to get a temporary policy of your own so that the registered keeper’s No Claims Discount isn’t compromised if there’s an incident while you’re on the road.

Are there any disadvantages of temporary business car insurance?

Short-term insurance might not be the best choice for some drivers.

If you need cover for a longer period (more than 28 days), an annual policy might be more cost-effective
Being added to someone else’s annual policy can work out cheaper, but it’s important to be aware that any claim could affect their No Claims Discount
If you’re hiring a car for business use rather than borrowing one, a temporary policy won’t cover you

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