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Home / Temporary Car Insurance

Temporary Car Insurance

Get temporary car insurance quotes in under 2 minutes

To get started, tell us the reg of the car or van you want cover for

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I don't know the reg yet

Find your vehicle from the options below

Just kidding. I do know the reg really

Can we guess how long you need cover for?

Maybe not, choose your own duration

Hours
Days
Weeks

Why choose our temporary car insurance?

Get flexible cover that's right for you with policies from just 1 hour up to 28 days
Only pay for cover as and when you need it
No impact on your No Claims Discount plus fully comprehensive cover as standard

What is temporary car insurance?

Temporary car insurance is short-term cover that’s available from as little as one hour up to 28 days – perfect for when you need to borrow a car, pick up a new vehicle or share a long drive.

There are no long-term contracts, meaning you don’t have to worry about adjusting existing cover or adding another name to a current policy.

You can take out insurance quickly and easily with Tempcover. We’ll compare prices from our panel of insurers and get a quote to you in under two minutes, so you’ll be fully covered and on the road in no time.

Benefits of our temporary car insurance

It’s flexible  

Choose temporary insurance that suits your needs – plus, no long-term contracts to worry about.

It's cost effective

Save money by only paying for what you need with a short-term policy.

It's fast

Getting a temporary car insurance quote is super-quick. It takes under 2 minutes online or with a few taps in the Tempcover app.

No impact on NCD

A big no claims discount can take years to build. Claiming with short-term car insurance won't impact NCD!

It’s flexible  

Choose temporary insurance that suits your needs – plus, no long-term contracts to worry about.

It's cost effective

Save money by only paying for what you need with a short-term policy.

It's fast

Getting a temporary car insurance quote is super-quick. It takes under 2 minutes online or with a few taps in the Tempcover app.

No impact on NCD

A big no claims discount can take years to build. Claiming with short-term car insurance won't impact NCD!

For more information on how we can help you get temporary car insurance, get in touch with us seven days a week!

How does temporary car insurance work? 

Whether you’re borrowing a car for a few hours or sharing the drive for a weekend away, you can find a temporary car insurance policy that suits you. Here’s how:

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Check you're eligible

Make sure you meet our criteria before you get a quote.

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Tell us the vehicle's reg

Let us know the car registration and its value. We'll also need to know who the owner is.

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Tell us about you

You'll be asked for some personal information, including your name, address and date of birth. Have your driving licence details to hand. We'll also need contact information so we can send your policy documents to you.

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Check your quote

Let us know the start and end dates for your cover and we'll check for the best prices against all our insurance providers.

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Pay

Once you've checked that you're getting the right level of short-term insurance, follow the payment procedure and you'll be covered immediately.

Customer satisfaction

We also currently hold an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot with over 30,000 reveiws.

Quick and simple insurance

It was so simple to get insurance. Clear and easy guidance insured within minutes which allowed peace of mind when picking up new car on a weekend.

Paul

Yesterday

Always quick and easy to get insurance…

Always quick and easy to get insurance fast trusty cover can’t go wrong use temp cover every time

Mr Vaughan

1 Day Ago

Great company

Great company, easy to use straight forward, organised and no silly irrelevant questions, cheap and reliable insurance company. Ever need temporary cover these guys will be the ones I choose!.

Phil

1 Week Ago

Trustpilot

Why use our temporary car insurance?

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Borrowing a car

Just need a car for a short journey? One-day insurance or something for a quick journey, like hourly car insurance, could be the perfect fit.

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Using a car for longer

Need the car for a few weeks? We have short-term car insurance for students and a policy for young drivers, helping you get covered when you need it so you can save money.

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Buying or selling a car

When looking to change your car, if you only need a few hours', days' or weeks' insurance, save money by only paying for the time you need with short-term car insurance.

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Long journey car sharing

Get the highest level of cover available and the peace of mind that there’s no impact on your existing no claims discount.

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Driving on holiday (the UK and abroad)

You can get temporary car insurance if you're doing a road trip around the UK.

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In an emergency

Get insured quickly so you can get to where you need to be.

Do you have a designated driver this Christmas?

According to recent statistics*, nearly half of UK drivers admit they’ve been behind the wheel while they thought they may be over the legal limit. Almost two in five people are also more likely to take risks and drink-drive during the festive season compared to any other time of year.

Designated Driver temporary car insurance lets trusted friends and family legally drive your vehicle, so you can enjoy party season with a drink, knowing a sober driver is ready to take you home safely.

*Tempcover surveyed 2,000 Brits in October 2024

What does temporary insurance cover?

With fully comprehensive cover as standard on temporary car insurance, you’re covered for any damage to yourself, the car, and/or any third parties involved in an accident.

What's covered with short-term car insurance?

  • Fully comprehensive insurance on 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 equivariant level

What’s optional with short-term car insurance?

  • Legal Expenses Cover providing up to £100,000 cover for legal costs including uninsured loss recovery for accidents that are not your fault
  • Excess Reduction Cover, reducing your policy excess to as close as £100 as possible

What's not covered with short-term 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 provide temporary car insurance for as many drivers as possible. Because of this, full details of cover may differ depending on the insurer. Please double-check the policy wording before purchasing to confirm what is covered in your policy.

Need more information on how you can get the short-term 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?

To get temporary 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 car 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 to get our temporary car insurance

1. Check you’re eligible

Simply check whether you are eligible against our criteria listed above

2. Get a quick quote

Just enter a few details such as the reg number and how long you need to be insured for

3. Check your quote

Confirm you’re happy with your quote and take the time to check the declaration

4. Get covered

Buy your policy and we’ll email all your documents to you straight away – that’s it you’re covered!

1. Check you’re eligible

Simply check whether you are eligible against our criteria listed above

2. Get a quick quote

Just enter a few details such as the reg number and how long you need to be insured for

3. Check your quote

Confirm you’re happy with your quote and take the time to check the declaration

4. Get covered

Buy your policy and we’ll email all your documents to you straight away – that’s it you’re covered!

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

What will you need to get a temporary car insurance quote?

The details you will need:

  • The car's reg number
  • Your details (name, address, D.O.B etc)
  • Your licence type and how long you've held it
  • The value of the vehicle
  • Your email/phone number (to send policy documents)
  • When you'd like the policy to start and end

Temporary car insurance calculator

Get your price estimate

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Please select a duration below

It couldn't be simpler get a short term insurance policy.

You can buy a policy online anytime you need it, and with our straightforward quote process, you can get a price in under 2 minutes!

The price for your selected duration is from:

£13.05

Prices based on the average price 19,765 policies for the displayed durations (January 2023)

Get Your Quote
We work directly with insurers to provide you with short-term insurance to suit your needs
VISA, Mastercard, AMEX
You can pay for your short term insurance policy in several ways. Using our secure payment system, you can use the following payment methods:
VISA, Mastercard, AMEX

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

What our expert says

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Temporary car insurance can be ideal for a range of everyday situations. When you only need to insure a car for a few hours, days, or weeks, it can be the ideal way to ensure you're properly insured and get peace of mind on the road.

Image of expert

Marc Pell

Managing Director

Temporary car insurance FAQs

How long does it take to get temporary car insurance?

We can have a quote with you in under 2 minutes. Simply let us know your details by starting the quote process and you’ll have an idea of the price you’ll pay for the cover you need. From there, let us know if you’d like to proceed. Once it’s all confirmed, your cover will start right away for the period of time you’ve chosen.

Will I build up my no claims discount with temporary car insurance?

You’re not able to build up your NCD on a short–term car insurance policy. This is because temp insurance does not renew after the maximum duration of 28 days, so each policy counts as new.

What makes temporary car insurance cheaper?

The admin fees that insurers charge to make changes to an existing policy can often be more expensive than temporary cover. In this instance, it can work out as more cost-effective to take out the short-term insurance.

How old do I have to be to get temporary car insurance?

You need to be aged 17-78 and hold a full UK or EU driving licence to be eligible for temporary car insurance with Tempcover.

Does temporary car insurance affect an existing insurance policy?

Temporary car insurance is separate from any existing policies you have so, if you have annual cover, taking out a short-term policy won’t impact your no claims bonus should you need to make a claim on this temporary insurance. Likewise, should you be using the short-term cover on someone else’s car, their no claims bonus won’t be affected.

Can I get temporary insurance on a friend's car?

Yes, you always need to be insured when you borrow a friend’s car. Otherwise, you will face fines or more severe consequences. You will need either a temporary car insurance policy, an annual policy on the borrowed vehicle, or to be added to the owner’s annual policy. If you have your own annual policy, you may be covered to drive other cars, but this is unlikely.

Can I add an additional driver to my temporary car insurance policy?

Unfortunately, adding a temporary driver to a temporary car insurance policy is not possible and we are currently only able to provide cover for one driver per vehicle. We may offer this feature in the future but, in the meantime, if you require cover for two drivers, you will need two separate policies.

Can I tax my car with temporary car insurance?

Yes, you can still tax your car whether you have a short-term policy or standard annual cover. There may be a delay before it appears in the Motor Insurance Database but, as long as you have all your documentation confirming that the car is insured and taxed, you’ll be covered.

Do I instantly appear in the Motor Insurance Database?

Once you’ve purchased your temporary car insurance policy, the details of your cover will be passed to the Motor Insurance Database (MID). This process can take up to seven days so, in some instances, your policy may have finished before the details have been added to the MID.

To ensure you have valid proof of your short-term car insurance, we recommend you print or keep a copy of your Insurance Certificate on your phone. This is all the proof of insurance you need and gives you legal entitlement to drive the car.

Can I take out insurance for my MOT?

The vehicle you wish to insure must have a valid MOT but you can take out temporary car cover to drive the vehicle to a pre-booked MOT appointment.

Can I get temporary car insurance without having main or annual insurance?

Yes. When you take out temporary car insurance with us, you can drive a car for the period that your short-term policy covers you without having to take out annual insurance. This applies whether you need one-hour or one-month cover, or something in-between.

Can I have short-term car insurance at the same time as annual insurance?

Yes, that’s not a problem. You can take out temporary car insurance alongside your annual policy and it won’t affect your no claims discount if you need to make a claim.

How do I find out the expiry date for my short-term car insurance?

When you purchase short–term car insurance with Tempcover, we’ll send you your policy documents once payment is confirmed. You can find the details of your temp insurance, including its expiry date, in your documents.

You can find your policy documents on the “You’re Covered!” confirmation page or via a secure link in your confirmation email, which is sent directly after your purchase.

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