Temporary car insurance

When you only need short-term cover on the road

  • Get insurance lasting from 60 minutes to 30 days
  • Switch on your cover in as little as 15 minutes
  • It’s set up through our partner Dayinsure

What is temporary car insurance?

It’s exactly how it sounds, cover for when you only need insurance for a shorter block of time, rather than the whole year ahead. We’ve partnered with Dayinsure who specialise in short-term car cover. It’s comprehensive, and you only pay for as long as you need. 

You might need temporary car insurance when you:

Go for a test drive

Use your car for your job

This will not cover delivery use, door-to-door sales or taxi use. It also cannot be used on hired vehicles.

Borrow someone's car

Collect or deliver a car

Have an emergency

The benefits of our temporary car insurance

As flexible as you need icon As flexible as you need

Choose cover for one hour, one day, one week or one month. You can also layer on breakdown or full European cover.

Cover now or later icon Cover now or later

Get covered right away or, for forward planners, up to 28 days ahead of buckling into the driver’s seat.

Check if you're eligible for temporary car insurance

There are a few things you’ll need to tick off before you can get going – some for you and some for the car you want to drive. Please read for more information (PDF 187.3KB).

Important documents

We recommend you read the Dayinsure policy wording before you get a quote. 

What our temporary car insurance covers you for

Our short-term car cover is like a simple switch. When you click it on, you’ll get our comprehensive cover. No need to weigh up different levels of protection. And you could be covered and in the driving seat in as little as 15 minutes. 

Here’s a run-through of your cover for that hour, day, week or month at the wheel:

What's covered

  • Loss, theft or damage
    As our short-term insurance is comprehensive, you’ll be covered to get the car you’re using back up and running – or replaced 
  • Accident recovery
    We'll try and fix the problem at the roadside, or if we can't, we'll deliver the vehicle to an approved repairer
  • Limited European cover
    You’re automatically insured to drive in Europe with third party cover, which you can choose to upgrade to comprehensive 
  • Emergency treatment
    Cover for emergency medical expenses if you or your passengers are in an accident
  • Legal liability
    Cover for all amounts which may have to be paid as a result of being legally liable for an incident involving the car resulting in:
    • Another person’s death or injury
    • Damage to another person’s property (up to a maximum amount of £20,000,000, plus a maximum amount of £5,000,000 to cover the claimant’s costs and expenses)

What's not covered

Unfortunately we can't cover everything – make sure you're happy with what you can't claim for, including:

  • Tyres
    Any punctures, cuts or bursts, including those caused by braking. We also won't cover any loss, damage, accident or insured event that happened before your policy start date
  • Electrical breakdowns
    That includes glitches with your on-board computers, wiring and any other electrical parts

Take a look at our policy wording for full details of what's not covered

Pump up your insurance with our optional add-ons

Give your short-term car cover even more muscle by adding in either of these extras as you go through your quote.

UK breakdown cover

We’ll either repair it on the spot, or take you and your car where you need to go - depending on which layer of cover you go for. But we don’t offer this if you live in Northern Ireland.

Full European cover

Third party European cover is already part of this insurance. To make sure the car you’re driving is also protected against loss or damage, you can level up to comprehensive cover before you hop over to the continent.

Ready to get cover?

Your cover can start right away (it usually takes around 15 minutes) or at any time over the next 28 days. Begin by grabbing a quote through Dayinsure - you'll need the registration of the car you want to insure and your driving licence number.

Temporary car insurance help and support

For any questions you have, from getting a quote to the details of your cover, there are a few ways to get an answer. You'll find plenty of information, and a live chat option, on the Dayinsure website.

Contact Dayinsure Step 1 of 2

You can also call Dayinsure on 0333 005 0944.

Monday to Friday:    8:00am - 8:00pm
Saturday:    9:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday & Bank Holidays:    10:00am - 4:00pm

The cost of calls to 03 prefixed numbers are charged at national call rates (charges may vary dependent on your network provider) and are usually included in inclusive minute plans from landlines and mobiles. Calls may be recorded and monitored.

How to make a claim Step 2 of 2

If you’ve had an accident or need to make a new claim, call us straight away 
on 0800 015 6166.

You'll need your policy number when starting a claim.

Our other types of motor insurance

There’s cover that lasts until you peel off the L plates. A policy that stretches across the full 12 months. Or insurance to keep more than one car on the move. 

Our chatbot can connect you to the answers and people you need

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, our chatbot can give you instant support around the clock, help you manage your account or direct you to the right team if you need to speak to someone.

Learn about motoring

Explore the details of car insurance at your own pace with our comprehensive reading list of articles.