How Does Short-term Car Insurance Work?

Need to add a friend to a car insurance policy for a couple of days or borrow someone else’s vehicle? Short-term car insurance could be the solution - but how can you find a policy to meet your needs?

Most polices will cover you for a year however, there are many circumstances in which you may need a policy for a shorter period. For these situations there are specialist policies known as short-term insurance offered by a number of providers.

What is short-term car insurance?

Short-term car insurance can cover you for a period ranging from one day to 28 days (periods vary depending on the insurer). Generally it is available for drivers above the age of 24 although it is possible to arrange temporary cover for learner drivers too, to cover them until they have passed their test. This is normally classified separately as learner driver insurance.

Typically short-term insurance can cover the following scenarios:

- You need to add additional drivers to a policy.

- You need to add additional cars to your policy.

- You are lending the car to someone you know.

- You need car insurance on a courtesy car or for a vehicle demonstration.

- You need drive-away insurance after buying a car before you have had time to shop around and settle on the right long-term policy.

Where can you find short-term insurance?

If you already have a policy, give your existing insurer a call and see if it can offer you a short-term deal for whatever circumstances you require.

However, if that isn’t possible then shop around online for a short-term insurance provider. Generally rates are cheaper online and a specialist provider should provide the policy options you need.

If you’re likely to require short-term car insurance on a recurring basis then bear this in mind when you renew your car insurance policy. It can be sensible to factor in these costs when you compare car insurance quotes online.