Want to insure a car for a very short period?
Short term, single day car insurance is available
for cars and small vans which were originally registered, and are kept, in the UK. Cover also extends to the countries of the EU; as standard this cover is the equivalent of third party only for EU travel, but it can be upgraded to comprehensive (this is standard for driving within the UK) for a small extra premium.
You can insure a car that you own, or one that you have borrowed, with
the permission of the owner. Getting a quote take seconds so it's ideal for taking over as
driver at short notice, test driving a car you want to buy, driving
another vehicle whilst your own is being serviced, etc etc.
Like every other car insurance policy the premium would depend on several factors including age, driving experience, type of car to be insured, postcode, etc etc.
As usual the cheapest policies go to experienced drivers with few or no
accidents or convictions, driving cars which are cheap to repair and
with good safety records.
It takes less than a minute to get a quotation and you can do so without committing yourself in any way.
Can anyone get cover?
Again, like any other insurer the short-term companies have their own acceptance criteria. Generally, motorists need to be between 19 and 75 (although learners from 17-40 can be accepted, subject to conditions), and to have held a full licence for at least 12 months in order to apply, and whether or not they could be accepted would depend upon the usual criteria such as their driving records, their occupation and the postcode area that they live in. Applicants should have a full licence issued in the UK, EU or one of the following other countries: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Falkland Isles, Zimbabwe, Gibraltar, Mauritius or Singapore. Foreign residents should provide their temporary UK address on the application form.
Can any car be insured?
Each insurer has a fixed list of vehicles which can be covered and any that are not on this list cannot be accepted. However the majority of vehicles in the UK do qualify.
As a general rule most insurers would expect the car to be an unmodified right-hand drive vehicle which was both registered and kept in the United Kingdom, with a maximum of eight seats including the driver's. It should be worth a minimum of about £1500 and whilst there is usually no limit to the maximum value of the car most insurers will not pay out more than £45,000 in full write-off value.
Modifications to adapt a vehicle for a disabled driver or to run on LPG will normally be acceptable.
Can borrowed or hired cars be covered?
Most short-term insurance companies will cover cars which are both owned by the driver, or borrowed from someone else provided that the driver has specific permission from the owner to drive it. It is possible to get cover for hired vehicles, provided that they are not owned by accident management companies or credit hire firms. When cover for a hired vehicle is available there is usually a higher excess to be paid in the event of a claim.
Is it easy to apply?
Provided that you have your driving licence details and registration details of the vehicle that you want to insure it is fast and easy to buy cover. The application form is usually a lot simpler than a standard car insurance proposal and it should take no more than a few minutes to arrange a policy. This can come into effect immediately or at another time and date within a month of the enquiry. Cover is for a full 24 hours whatever time you want it to start from.
Documentation including the insurance certificate is available online straight after purchase and it could be wise to download this and print it, or save a link on a mobile phone in case it is necessary to produce evidence of cover.
Is third-party cover available?
Generally, no. Cover is normally comprehensive for driving within the UK and third-party only, or the equivalent, in other countries of the EU (unlikely for such a short period but it does happen!); this can usually be upgraded to comprehensive cover for the payment of an extra premium. It is a condition of cover that journeys must both begin and end within the United Kingdom so a policy of this type cannot be used for exporting a car.
Who provides the quotes for this site?
We have an arrangement with short term car insurance specialists Ramasis Limited who, for your protection, are also authorised and regulated by the FCA, number 04670555. They provide the quotations and administer the policies.
Any other questions?
No problem. Contact us and send us your query; one of us will get back to you as soon as possible.