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NimbleFins Guide to Short Term Car Insurance Providers
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Whether you’re borrowing a friend’s car or want to share driving on a road trip, short-term car insurance is ideal for all sorts of reasons. But with so many options, finding a policy can be time consuming. Here, we take a look at where you can find short-term cover so you can find a policy that suits you and your needs.
What's in this guide
- Car insurance by the hour
- Ranking of best short-term car insurance providers
- How much does short-term car insurance cost?
- About buying short-term car insurance
- Short-term car insurance providers
Car insurance by the hour
Car insurance by the hour can be a cost-effective and flexible way to get cover when you're only using a vehicle temporarily.
Perhaps you're borrowing a car for the evening, sharing the driving on a long trip, learning to drive, using a van to move house, or travelling somewhere to pick up a new car, there are many reasons why a standard annual policy is not appropriate.
While not all car insurance providers offer the policy, many big names are now offering short-term car insurance from one hour. Although some, such as RAC, offer this as an add-on to an annual policy you already hold.
However, there are a range of specialist providers such as GoShorty, Veygo, Tempcover and Dayinsure, who provide car insurance from one hour to a month.
And many offer the chance to top up your car insurance for longer offering great flexibility.
Costs vary, with RAC offering one hour for about £18 or a day for £30.
Quotes will also depend on the location where the car will be kept, expected mileage, model and age of the car, and the driver's history.
Who offers what short-term cover at a glance
The team at NimbleFins has ranked short-term car insurance providers. We considered their age ranges, premiums, excess and ranked according to Trustpilot ratings—because price, accessibility and customer experience are some of the factors that motorists care most about when buying car insurance. According to these metrics, DayInsure is arguably the best for those who are most price sensitive; but those looking for the best short-term car insurance provider in the UK with the highest customer experience rating should consider our partner Go Shorty (get a quote here).
The table below also includes information on policy durations, excess, allowable car values and distinctive policy features. Use this information to help you compare short-term car insurance and choose the best policy for your needs. Note: the costs in the table reflect the cheapest price we found for each duration by provider.
| Name | Broker/insurer | Policy duration | Age limit | Trustpilot Rating | 1 hour | 8 hours | 1 day | 7 days | 28 days | Excess | Maximum car value | Point of difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoShorty | Broker | 1 hour to 28 days | 18-75 | 4.9 | £25.34 | £25.34 | £30.89 | £81.80 | £167.30 | £250 - £600 | £65,000 | Works with a range of well-known insurers; various price points |
| DayInsure | Broker | 1 hour to 30 days | 18-75 | 4.7 | £13.99 | £18.99 | £22.99 | £56.99 | £110.99 | £350 | £60,000 | Also offer short-term business car insurance |
| Veygo | Insurer | 1 hour to 60 days | 17-75 | 4.7 | £4.00 | £5.18 | £12.13 | £33.14 | £102.08 | £750 | Won't cover cars more than 30 years old | Short-term cover from established insurer (Admiral) |
| tempcover | Broker | 1 hour to 28 days | 18-78 | 4.7 | £14.82 | £14.82 | £26.40 | £84.48 | £219.15 | £500 | £65,000 | Car, van, motorbike, motorhome short-term cover |
| Cuvva | Broker | 1 hour to 28 days | 19-65 | 4 | £11.58 | £13.25 | £16.18 | £39.85 | £132.49 | Based on quote | £40,000 | App-based platform |
| SafelyInsured | Broker | 1 day to 28 days | 19-75 | 3.3 | £28.11 | £29.02 | £25.34 | £80.25 | £242.62 | £100 | £65,000 | Cheapest excess; Free Breakdown Cover Included |
How much does short-term car insurance cost?
According to our analysis of the 6 providers above, short-term car insurance costs on average £16.30 per hour, £22.30 per day, £62.80 per week and £162.40 per month.
| Duration of short-term car insurance | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 hour | £16.3 |
| 1 day | £22.3 |
| 1 week | £62.8 |
| 1 month | £162.4 |
Your costs will certainly differ from these, and will vary by your age, location, car, driving history and other factors.
How do I choose the right short-term cover?
If you need short-term cover, it’s probably because you have a specific need. Popular reasons for short-term car insurance cover include:
- Test drive
- Driving a new vehicle home
- Borrowing a friend or relative's vehicle
- Selling a vehicle
- Covering a vehicle that isn't annually insured
- Temporary business need
- Hired vehicle
- Learning in own car
- Learning in someone else's car
- Courtesy car
- Impound release
Why you need short-term cover will likely impact how long you need a policy. For instance, if you're borrowing your parents' car during the holidays, you might need temporary insurance for a few weeks. Alternatively, if you're test driving a car from a private seller, you probably only need insurance for an hour or two.
While you can get short-term cover for as little as one hour, not everyone offers this so check what's available (e.g. SafelyInsured won't do hourly; their minimum is 1 day). Some providers also offer extra features, for example, breakdown cover (SafelyInsured offers this for free). So, if you're borrowing a car for a long journey, that's an option worth considering too.
The majority of insurers will set a limit on the value of cars they're willing to insure. The cap is set fairly high so unless you're wanting temporary cover for a particularly pricey vehicle, this shouldn't be a problem. Another point to note, is that most short-term policies only provide comprehensive car insurance so if you're adamant you only want third party cover, you could struggle to find a plan.
It's also worth knowing that if you've modified your car for cosmetic or performance reasons, your choices could also be limited. Most insurers will only provide short-term cover for cars that have been modified to aid disability.
Who is eligible for short-term car insurance?
Insurers set their own terms and conditions and some short-term policies come with age restrictions (typically you must be between 18 or 19 and 75, but Veygo will cover 17 year olds). Even with a range of insurers and brokers on the market, you may have trouble finding temporary cover if you're above 75 years of age (tempcover will cover up to age 78). Alternatively, you may end up paying a slightly higher than average premium.
Also, you might be limited on choice is if you have penalty points or have been disqualified from driving.
You can read more about who can buy short-term car insurance here.
Who offers short-term car insurance?
You can buy short-term car insurance from an insurance broker or directly from an insurer. It’s entirely up to you where you buy your policy from but just remember that if you buy a policy from a broker, you’ll often need to make your claim directly with the insurer that issued the policy, not the broker you bought it from. Although, some independent brokers do offer a claims processing service.
To help you find the right short-term cover for your needs, we've rounded-up a selection of brokers and insurers to choose from.
GoShorty
Who are they? Insurance broker GoShorty officially launched in November 2021 after a soft launch 12 months previously. However, they’ve already established themselves as short-term insurance specialists which is no mean feat in such a competitive market.
What short-term cover can I buy? You can buy comprehensive short-term cover for as little as one hour up to 28 days.
Who do they cover?
- Drivers aged between 18-75 (if you need cover for commercial purposes, you’ll need to be aged between 21-75).
- Drivers must have held a full UK, European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) licence for at least six months or three months if you’re over 25 years old.
- Learner drivers aged between 17-25.
How do I buy short-term cover? To start a quote, just fill in your details online and specify the length of the policy you need including the start date. Your quote will be automatically generated and if you’re happy with it, you can buy it straight away.
One thing we like about Go Shorty is that if you buy cover ahead of time (e.g. not for an immediate start) you can save a few quid. Not all providers offered cheaper cover for a later start.
What do people say about them? GoShorty is rated 4.9 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on more than 6,000 reviews. This is the highest customer rating of the group. An overwhelming majority (91%) of customers rate GoShorty as ‘excellent’. Customers commented on the easy-to-use service, its efficiency and how competitive their quotes were.
Not all policyholders were of the same opinion and a small minority (2%) rated GoShorty as ‘bad’, but this is very low. Issues seem to arise from the transfer of information from GoShorty to AskMID, which is a database that records all insured cars. Some customers had said they’d been accused of driving without cover when it could be that the AskMID database hadn’t been updated (and ultimately not within GoShorty’s control).
Bear in mind that if you do have an EU/EEA driving licence, you must be resident in the UK for at least 12 months.
Consider GoShorty if… you want a company with very happy customers, need immediate cover, want a choice of a few providers/options or if you have an EU/EEA driving licence.
Key takeaways
- Short-term comprehensive car, van and learner driver insurance available at reasonable prices.
- Also available to EU/EEA licence holders.
- Strong focus on customer service with 100% of negative reviews replied to (as well as the positive ones).
DayInsure
Who are they? DayInsure has been around since 2005. As an insurance broker, they specialise in short-term motor insurance policies which are predominantly underwritten by Aviva, but they use a couple of other underwriters too. As with all brokers, if you need to make a claim, you’ll need to contact the insurer directly—details will be on your policy.
What short-term cover can I buy? You can buy comprehensive short-term cover for as little as one hour up to 30 days.
Who do they cover?
- Drivers aged between 18-75.
- Learner drivers aged between 17-35.
How do I buy short-term cover? You’ll need to fill in a short form with your name, address, driving licence number and occupation. You’ll also need to provide your car details. Then, choose how long you want the policy for and its start date.
At this point you can also opt for extras – including daily breakdown cover. When you’ve made your selection, you’ll be given a quote which you can buy there and then. If everything goes to plan, DayInsure reckon you could be covered and ready to go in just 15 minutes.
What do people say about them? DayInsure score 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot based on more than 45,000 reviews with 86% of customers rating them as ‘excellent’. In particular, customers like DayInsure’s easy to use website and efficient service. Policyholders also praise them for ‘reasonable’ and ‘good’ prices.
Just 2% of customers rate their service as ‘bad’ with these comments centred around website issues (freezing or not processing). Some customers also felt quotes were expensive compared to their expectations.
Consider DayInsure if… you want well-priced short-term car insurance with the option of breakdown cover. DayInsure can also cover cars with some modifications – including any that have been adapted for disability, have a fitted towbar or are LPG conversions.
Key takeaways
- Fuss-free short-term comprehensive car insurance at reasonable prices.
- Breakdown cover also available as an added extra.
- Majority of policies underwritten by leading UK insurer, Aviva (although check your policy documents as a couple of underwriters are used).
- Option to extend your policy for ‘My Account’ users only (you’ll need to sign up to the app to access this).
SafelyInsured
Who are they? SafelyInsured (previously known as Sky Insurance) is an insurance broker offering specialist policies, including temporary insurance.
What short-term cover can I buy? You can buy comprehensive short-term cover for one day up to 28 days.
Who do they cover?
- Drivers aged between 19-75.
- Learner drivers aged 17 years and over.
How do I buy short-term cover? You’ll need to fill in a form (just five questions) and based on your answers, SafelyInsured will collate a number of suitable options. If you like the look of any of them, it’s up to you to contact the provider directly.
What do people say about them? SafelyInsured scores 3.3 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, however that’s based on just 69 reviews. Under their previous name Sky Insurance, they scored slightly higher (3.9) based on 706 reviews.
Feedback is mixed. Under the name SafelyInsured, nearly half (40%) rate the broker as ‘bad’ (compared to 54% who rate them as ‘excellent’). Under Sky Insurance 9% of customers rated them ‘bad’ and 79% ‘excellent’. Poor feedback centres on additional charges, specifically cancellation fees.
Consider SafelyInsured if… you’re looking for a very low excess (SafelyInsured offered the lowest of all the platforms we got quotes from—just £100).
Key takeaways
- Short-term comprehensive car cover available from one day to 28 days.
- Website places focus on bespoke insurance needs.
tempcover
Who are they? tempcover is an insurance broker specialising in short term vehicle insurance for cars, vans, motorbikes, and motorhomes. You can also find temp cover if you’re a courier.
What short-term cover can I buy? You can buy comprehensive short-term cover for as little as one hour up to 28 days.
Who do they cover?
- Drivers aged between 18-78 years old who hold a full UK or EU driving licence. You’ll also need to have been a permanent UK resident for the last 12 months or be a British expatriate.
- Learner drivers aged between 17-27 who hold a provisional UK driving licence. You’ll also need to have been a permanent UK resident for the last three years.
How do I buy short-term cover? Enter the car registration and specify the duration of cover you need. You’ll then be asked to fill in a form with details including your name, address and contact details. From there, tempcover will generate suitable quotes and send them to your specified email address where you’ll be able to choose a policy that suits you.
What do people say about them? tempcover scores 4.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot based on almost 26,000 reviews. A significant majority (82%) rate their provision as ‘excellent’ compared to 4% who rate them as ‘bad’.
Most customers say the site is easy to use and that available cover is reasonably priced. Negative feedback is mainly about cost where some policy prices have exceeded expectations. However, tempcover has responded to 99% of negative reviews.
Consider tempcover if… you’re looking for choice. As a broker, tempcover work with a good selection of providers in order to cater to a wide range of needs.
Key takeaways
- Short-term comprehensive insurance available on a range of vehicles (cars, vans, motorbikes, and motorhomes).
- Also available to EU licence holders.
- tempcover work with a panel of eight different insurance providers, catering to a range of needs.
Veygo
Who are they? Veygo is a specialist provider offering short-term car insurance (including short-term learner driver cover). They’re part of the Admiral Group which means all Veygo’s policies are also underwritten by Admiral.
What short-term cover can I buy? You can buy comprehensive short-term cover from one hour up to 60 days.
Who do they cover?
- Drivers aged 17 and 75 years old who hold a full UK driving licence. If you’re aged between 17 and 21 and want short term cover on your own car, you’ll need to have held your full licence for at least six months (no minimum if you’re borrowing a car).
- Provisional licence holders are eligible for Veygo’s short-term learner driver cover, available for an hour up to 180 days (no ages specified).
How do I buy short-term cover? You can buy short-term cover in just a few steps. Enter your car registration, answer a few questions and get a quote. If you like what you see, you can pay online and then get behind the wheel.
What do people say about them? Veygo score 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot based on over 6,100 reviews, with 85% of customers rating them as ‘excellent’ and just 5% rating them as ‘bad’.
Most customers commented favourably on the speed of quotes and how easy and simple the overall purchasing process was. Numerous comments also mentioned they were extremely good value compared to other providers. A number of negative comments stemmed from time wasting as potential customers filled in the quote form only to have their applications turned down.
Consider Veygo if… you’re looking for short-term cover from an established provider (Admiral).
Key takeaways
- Flexible short-term cover from a leading UK insurance brand.
- Available for up to 60 days so ideal if you need to borrow a car for a while.
- Some policies attract a very high excess (£750).
- Offers a no claims bonus if you drive for 30 days in a 12-month period and stay claim free (only applies to other Veygo temporary policies and cannot be transferred to standard annual insurance).
Cuvva
Who are they? Cuvva is an app-based car insurance broker which set out to ‘disrupt’ the market by offering a pay-monthly subscription service, as well as short-term cover. Their aim is to put customers in control of their policies, ensuring that you only pay for what you need, when you need it.
As a tech-based platform, Cuvva operates exclusively online and does not have a telephone helpline. If you need to contact them you’ll have to use the app, send an email or go to the website and click on the live chat option.
What short-term cover can I buy? You can buy cover for as little as one hour up to 28 days.
Who do they cover?
- Drivers aged between 19-65 who hold a full UK driving licence. If you’re under 21, you’ll need to have held your full licence for at least 13 months.
- Provisional licence holders aged between 17-40 are eligible for learner driver insurance. However, if you’ve had your provisional licence for more than five years, Cuvva won’t be able to offer you a policy. You must also be supervised while driving (regardless of your age) by someone at least 25 years old.
How do I buy short-term cover? You’ll need to download the Cuvva app and create an account. Enter your car registration number and choose a policy based on duration. Check your details and pay. It’s a straightforward process in principle but you’ll also be asked for proof of identity and also a picture of your car (so it can be checked for modifications).
What do people say about them? Cuvva scores 4 out of 5 on Trustpilot based on more than 1,800 reviews, 82% of customers rate them ‘excellent’. However, a number of customers were very disgruntled, mainly to do with cost (citing that Cuvva were expensive) or problems with the app (such as policy set up). Communication issues also appear to frustrate customers as you can’t speak to anyone on the phone.
Consider Cuvva if… you like using technology and want quick and flexible short-term car cover.
Key takeaways
- Almost immediate short-term cover.
- Flexible short-term cover from as little as one hour.
- App-based platform, no telephone helpline.
- Some customers consider them expensive.
- Does not insure any type of modified car.
Methodology
We gathered quotes for short-term insurance for the purpose of borrowing someone else’s car. Our driver profile was based on someone 50 years old with more than five years of no claims, living on the outskirts of London. The car used was a five-year-old Ford Fiesta.
Your prices may vary; for instance if you are a young driver or getting cover for a more expensive car, you're likely to pay higher rates.