Temporary car insurance
Temporary car insurance that fits the job
Short-term cover for a car you do not normally drive, or for a spell when your annual policy does not fit. Choose the exact length you need, from a single hour to four weeks, and pay once.
From £9.15 for one hour, including Insurance Premium Tax. No admin fees, no renewals.
Good for
- Borrowing a friend's or relative's car for an afternoon, a weekend or a holiday.
- Sharing the driving on a long journey in someone else's car.
- Driving a car you have just bought home before your annual policy starts.
- Covering a gap of a few days between one annual policy ending and the next beginning.
- Using a car for business when your own policy stops at social and commuting.
Comprehensive only
Every policy covers damage to the car you drive as well as third-party liability, fire and theft. There is no cut-down option.
Twelve cover lengths
One, two, four and eight hours; one, two, three and five days; one, two, three and four weeks.
Start when you choose
Cover can begin within fifteen minutes of paying, or at any time up to thirty days ahead.
How temporary car insurance works
Enter the car's registration and we look it up for you. Add a few details about yourself, choose when cover should start and how long it should run, and you will see the full premium with every factor listed. Pay by card and your documents are ready straight away.
The policy stands on its own. It is not added to the owner's insurance, it never renews, and it ends at the time printed on your certificate. If you need longer, buy another policy whenever you like.
What is included
Comprehensive cover as standard. The standard excess is £500 (£1,000 for drivers under 25). You can reduce it to £250 with the excess reduction option at the quote stage.
Optional extras: breakdown and recovery, legal expenses cover, excess reduction, and a European driving extension for policies of a day or more. Cover applies in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. For trips of a day or longer you can add the European driving extension.
Who can buy
Drivers aged 18 to 78 with a full UK, EU or EEA licence. Vehicles must be worth under £50,000, be roadworthy, and have valid tax and MOT where required. You need the owner's permission to drive.
Learner drivers with a UK provisional licence can also be covered for supervised practice in a car. See the learner driver insurance page for the details.
See your price in about two minutes
Every factor listed before you pay. No account needed.
Questions
Temporary car insurance: common questions
- How much does temporary car insurance cost?
- Prices start from £9.15 for one hour and £16.76 for a full day for an experienced driver in a standard car, including Insurance Premium Tax. Your exact price depends on the car's value, your age, your licence and how long you need.
- How quickly can cover start?
- You pick the start time when you get your quote. It can be as soon as fifteen minutes after you pay, or any time up to thirty days ahead.
- Is temporary car insurance fully comprehensive?
- Yes. Every policy we sell is comprehensive. It covers damage to the car you are driving, damage to other people's property, injury to others, fire and theft.
- Will a claim affect the owner's no-claims bonus?
- Because the policy is yours and separate from any annual insurance, a claim on it is handled here and does not touch the vehicle owner's no-claims bonus.
- What documents do I get?
- Your certificate and schedule of insurance appear on screen the moment payment clears, and a copy is emailed to you as a PDF.
- Can I extend a temporary policy?
- Policies do not extend or renew. If you need longer, take out a new policy starting when the current one ends. Longer durations cost less per day, so if you know you need a week, buy a week.
Related cover
Other ways to use SureHour
Hourly car insurance
Buy one hour of comprehensive car insurance in about two minutes. Also two, four and eight hours. Cover starts within fifteen minutes of paying.
Daily car insurance
Comprehensive one day car insurance from £16.76. Also two, three and five day policies. Quote in two minutes, documents emailed immediately.
Weekly car insurance
Comprehensive car insurance for one, two or three weeks. Cheaper per day than daily cover, no renewal, price shown before you pay.
Borrowing a car
Temporary insurance to borrow a friend's or family member's car, from one hour to four weeks. Comprehensive, in your own name, with the owner's no-claims bonus untouched.