Short term policies are for anyone who is planning on using a vehicle for a short period of time. Taking out a short term policy will ensure you are fully covered in the event of an accident; it also allows you to be covered for as long as you need without having to make a long term commitment with an insurance provider.
In the UK, short term or temporary car insurance usually runs anywhere from 1 to 28 days (some companies will allow you to extend this further, but that’s the general period for most companies).
1 day insurance is especially popular, as it can be used if you’re just borrowing someone else’s car for the day (with permission), or you’re moving house, etc. Slightly longer periods are useful for instances like driving a new car home from the showroom. Another excellent benefit of using a short term policy is that it can usually run in addition to your usual policy, meaning if you have an accident in an unfamiliar vehicle you won’t lose any no-claims bonus.
For most companies, you will need to be over 23 to be eligible for a short term policy, although there are a few companies that will insure younger drivers. You will need to have a valid UK or EU driving license (a full license not a provisional), and that license will need to have been held for a one year minimum. Penalty points on your license, disqualifications, convictions and previous claims can all have an impact on your eligibility for short term cover, so you should bear this in mind when applying.
Short-term cover is also extremely useful if you’re looking to hire a car whilst on holiday, and is often taken out for this reason.
Another reason this type of policy is so popular is that it’s particularly easy to arrange, usually allowing you to organize the cover via the phone or on the internet. This means you can get an instant car insurance quote and makes it very easy to get numerous quotes from several different providers; essential if you want to get the best price.