Short Term Car Insurance

If you are borrowing (or lending) a car from a friend or relative for a short period of time, there is no better way of protecting both parties than short term car insurance.

By adding another party onto your own insurance you may be putting yourself at risk; any accident that may happen whilst the other party is driving is sure to affect your insurance premiums and you may lose your no-claims years.

Short term car insurance is a perfect alternative, protecting the car owners insurance whilst legally allowing the other party to drive the car for a specific length of time. It is simple and easy to set up and is a service offered by many insurers throughout the UK. The motorist who is being covered by the insurance will need to hold a full UK passport, after this the short term insurance cover will work in the same way as normal insurance, allowing you to drive protected and safe in the knowledge that you will be covered in the event of an accident.

The cover can be set up for as little as one day (this is called one day car insurance) up to a period of roughly three months, depending on the insurance provider. Anything longer than three months is considered to be longer term, in which case normal car insurance cover should be purchased and used. It is sometimes the case that short term car insurance is a cheaper option for insuring yourself whilst driving, this is because the driver has a shorter period of time in control of the car, therefore making it less likely that an accident will take place, cheapening the insurance.

The short term insurance will always be for a specific period of time, so it is worth knowing exactly how long you will need the insurance for; the insurance companies can be flexible with length but will need to know which specific dates the car will be used between in order to set up the insurance.

If you are unsure of the exact length of time needed for the insurance cover then it may be better to get one day insurance or a day-to-day insurance cover that will let you continue to add days until you are done with the car. Once a start date for the insurance has been confirmed, you will be able to continue to contact the insurance provider on a daily basis until you have no more need for the insurance. However, this can be costly as the daily rate is usually more expensive than the rate over a fixed term.

Some insurers will allow short term cover for drivers with European driver’s licences, however it is worth checking beforehand as only few insurers offer this service. Similarly, some insurers will allow you to travel abroad on the short term insurance.

All in all, short term car insurance cover is a great way to insure yourself should the worst happen when driving your (or a friend’s) car for a short term period and ensures peace of mind whilst driving.