You might not have a clear idea about temporary car insurance but, it is worth knowing as there are many benefits of this kind of short term insurance for a driver in the UK. We all know that standard car insurance offers a cover for 12 months which needs to be renewed annually or you can easily switch to another provider that offers better costs and huge discounts.
What if you do not want cover for the entire year and just need it for a borrowed car or a vehicle that you are planning to drive on a one-off basis. Well, under standard car insurance, you would not be covered for these circumstances. That is when temporary car insurance which is also popular as courtesy car insurance comes into the picture. Like for example, when you want to drive your friend’s car, you can get yourself added in their policy but, this may not be the cheapest solution.
Moreover, if you meet with an accident and make claim for it then there are chances that it would spoil their no claim bonus, which makes it hard for them to purchase cheap car insurance later. It is better to go for the ‘driving other car’ cover if your policy already includes it as an add-on. Although, very few insurers offer this kind of cover now and it is predominantly a part of the third party cover which does not pay out for your own vehicle. Therefore, it is advisable to check your policy for this add-on.
The need of temporary car insurance cover:
There are many benefits to this kind of cover as it offers insurance for short term periods like 1 to 28 days or stretches up to 90 days. This is the best option when you need a vehicle for moving home or borrowing a vehicle to learn driving.
Another major benefit is that you save up on the hiring charges by purchasing temporary insurance for a car that your friend or family is happy to lend.
You can leverage this kind of insurance to drive a new car home. Normally, car sellers would offer a short term insurance but if you are purchasing a second hand private vehicle then you need to make sure that it reaches home safely and is insured during the way to home. You can then easily analyse and choose an annual car insurance policy when you are free.
If you want to hire a van then think about trying temporary insurance as the total charges of the policy are cheaper than the hiring charges of vans. Most of the hire companies would offer third party insurance and so, you may need to buy a short term insurance, which offers comprehensive cover which means you get repair charges for the vehicle you are driving. Just check with the hiring company on this and then select the temporary car insurance policy.
Temporary insurance is also beneficial for those who are learning to drive. You can take this insurance on a family member or friend’s car so that it would not affect the ‘no claims bonus’ of the owner and still keep the vehicle insured for accidents or dents that take place while learning. This kind of insurance also works wonders if you want to drive a car abroad or borrow it for a short break or share driving with friends. Few of the providers offer cover for driving in the EU but, you need to confirm with the provider and check the small print.
Is temporary car insurance valid for all?
No! It varies with age and the insurance provider. While most of the car insurers offer this kind of short term insurance for drivers aged between 17 and 75, some of them do not offer it for drivers under 25. If you are an experienced driver with a UK license then you would easily get it. However, there are some specialist providers that offer this kind of insurance for less experienced drivers and those who are learning to drive.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have a history of making claims or a bad license history then it might become difficult to buy a temporary insurance. For this, you need to shop around and find the few providers that would offer you the cover. Some of the insurers offer it only if the car is of certain value which could be up to £50,000.
What is the cost of temporary car insurance?
The cost varies depending on certain factors like the period of coverage, licence type, experience in driving, postcode, etc. For this kind of short term policy, you need to pay the excess in case you meet with an accident. You can get a customised quote which is pre decided based on your willingness to pay a certain amount of excess. In addition, you need the permission of the car owner, car registration number, license and your personal details to compare the temporary car insurance quotes.
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