One-Day Car Insurance Explained

You can buy car insurance that lasts for as little as one day with some insurers for a fraction of the cost of annual cover.

Of course, buying such a policy is only useful if you need cover for a few hours or a single day. But there are plenty of scenarios where this might come in handy to ensure you’re only covered for the time you need. 

Here, we explain how one-day car insurance works, and what to look out for when you’re buying a policy. 

What is one-day car insurance?

As its name suggests, it’s simply a car insurance policy that lasts for 24 hours, with the same level of comprehensive cover that you can get on an annual policy.

One-day car insurance can also be known as ‘temporary’, or ‘short-term’ car insurance.

If you have an annual car insurance policy on your main car, it might already provide third party cover for driving someone else’s vehicle if it carries a Driving Other Cars (DOC) clause.

However, this is less common than it used to be, so always check your policy documents.

Even if you do find a DOC clause on your policy, remember that this won’t pay out for any damage to the car you are driving – only that of the other driver/s. In this case, for peace of mind, you might want to take out one-day car insurance which offers fully comprehensive cover. 

One-day car insurance can also prove a cheaper and simpler way to get covered compared to tweaking your existing policy to add another car.

Plus, any no-claims discount on your main policy will remain unaffected in the event you do need to make a claim. 

When would you need it?

You might wonder when it’s worth buying a single day’s worth of car insurance, but there are a number of scenarios when this might prove useful. Here are some examples:

An emergency or unexpected event: You might need to borrow a car to drive to the aid of a family or relative at short notice.

Test driving: if you’re in the market for a new car and are buying from a private seller, you’ll need to be insured, which is where short-term cover can come in useful.

If you are buying from a car dealer, it will often have its own cover for test-driving vehicles – but this isn’t always the case, so be sure to check.

Sharing the driving: if you’re heading off on a long journey with other people in one car – a staycation, for example – you might agree to share the driving. If you are not insured to drive the vehicle, getting short-term insurance can be simpler and cheaper than amending your own policy.

Borrowing a car: If you’re borrowing a car from a friend or family member, you may also want to buy a one-day policy. Perhaps, for example, you’re moving house or just heading out on a day trip.

Can I get one-day car insurance on all cars? 

While this kind of cover is generally available on all cars with a valid MOT, many insurers will not provide temporary over on vehicles with a market value of more than £50,000 or £75000.

If you need cover in excess of this, you’ll need to look at a more specialist provider. 

Car seat numbers are also likely to be limited, to no more than eight, for example.

Where do I get one-day insurance? 

You can go to your own insurer for a quote but it’s best to run a quick comparison for one-day car insurance policy. This way, you know you’re getting the best deal not just in price, but in cover too.

If you have been driving for a few years and have a full UK licence, you should get a wide range of quotes. However, if you’ve less experience, you may want to consider specialist providers for short-term cover. 

Bear in mind also that some insurers won’t cover drivers aged under 25, while many cap the upper age limit at 75.

It’s still possible to get one-day insurance if you have driving convictions, so long as they are not recent.

Points on your licence are also acceptable but many insurers may cap them at, say, nine or less.

How much does one-day car insurance cost?

Like any insurance, the cost of cover depends on the details, such as the car value, model, as well as your postcode and the level of risk you pose to the insurer as a driver.

However, it can be the most cost-effective option if you only need cover for a day.

You can also amend the cover to bring down the price by, say, opting for a higher voluntary excess. This is the amount you are liable to pay in the event of a claim.

When does the cover start from? 

The policy start time on one-day insurance is generally flexible. You can opt to start the clock ticking from the minute you set up the policy, or at a time that suits you.

It will then run for 24 hours from that point.

It’s also possible to buy temporary car cover from as little as one hour, right up to 30 days and, in some cases, longer.

Anything else you need to know?

When you buy a one-day car insurance policy, you can pay for add-ons, such as breakdown cover or additional drivers. You could also add European driving cover, if you’re planning a day trip to Europe. 

Before paying for extras, though, consider whether you really need them, as they are likely to bump up your premiums.