Quick & Easy Temporary Vehicle Insurance

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Flexible Insurance Made Simple

Instant short-term cover when you need it, with no hidden fees and no long commitments.

  • Cover available from just a few hours

  • Flexible durations: daily, weekly, monthly

  • Comprehensive cover with instant approval



Services

The Best Services we provide

Temporary car insurance

Drivers aged 17-78 can easily find flexible short-term car insurance from 1 hour to 28 days - ideal for a range of everyday situations.

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Temporary van insurance

Tradesmen or drivers aged 17-77 can find temporary van insurance from 1 hour to 28 days.

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Temporary courier insurance

Get flexible, short-term cover for a range of delivery jobs including single or multi-stop deliveries with temporary courier insurance.

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Impounded vehicle insurance

Time is crucial when your vehicle is impounded. Don’t waste that time – get covered quickly with impounded vehicle insurance.

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Temporary bike insurance

Get up to 7 days cover with temporary motorbike insurance. It’s ideal for occasional riders.

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Temporary learner insurance

Get extra practice without the worry. Temporary learner insurance provides fully comprehensive short-term cover and protects the owner’s NCD.

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Temporary expats insurance

With tailored temporary expats insurance, returning ex-pats can get flexible and affordable temp car insurance if they want to drive while in the UK.

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Temporary European car insurance

We offer drivers short-term car insurance that covers them to drive across all EU member states, along with other European countries.

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Temporary student car insurance

University students can save money with our short-term car insurance – perfect for when you’re home from uni and want to use the folks’ car.

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Why choose TempShortCover?

We’re a leading provider

Since 2006, we’ve delivered short-term insurance products for 2.5 million drivers.

We compare prices

We work with a panel of insurers to help you get the policy you need from a range of options and durations.

Flexible policy durations

Depending on the type of vehicle you need to insure, you can select the duration you want from just 1 hour up to 28 days.

Fully comprehensive cover

Our temporary car, van, learner and bike insurance (excluding impounded) comes with fully comprehensive cover as standard. You get the highest level of cover available whether you’re borrowing a vehicle or letting someone use yours.

It’s quick and easy

It’s unbelievably quick to get the temp vehicle insurance you need, thanks to our incredibly simple quote process – it takes under 2 minutes to get a policy!

We’re here to help

Our highly skilled team works hard to make it as easy as possible for you to get the right short-term insurance. Anytime, anywhere – with Tempshortcover, there’s no waiting around.

What does temporary insurance cover?

With comprehensive cover as standard on temporary car insurance (excluding impounded), you’re covered for any damage to yourself, your car and/or any third parties involved in an accident.

✅ What's covered with short term car insurance?

  • Fully comprehensive insurance (excluding impounded) on policies from 1 hour to 28 days
  • Accidental and malicious damage to your car
  • Cover for injury or damage to another person or their property
  • Driving in the UK
  • In some instances driving in the EU with the third-party or equivalent level

➕ What's optional with short term car insurance?

  • Legal Expenses Cover providing up to £100,000 cover for legal costs including uninsured loss recovery for accidents that are not your fault
  • Excess Reduction Cover, reducing your policy excess to as close as £100 as possible

❌ What's not included with short term insurance?

  • The excess you agreed to pay
  • Release from an impound (unless you buy a specific temporary impounded vehicle policy)
  • Additional drivers – we can only cover the driver named on the policy
  • A sole claim or separate cover for broken/damaged glass including the windscreen

Get a quick and easy quote

We’ve made getting temporary car insurance as simple and fast as possible — no long forms, no delays.

⚡ Forget long quotes

No difficult questions. We’ve removed the tricky forms most providers ask, so you can get your cheapest insurance quote in under 2 minutes.

🔍 Quick quote comparison

We do the hard work by comparing quotes from our panel of insurers in seconds — showing you the best price instantly.

📱 Mobile, tablet, desktop & app

Get quick and easy quotes online 24/7 on any device. Psst... it’s even faster on the Tempshortcover

The cover you need for the duration you want

Flexible, fully comprehensive short-term insurance tailored to your needs — choose the duration and policy that works best for you.

🛡️ Full cover, no impact

Get fully comprehensive cover on our standard short-term policies — plus it won’t affect your no claims discount.

⏰ Hourly, daily, weekly

Choose the duration you want with 1–12 hour and 1–28 day cover available — don’t pay for cover you don’t need.

⚙️ All customised, nothing added

Customise your policy to suit your specific situation — get the policy you want and even choose the exact minute your cover begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does short-term vehicle insurance work?

Short–term vehicle insurance gives you fully comprehensive cover for a set period. It is available hourly, daily, weekly or monthly, so you have a choice of durations that could suit your needs.

Cost: The amount you pay for your cover depends on the duration, along with other factors such as the car’s mileage and make. When you begin the quote process with us, you will be given an estimate of how much your temp insurance will cost based on the information you provide.

Timing: You can tell us when you need your cover to begin. With short-term insurance, we understand that you might need to arrange a policy at the last minute, so you can get a quote under 2 minutes.

Begin the quote process now and follow the steps to arrange your insurance policy.

How quickly can I get temporary insurance?

Our temporary car insurance is designed to be flexible and straightforward, so you could be on the road within minutes of purchasing your insurance policy with Tempshortcover.

It’s important to note that your insurance status may not be updated on the Motor Insurance Database straight away. We recommend that you print or screenshot your Insurance Certificate and carry it with you as proof of your insurance and legal entitlement to drive the vehicle.

Am I eligible for temporary insurance?

We cover drivers who want to be insured to drive a car or other vehicle for a short period. You might want to share a long drive or borrow someone else’s car. Your car might be at the garage for repairs, so you need to borrow someone else’s car in the meantime.

Eligibility criteria:

  • You must be aged between 17 and 78 years old (depending on product)
  • You must hold a UK, EU or UK provisional licence
  • You must have been a permanent UK resident for 12 months or be a British expatriate with past UK residency
  • No more than 7 licence points in the last 3 years
  • No disqualification in the last 2 years

Check eligibility before starting the quote process to ensure your request is successful.

Can I get temporary insurance to drive a van?

Yes! With Tempshortcover, you can get comprehensive short–term van insurance from 1 hour to 28 days. Pay only for the cover you need.

Can I use temporary insurance for business use?

Our policies cover commuting and social/domestic use. For Class 1 business use or multiple workplaces, check the Insurer’s Declaration after your quote to ensure suitability.

Can I use temporary insurance to drive in Europe?

Yes, our policies cover driving in EU member states plus Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Andorra. Check which countries you need cover for before purchase.

Can I tax a vehicle if I have temporary insurance?

Yes, you can tax a vehicle with temporary insurance either online on the DVLA website or at a post office with your documents.

What is policy excess? How much is it?

The policy excess is the amount you pay towards a claim. With temporary insurance, only compulsory excess applies. The exact amount depends on duration and cover level.

Are there any restrictions on short-term cover?

  • Modified vehicles (except for disability adaptations)
  • Left-hand-drive cars
  • Cars with more than 8 seats
  • Hire or loan vehicles
  • Hire & reward vehicles (except courier scheme)
  • Hazardous goods/locations
  • SORN vehicles
  • International licences

When is temporary car insurance not suitable?

  • Modified vehicles (except disability adaptations)
  • Left-hand-drive cars (except motorhomes)
  • Cars with more than 8 seats
  • Commercial vehicles with more than 5 seats
  • Hire/loan vehicles, rentals, recovery agents
  • Hire & reward (except courier scheme)
  • Racing, testing, commercial travelling, motor trade
  • Hazardous goods/locations
  • SORN vehicles
  • International licences

Can I cancel my policy?

You can cancel anytime, but due to the short-term nature of cover you won’t get a full refund. Changes or additions are not possible once purchased.

Can I take out insurance for my MOT?

Yes, but your vehicle must already have a valid MOT to be insured. You can, however, insure it to drive to MOT appointments.

What happens if I have an accident while I’ve got temporary cover?

  • Stop at the scene (it’s an offence not to)
  • Use hazard lights
  • Check passengers, call ambulance if needed
  • Take photos of vehicles, registrations, signage
  • Don’t admit fault
  • Take witness details
  • Call our claims team on Admin@tempshortcover.com

How does the Tempshortcover claims process work?

Call our claims team on 0333 241 Admin@tempshortcover.com. We’ll collect details, arrange repairs/replacement, and help reclaim uninsured losses if applicable.

Will my no claims discount be affected if I make a claim?

No — short-term policies are separate from annual policies, so claims won’t affect your existing NCD.

Will I build up my no claims discount with temporary car insurance?

No — NCD can’t be built on temporary policies because they don’t renew beyond 28 days.

What Our Customers Say

S

Sarah Mitchell

Freelance Designer

“TEMPSHORT made it so easy to get insured for just the weekend. No long forms, no waiting around — I had my cover sorted in minutes!”

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James Carter

Small Business Owner

“I needed temporary van insurance for a quick job, and TEMPSHORT gave me the best price instantly. Highly recommend their hassle-free service!”

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Emily Johnson

University Student

“I borrowed my friend’s car for a few days and TEMPSHORT gave me affordable short-term cover straight away. The whole process was quick and stress-free.”