Can you buy car insurance for just a day?
Yes, you can buy cheap car insurance for just 1 single day. Short term car insurance like this is a tried and tested product with hundreds of thousands of regular users. Prices are very reasonable, buying a policy is extremely quick and easy, and since it is done online you can get a policy at any time of day or night you wish, from the comfort of your own home.
Policies, with comprehensive cover, can be bought quickly and easily, and although there are certain conditions (for instance you must be over 19, with a reasonable car to insure and a fairly decent driving record) the vast majority of motorists, whether British born, temporary residents or visitors, should have no problems with the short, cheap 1 day car insurance proposal form.
How long can you insure a car for with short term cover?
The minimum you can buy is one day car insurance and the maximum is 28 days. You can always take out another policy when the policy ends if you wish, but bear in mind that this type of car insurance is designed for short term use only so if you need cover for a long period a conventional yearly car insurance policy may work out cheaper.
What can you insure?
You can insure a car which belongs to you, but which you have perhaps kept off the road for a while; or you can cover a vehicle that you have borrowed from a friend, neighbour, relative etc. Alternatively you can lend your own car to someone else who can insure it in a similar way. Provided that the car you wish to cover is registered in the UK, is unmodified and is not a personal import it is likely to be on the insurers' database, which means that it can probably be covered.
Which driving licences are acceptable?
You can apply if you have a UK driving licence which you have held for at least a year and there are special schemes for learners with provisional licences. Ex-pats who formally lived in the UK can apply with a UK (including NI) or EU licence and should provide their temporary UK addresses on the application form, not their overseas addresses.
Does it take long to buy temporary car insurance?
The simple day car insurance proposal form only takes a matter of a minute or so for getting a quotation; and then provided that you have the registration details of the car you want to cover it is only another couple of minutes before you can pay for the car insurance policy online and download your documents.
When does cover begin, and end?
You have the choice of either arranging your day insurance cover to start at some time in the near future, or immediately. This means that you can have your insurance arranged in good time if you are going to need it soon, but in an emergency it can be arranged extremely quickly.
Is short term car insurance cheap?
Obviously on a cost-per-day basis a full year's policy usually works out cheaper but one day car insurance can still be surprisingly economical and premiums are generally far lower than they were before specialised companies came into the market. Some insurers even offer a lowest price guarantee, and it only takes a very short time to get a quote so it is worth checking.
Is it safe to buy day insurance?
All insurance companies operating in the UK have to be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which gives access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in the unlikely case of an insurer becoming insolvent.
How are documents delivered?
You are sent a link to your documents a moment or two after you have bought your policy. You can download these and print them on your home printer if you wish, but this is not a legal requirement. However, bearing in mind that the details of the insurance cover may not appear on the Motor Insurance Database straight away, it is sensible to carry your cover note with you, or keep access to it on your mobile phone.
Can you tax a car with one day car insurance?
Theoretically, yes. The law in the UK only requires you to have car insurance for the vehicle on the day it is taxed, and this can be done online or at many UK post offices.
However, you would then need to move the vehicle to an off-road location and make a SORN declaration the same day.
Can you compare one day car insurance quotes?
Yes, there are several short term car insurance providers who can be invited to give you a quotation.
Car insurance for one day can be a very useful product. It is worth keeping in mind for those times when you need temporary cover, whether that is for driving someone else's car or letting another driver use yours for a short period.