What is drive away insurance?
Drive away insurance is sometimes offered by car dealers when you buy a vehicle. It usually involves a short period of cover, often around a week, provided by an insurer in return for you requesting a quotation for a full annual policy.
Although it is often described as free, the cost is typically built into the overall price of the car. Even so, it can be convenient. It allows you to drive the vehicle away immediately rather than waiting to arrange your own insurance before collecting it.
Not every dealer offers this option. When it is available, it may be limited to certain vehicles, often those at a higher price point or those the dealer is keen to move on. Private sellers would not be able to provide this type of arrangement at all.
Is there another way to do it?
There is a straightforward alternative. If you have a smartphone, tablet or laptop with you, you can arrange short term car insurance yourself once you decide to go ahead with the purchase.
Policies can usually be set up for anything from a single day up to several weeks. This gives you enough time to drive the car home legally and then take a more considered approach to arranging longer term cover.
Why some buyers prefer short term cover
Arranging your own short term policy means you are not tied into any particular insurer at the point of sale. You can take the vehicle away and then look around properly for an annual policy that suits your needs.
It often works out more flexible, and in many cases more cost effective, than accepting a bundled option offered at the dealership. For many buyers, that extra bit of control makes all the difference.