If you live in the city, you may find yourself in a situation where you simply need to use a car for a day as opposed to owning one long term. Because insurance for cars is typically taken out for one year, there are specific policies which are designed for this situation. So, whether you need to go on a trip, are test-driving a car, or moving to a new house, there is a policy designed for you.
In This Guide:
- What is one day car insurance?
- Why should I get one day car insurance?
- What type of cover will I get?
- Can anyone take out one day cover?
- How much will one day car insurance cost?
- Advantages of one day cover
- Disadvantages of one day cover
What is one day car insurance?
Typically, a car insurance policy will be taken out for a whole year, and once that has run out it will have to be renewed. However, there are many situations where you might want to just use a car for the day, and this is where one-day car insurance comes in. It operates just as you might expect it to, and can cover you for 24 hours, or even be extended up to one month insurance if you so wish.
Why should I get one day car insurance?
There are a variety of different situations in which you might need to be covered for just one day. For instance, many people often borrow someone’s car for a day to move home, or to go on a trip with a group and you therefore need to borrow a bigger car. This cover is also often taken out when you are hiring a car, or test driving a car you are thinking about buying.
What type of cover will I get?
This will vary depending on the type of policy that you purchase, but typically it will be comprehensive cover. This means it will cover the cost if you damage the car whilst driving it. Importantly, if you have this cover, whoever owns the car will not lose their no claims discount.
Can anyone take out one day cover?
Much like other insurance policies, whether or not you can receive cover depends on a multitude of factors such as age, finances, and driving history. Typical requirements are as follows:
- Insurers usually cover those between the ages of 19 - 75, but some specialist insurers will offer insurance policies to those from the age of 17. These will generally have higher premiums.
- Most insurers will not offer cover if the car is over a certain value, normally £50,000 or more. So, if you are lucky enough to be able to borrow a supercar, make sure you can get cover first!
- Like other insurance policies, your driving history will be checked and scrutinised. If you have had previous claims and points on your license you may find it difficult to get cheap car insurance, if at all.
- Insurers will require the owner’s details and written permission from them that you are allowed to use it.
How much will one day car insurance cost?
As with any car insurance policy, this will vary on where you live, the value of the car, and your driving history. This means there is no one price for any car and you will need your details to hand in order to get a quote from the insurer. One thing to remember is that you will need to work out how much you will be willing to pay in excess should you get into an accident and damage the car.
Advantages of one day cover
- It’s a cheap and simple way of getting short term car insurance, so you can drive your vehicle for a small amount of time.
- Allows you to have more flexibility and is useful if you don’t need to drive the car for longer than the time permitted.
- You are not tied to any long-term contracts, because it’s just a one-off payment upfront with no hidden costs. This means you do not have to commit to a car for longer than is needed.
Disadvantages of one day cover
- Should you want cover for more than a short amount of time it will be much more expensive than just purchasing an annual policy.
- Can be expensive if you are not of the right age or if you have a poor previous driving record.
