Temporary Car Insurance

Pay-by-day car insurance from 1 hour to 30 days

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Temporary Car Insurance

Temporary Car Insurance is perfect if you’re planning to drive for a short period of time - whether borrowing a friend's car for the weekend, borrowing a van to move house or driving to multiple places of work. Temporary insurance provides short-term cover and protection for when you need to be insured for between 1 hour to 30 days. Getting a short-term quote is quick and simple, and you'll be covered to drive almost instantly.

Short term insurance from 1 hour to 30 days

Buy your temporary cover online 24/7

It's quick! - Get covered within 15 minutes

Our insurance will cover you for business use†

Quoting is quick and easy.
Plus you can save your details for next time, making quoting quicker

Optional discount -
Just add your licence number when you get a quote

Looking for Learner Car Insurance? Take a look at our cover for provisional drivers

Temporary Car Insurance

Flexible and immediate, short term cover

If you need short term insurance cover immediately, the RAC can provide a flexible and cost effective way to make sure you're protected. Our temporary car insurance is designed to cover you to drive another car - or insure someone else to drive your car.

  • Short term - from 1 hour up to 30 days, and you can pay by day if you wish
  • Immediate - if you need insurance urgently
  • Business use – covered as standard†
  • Cars, vans and motorhomes covered
  • European cover can be added
  • RAC Breakdown cover can be added
  • Flexible - you can drive another car or insure extra drivers on your car
  • Peace of mind – our Temporary Car Insurance is fully comprehensive and provides a range of benefits as standard, such as accidental damage, new car replacement, accident recovery and legal liabilities

  • Overseas licences accepted - As well as full UK licences, we can accept full driving licences from the EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - nice and easy if your friends or family are visiting and need to borrow your car for a short while.

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5 Star Rated Car Insurance Plus - only available direct from the RAC

Cover for less than £165* (that’s what 10% of our customers paid)

As the motoring experts, we search a panel of carefully selected insurers to give you our most competitive price. And with 120 years’ experience of serving customers, you know you’re in safe hands when you buy with the RAC.

  • Uninsured driver promise – so you won’t lose your no claims bonus if your car's vandalised or hit by an uninsured driver
  • 5 Star rated cover – RAC Car Insurance Plus has been awarded 5 stars by independent financial research company Defaqto
  • RAC member discount^ – meaning our members pay £93 less on average for RAC Car Insurance than non-members
  • Free Motor Legal Protection – benefit from free Motor Legal Protection cover of up to £100,000 for the first 12 months of the policy, if selected1

 

Find out more 

Black Box Car Insurance

RAC Black Box helps drivers save money by rewarding safe driving

Black Box Insurance, also known as telematics, is a cost effective way to drive down the cost of insurance for new and inexperienced drivers.  Black box technology rates drivers on the way they drive, rather than how their peers drive, giving drivers the opportunity to reduce their premium though safe driving.
 
  • No curfews - Drive where you want, when you want
  • You choose your annual mileage - We don't charge you on a per mile basis, unlike some providers
  • No installation fees - We’ll fit the box at time and location convenient to you
  • Uninsured driver promise – so you won’t lose your no claims bonus if your car's vandalised or hit by an uninsured driver

Find out more 

Multicar Insurance

Cover for the whole family with 10% RAC Multicar discount2

If you have up to 3 additional cars in your household you could save with multi-car insurance. For every additional car in your household you insure with us, you’ll receive a 10% discount off the premium.
 

Find out more 

  • Separate no claims bonus for each car - so yours won’t be affected if another policyholder has a scrape
  • Friends, family and housemates can benefit from discount - as long as you all live at the same registered address
  • Free Motor Legal Protection – benefit from free Motor Legal Protection cover of up to £100,000 for the first 12 months of the policy, if selected1
  • 5 Star rated cover – RAC Car Insurance Plus has been awarded 5 stars for five years running by independent financial research company Defaqto

Do I need Temporary Car Insurance?

Short term car insurance is designed for customers who require temporary motor insurance from 1 hour to 30 days - perfect and convenient if you need to drive a vehicle for just a short period. Temporary car insurance can be required for a range of different circumstances, including the following:

  • You want to test drive a new car
  • You are using someone else’s car for a short business trip
  • You are borrowing a van to move house
  • You are a student borrowing a parent’s car to transport your things to university or college
  • You are driving a friend’s or family member’s car and need short term cover
  • You are planning a road trip and want to share the driving 
  • You are borrowing a campervan for a holiday or festival
  • You are in-between annual car insurance policies and need to bridge the gap for a few days
  • You’re car sharing with a colleague for a short while and need to drive their car

Add RAC Breakdown Cover to your policy when you buy

You can add short term RAC Breakdown cover to your policy. Cover includes roadside assistance, recovery and onward travel.

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What is temporary car insurance?

 

Temporary car insurance is a form of short-term vehicle cover which provides insurance from a minimum of 1 hour to a maximum of 30 days. It’s pay-by-day car insurance that provides immediate cover if you need to drive a different vehicle for a short period of time. For example, if you are borrowing a family member’s car for a week while yours is being repaired, this form of cover would be ideal. This type of temporary insurance can also be used in the event of an emergency, when one driver may need to use someone else’s vehicle for a short while.

Can new drivers get temporary car insurance?

 

Temporary Car Insurance customers must be aged from 18 to 75 years old and must have held a current, valid and full driving licence for at least 6 months (reduced to 3 months if over 25 years). If you’re learning to drive and need insurance, RAC Learner Driver Insurance can provide cover from as little as two hours up to five months.

RAC Temporary Car Insurance protects your vehicle with pay as you go Comprehensive cover from 1 hour up to 30 days

  

Both short-term Breakdown cover and European driving cover is available when you buy Temporary Car Insurance

  

Find out how to amend your policy, make a claim, and obtain proof of insurance

  

How does Brexit affect RAC Car Insurance customers? Our handy guide explains what you need to do and when.

  
We also offer

Our comprehensive Car Insurance Plus is packed with features and benefits and has a Defaqto 5 Star Rating.

  

We search a panel of leading van insurers to find you our most competitive price for your van insurance.

  

Our Travel insurance can cover you for single trips or annual multi-trips, each with 3 levels of cover available.

  

RAC Learner Driver Insurance offers flexible, short term cover whilst you gain experience behind the wheel. Buy comprehensive cover online 24/7

Temporary Van Insurance provides van cover for a short period of time. Get a quote here at the RAC today.

  

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is short term cover useful for?
Short term car insurance is useful for any situation in which you don't need annual car insurance. If you need to drive a different car for a single day and therefore require just daily insurance, for example. Short term cover can be useful when you're test driving a car, moving house and need to drive a borrowed removal van, driving a friend's car, or have temporary use of a car. A typical example might be if you're a student home from university for a few weeks and plan to drive a parent's car.
Q. What vehicles are included in temporary cover?
A wide range of vehicles can be included under temporary cover. To qualify for short term motor insurance, the vehicle should meet a set of criteria. This includes having a current market value of less than £75,000, being registered in the UK, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man, and having fewer than eight seats. The vehicle can't be imported, either. Vehicles that have had certain modifications can still qualify for short term car insurance - view more details about the criteria.
Q. Should I get temporary cover when learning to drive?
Temporary car insurance cover can't be used when learning to drive. Temporary Car Insurance customers must be aged from 18 to 75 years old and must have held a current, valid and full driving licence for at least 6 months (reducted to 3 months if over 25 years). If you're learning to drive or planning to learn, RAC Learner Driver Insurance can provide cover from as little as two hours up to five months.
Q. What am I covered for?
RAC Temporary Car Insurance provides comprehensive cover during the length of the policy. Coverage includes loss or damage by fire, vandalism and theft; accidental damage to the insured vehicle; new car replacement; accident recovery; legal liability for death or injury to another person and legal liability for damage to property.
Q. How long does it take to get cover?

You could purchase a policy within just a couple of minutes and be on your journey moments later – it’s really that quick! You can even set a time for cover to start if you need cover on the same day as your quote. The insurance docs are sent by email immediately, and you can be insured in less than 15 minutes.

What’s more, new policy details are updated to the Motor Insurance Database (MID) every 4 hours, so you’ll have peace of mind that both the DVLA and Police know you’re permitted to drive - you are still perfectly legal to drive within these 4 hours.

Q. What information do I need to get a quote?
You’ll need to provide your personal details, driving license number and vehicle details at quote stage and to purchase, you’ll need your Credit or Debit card.
Q. Can I add people to my current car insurance?
Yes, that is always an option if you want to add another person to your annual car insurance - you can put a named driver on your policy. However, bear in mind this could affect the price of your annual car insurance, so short term cover might be the better option if that additional driver is only going to drive the vehicle occasionally.
Q. Can you insure a car for just one day?
Yes, daily insurance for a car is available and cover is immediate. Our cover is flexible and you can pay by the day.
Q. Can I get temporary insurance if I already have an annual policy?
Yes, and should you need to claim on the temporary policy, it won’t affect the No Claims Discount of your annual policy.
Q. Does temporary insurance cover business use?
Yes it does, providing you are not transporting goods or people for hire or reward (for example, a taxi service or courier).
Q. Can I use temporary insurance to drive in Europe?
If you purchase our additional cover for Europe, you can. Journeys must start and finish within Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man, and cover is only available for cars registered in the UK.
Q. When should I use temporary insurance for hire cars?
Unfortunately our Temporary Car Insurance will not cover hire cars. We can however cover hired motorhomes.
Q. Can I tax my car with a short term certificate?

Yes you can, however if you wish to tax your vehicle online, you will need to wait for the MID database to update. We notify the MID of all new insurance policies within 24 hours. You are still perfectly legal to drive within these 24 hours – just make sure you have received and checked your insurance documents.

Q. Would I build up any No Claims Discount under this policy?

RAC Temporary Car Insurance is a flat-rate policy for a fixed period. You would not build up any No Claims Discount under this policy and would not receive any discounts for remaining claim-free or be able to transfer any bonus to another policy.

 
Q. How soon can I get RAC Temporary Car Insurance cover in place?

We can offer immediate cover on completion of the online application form and payment by credit or debit card, or if you wish, cover can be arranged up to 28 days in advance.

 
Q. Can I get RAC Temporary Car Insurance cover for a period of more than 30 days?

Yes, even though our maximum policy length is 30 days you can purchase multiple policies. If you require annual cover then get a quote for RAC Car Insurance or call us on 0330 159 1019.

 

Trusted provider of Temporary Car Insurance


Our partners Dayinsure are rated 9.4 out of 10 on Trust Pilot, and we have been looking after motorists for over 120 years, so you know you’re in safe hands when you buy insurance from the RAC.

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03 numbers are charged at national call rates and included in inclusive minute plans from landlines and mobiles. Calls may be monitored and/or recorded.

† Excludes use for hire or reward, such as couriers or taxi drivers.

* 10% of all customers buying Car Insurance Plus with us from 1st July 2018 to 31st December 2018 paid less than £160. Based on comprehensive Car Insurance Plus, purchased direct, excluding any additional products and upgrades, with payment on an annual basis. Your premium will depend on your circumstances and the level of cover you choose.

^ Based on sales from 1st July 2018 to 31st December 2018 of RAC comprehensive car insurance, purchased direct, excluding any additional products and upgrades. Your premium will depend on your circumstances and the level of cover you choose.

1 This offer applies to new RAC car insurance customers for the first year only, unless you are an RAC member then this offer is also available at renewal of your existing RAC car insurance policy. Motor Legal Protection is attached to the car insurance policy and will end if and when the car insurance policy ends. The offer cannot be transferred to any other policy and there is no cash equivalent available. We reserve the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time.

2 Terms & Conditions:

  1. The 10% multicar discount will be applied to the insurance premium of up to three additional cars added to an existing RAC Car Insurance policy, excluding additional products, add-ons, fees and charges. 
  2. The additional cars must be registered to the same address as the existing RAC Car Insurance policy. 
  3. The discount is only valid on quotes and purchases made by calling RAC Car Insurance direct on 0330 159 1468  and you must provide the existing RAC Car Insurance policy number that the additional cars are to be added to prior to getting a quote and making your purchase. 
  4. Quotes and purchases acquired through price comparison sites, cash back sites or the rac.co.uk website are excluded and the discount will not apply. 
  5. The discount will apply for every year that there are 2 or more cars registered under the same RAC Car Insurance policy and at the same address. The discount will not apply in the event there are less than 2 cars registered under the same RAC Car Insurance policy, such as if a car is removed or you choose not to renew.
  6. If you cancel your policy mid-term and there are no longer at least two cars on the existing RAC Car Insurance policy, we reserve the right to reclaim the value of the discount that was applied.
  7. This offer applies to RAC Standard Car and RAC Car Insurance Plus policies only.  
  8. No cash or other alternatives are available.
  9. The provision of insurance is subject to underwriting criteria. For full details of the policy terms and conditions, please refer to your policy documents. Your premium will depend on your circumstances and the level of cover you choose.
  10. This offer may be withdrawn at any time.
3 Discount does not apply to optional extras. Policyholder must hold a standalone RAC breakdown policy at the time of purchase, bought direct from the RAC. Minimum price applies.
 

RAC Financial Services Limited act as an introducer to Dayinsure.com Ltd for RAC Day Insurance. RAC Financial Services Limited is registered in England No. 5171817. Registered Office: RAC House, Brockhurst Crescent, Walsall WS5 4AW. RAC Day Car Insurance is arranged and administered by Dayinsure.com Ltd, which is registered in England no. 4996289, registered office: Mara House, Tarporley Business Centre, Nantwich Road, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 9UY. Both companies are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. RAC Day Insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited. Registered in Scotland, No 2116. Registered Office: Pitheavlis, Perth PH2 0NH. Aviva Insurance Limited are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

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