One Day Car Insurance
One Day Car Insurance Quotes
Cover any car for 24 hours. Yours, or someone else’s. Buy online in minutes.
Compare quotes from leading one day car insurance providers
What Is One-Day Car Insurance?
One-day car insurance is a short-term policy that covers you to drive a specific car for a single 24-hour period. It gives you the same protection as an annual policy but only for the time you actually need it.
Policies are usually fully comprehensive as standard, covering damage to the car you are driving, third-party damage, fire, and theft. You do not need to own the car, and the owner’s annual policy stays untouched.
One-day cover is one of several duration options available through temporary car insurance. If 24 hours is not quite right, you can also buy cover by the hour or for several days.
How To Compare One-Day Car Insurance
Enter the car’s registration number, choose one day as your cover duration, and see quotes from multiple providers in under two minutes.
Enter vehicle details
Enter the registration number and your postcode. The system pulls the car’s make, model, and insurance group automatically.
Add driver information
Licence type, years held, any claims or convictions in the last five years, and what you will use the car for.
Choose one day duration
Select a single day of cover. If you realise you need longer, you can always buy a separate policy later, but it is usually cheaper to choose the right duration upfront.
Compare and buy
Review the quotes side by side. Check the excess amount and what is included before choosing the cheapest headline price.
When Would You Need One-Day Car Insurance?
Any time you need to drive a car you are not already insured on for a single day, one-day cover is usually the cheapest and fastest option.
Test-driving a car before buying
Private sellers will not let you drive their car without insurance. Test drive insurance gives you cover for a few hours or the full day so you can try the car properly before committing.
Collecting a car you have just bought
Drive-away insurance lets you collect a car from a seller or dealership and drive it home. You can arrange it on your phone minutes before you pick up the keys.
Borrowing a friend’s or family member’s car
If someone lends you their car for the day, one-day cover protects both of you. Their no-claims bonus is completely unaffected because your policy is separate from theirs.
Releasing a car from a Police impound
You need valid insurance before a pound will release a seized vehicle. Impounded car insurance covers you for the collection, and although you may only need it for one-day, 30-day policies are usually required.
Sharing the driving on a long trip
If you are splitting the driving with someone on their car, one-day cover lets you take the wheel legally without being added to their annual policy.
What Does One-Day Car Insurance Cover?
Most one-day policies provide fully comprehensive cover, which is the highest level of protection available for the car you are driving.
What included
| Covered | Not Covered |
| Damage to the car you are driving | Mechanical or electrical breakdown |
| Damage to other vehicles and property | Wear and tear |
| Fire and theft | Damage caused by negligence |
| Personal injury | Valuables left in the car |
| Recovery to an approved repairer | Switching vehicles mid-policy |
Each driver needs their own separate policy. You cannot share one-day cover between two people, and the policy only applies to the specific car listed.
Optional extras
Some providers offer breakdown cover, legal expenses, and excess protection as add-ons. For a single day, these rarely offer good value unless you are driving a long distance.
Simply Quote Comparison Ltd (SimplyQuote) has partnered with GoShorty to help you obtain Temporary Car Insurance. GoShorty is a trading style of Complex to Clear Group Limited registered in England and Wales and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN.751221). Company Registration Number 05044963. Data Protection Registration ZA456686.
How Much Does One-Day Car Insurance Cost?
One-day car insurance typically costs between £20 and £35 for an experienced driver with a clean licence. Younger drivers and higher-group cars will pay more.
What affects the price?
| Factor | Effect on Price |
| Your age | Drivers under 25 pay the most; prices drop from age 25-30 |
| Driving experience | Less than 2 years on a full licence increases the premium |
| Car insurance group | Higher groups (20+) cost more to insure |
| Claims history | Any claims in the last 5 years push the price up |
| Postcode | Urban areas with higher theft and accident rates cost more |
| Voluntary excess | Choosing a higher excess reduces the premium |
If you only need cover for a few hours rather than the full day, check whether an hourly policy is cheaper. A single hour of cover starts from around £16.
Is one-day cover good value?
For a single trip, yes. One day at £20–£35 is far cheaper than being added as a named driver on someone’s policy for a year.
If you need the car regularly though, the daily cost adds up quickly and an annual policy will save you money.
Who Can Get One-Day Car Insurance?
Most providers cover drivers aged 17 to 75 with a full UK driving licence. Some also accept provisional licence holders and non-UK residents.
Young and new drivers
Young drivers and new drivers can get one-day cover, though premiums are higher. Some providers require you to have held your licence for at least 30 days.
Learner drivers
Provisional licence holders can get one-day cover to practise in a friend’s or family member’s car. Temporary learner driver insurance is designed for exactly this.
Non-car owners
You do not need to be the registered owner or keeper of the vehicle. You just need the car owner’s permission to drive it.
All temporary insurance providers must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Check a provider’s registration before buying if you have not heard of the brand.
Would Longer Cover Be Better Value?
If you know you will need the car for more than one day, buying a longer policy upfront is almost always cheaper than buying separate one-day policies back to back.
How durations compare
| Duration | Typical Cost | Cost Per Day |
| 1 hour | £16–£25 | N/A |
| 1 day | £20–£35 | £20–£35 |
| 2 days | £28–£50 | £14–£25 |
| 3 days | £32–£55 | £11–£18 |
| Weekend (Fri–Sun) | £30–£55 | £10–£18 |
| 1 week | £40–£70 | £6–£10 |
| 2 weeks | £55–£95 | £4–£7 |
The cost per day drops sharply with longer policies. A two-day policy is usually only £8–£15 more than a single day.
For trips lasting three days or a full weekend, the savings are even bigger. Beyond a week, consider two-week or monthly cover.
If you only need the car for a quick task, hourly cover from around £16 might save you money compared to a full day.
At the other end, six-month cover is the longest short-term option. Beyond that, an annual car insurance policy almost always offers better value.
Driving without valid cover is a criminal offence. All vehicles used on public roads must have vehicle insurance and road tax, even for a single day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Within minutes. Complete the quote, pay online, and your cover documents are emailed straight away so you can be driving within five minutes.
No, a one-day policy is completely separate from your annual cover, so your no-claims bonus is unaffected. You will need to declare any claims when renewing your annual policy.
Yes, most providers let you extend before the original policy expires. It is usually cheaper to buy a longer policy upfront if you know you will need more than one day.
Yes. You do not need to be the registered owner or keeper, you just need the owner’s permission to drive it.
Most one-day policies are fully comp as standard, covering damage to the car you drive plus third-party damage, fire, and theft. Check the policy wording to confirm.
Yes, but the DVLA checks the Motor Insurance Database and a new temporary policy can take up to seven days to appear. If you need to tax immediately, take your insurance certificate to a Post Office instead.
You claim through your temporary insurance provider, not the car owner’s insurer. The owner’s no-claims bonus is protected because your policy is separate.
