Drive-Away Insurance
Compare Drive-Away Car Insurance Quotes
Drive your new car home legally, today.
Compare insurance quotes from the UK’s leading drive away car insurance providers including:
What Is Drive Away Car Insurance?
Drive away car insurance is short-term cover that lets you legally drive a newly purchased vehicle home before arranging an annual policy.
It provides immediate protection from the moment you collect a car, whether from a dealer, private seller, or auction. Policies start from one hour and typically last between one and seven days.
Without valid insurance, you cannot legally drive a vehicle on UK roads. Drive away cover fills the gap between buying a car and setting up your long-term car insurance, so you're never exposed.
How To Get Drive Away Insurance
You can buy a policy online in under five minutes, with cover starting within minutes of purchase.
Enter Your Details
Provide your name, date of birth, postcode, and driving licence number. Include any claims or convictions from the past five years.
Add the Vehicle
Enter the registration number of the car you're buying. If it's a private sale and the V5C hasn't transferred yet, you can still get cover using the existing registration.
Choose Your Duration
Select how long you need cover. Most buyers choose one day to get the car home, but you can extend up to 28 days if you need time to arrange annual insurance.
Pay and Drive
Complete payment online and receive your policy documents by email instantly. Cover can start within 15 minutes of purchase.
When Would You Need Drive Away Cover?
Any time you buy a vehicle and need to drive it before your annual insurance is in place.
Buying From a Dealer
Not all dealers include drive away cover in the sale price. If they do, the terms may be limited to third-party only or restrict the route you can take.
Private Sales
The seller's insurance won't cover you. Once money changes hands, you need your own policy before turning the key.
Car Auctions
Auction houses typically require vehicles to be removed on the day of purchase. A short-term policy is the only practical option to drive it away legally.
Receiving a Gifted Vehicle
If a family member gives you a car, their policy ends when ownership transfers. You need cover from the moment the car becomes yours.
Collecting a Car From Another City
If you're travelling to collect a vehicle, you may need a weekend policy to cover a longer collection trip and the return journey.
What Does Drive Away Insurance Cover?
Most policies provide fully comprehensive protection, covering third-party liability, accidental damage, fire, and theft from the moment cover starts.
| Cover Element | What It Means |
| Third-party liability | Covers damage or injury you cause to others while driving |
| Accidental damage | Repairs to the car you're driving if you're in a collision |
| Fire and theft | Protection if the vehicle is stolen or damaged by fire |
| Windscreen cover | Included with most comprehensive policies |
| Instant activation | Cover starts within minutes, not days |
| Any UK road | Valid on all public roads, not restricted to a single route |
The protection mirrors a standard fully comprehensive annual policy. The only difference is the duration.
How Much Does Drive Away Insurance Cost?
Prices typically start from £15 to £30 for a single day, depending on your age, driving record, and the vehicle you're insuring.
| Driver Profile | Vehicle | Duration | Typical Cost |
| 25-year-old, clean licence | Ford Fiesta 2016 | 1 day | £18–£28 |
| 35-year-old, clean licence | VW Golf 2019 | 1 day | £15–£22 |
| 45-year-old, no claims | Vauxhall Astra 2020 | 3 days | £35–£50 |
| 22-year-old, 1 year experience | BMW 1 Series 2017 | 1 day | £30–£45 |
| 55-year-old, clean licence | Toyota Yaris 2021 | Weekend | £25–£35 |
Younger drivers and high-performance vehicles cost more. If you only need cover for a few hours, an hourly policy may work out cheaper than a full day.
Compare Temp Insurance
Get short term cover from 1 hr to 28 days. Buy online in minutes.
What's Not Covered By Drive Away Insurance?
Commercial use, heavily modified vehicles, mechanical breakdowns, and driving outside the UK are typically excluded.
Commercial and Hire-and-Reward Use
Drive away policies cover personal use only. If you're buying a vehicle for taxi, courier, or delivery work, you need specialist commercial cover from day one.
Vehicle Restrictions
Most insurers exclude cars worth over £65,000, heavily modified vehicles, and imports without UK registration. Drivers with serious convictions may also face restrictions, though convicted driver insurance specialists can sometimes help.
Mechanical Faults
Insurance covers accidents and theft, not pre-existing faults. If the engine fails on the way home, that's a warranty or consumer rights issue, not an insurance claim.
How Does Drive Away Differ From Test Drive Insurance?
Drive away insurance covers a car you've already bought. Test drive insurance covers a car you're considering buying but haven't committed to yet.
| Feature | Drive Away | Test Drive |
| Purpose | Get a purchased car home | Try a car before buying |
| Ownership | You own or are buying the car | Still owned by seller |
| Typical duration | 1–7 days | 1–2 hours |
| When to buy | After agreeing the sale | Before deciding to purchase |
If you're viewing a car and want to try it first, test drive insurance is the right product. Once you've agreed to buy, switch to drive away cover.
Does Drive Away Insurance Affect Your Annual Policy?
No. Drive away insurance is a standalone policy that operates independently from any annual cover you hold.
Claims made on a drive away policy won't affect your no-claims bonus on your main insurance. The two are completely separate.
This makes it a cleaner option than trying to add a new vehicle to your existing temporary car insurance mid-term, which can trigger admin fees and premium recalculations.
How To Save Money On Drive Away Cover
Compare quotes, choose the shortest duration you need, and pick up the car in a lower-risk vehicle where possible.
Match Duration to Need
If you're collecting from a local dealer and driving straight home, a one-hour or one-day policy is enough. Don't buy a week if you only need an afternoon.
Compare Multiple Providers
Prices vary between insurers for the same driver and car. Comparing takes two minutes and can save £10–£15 on a single policy.
Choose a Standard Vehicle
High-performance and luxury cars cost more to insure, even for one day. If you're buying a Group 1–10 car, your drive away premium will be lower.
Have Your Details Ready
Mistakes on the application can inflate quotes. Have your licence number, vehicle reg, and student or age details accurate before you start.
Is It Legal To Drive Without Drive Away Insurance?
No. Driving any vehicle on UK roads without valid insurance is illegal under the Road Traffic Act 1988, regardless of how short the journey.
The GOV.UK guidance is clear: you must have at least third-party cover before driving on any public road. Collecting a newly purchased car is no exception.
Penalties include a £300 fixed penalty, six points on your licence, and potential vehicle seizure. The FCA also notes that driving uninsured can make future cover more expensive.
Looking for drive away car insurance? Get your quote today!
Compare prices from specialist short-term providers at SimplyQuote and get covered before you collect your car.
Compare Temp Insurance
Get short term cover from 1 hr to 28 days. Buy online in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Drive away insurance is a type of temporary cover designed for newly purchased vehicles. It works the same way but is marketed for the specific scenario of collecting a car you've just bought.
Most policies activate within 15 minutes of purchase. You can buy online and have documents emailed before you collect the car.
Yes, most insurers cover drivers aged 18 to 75. Younger drivers pay more but aren't excluded.
Yes, the vehicle must have a valid MOT and be roadworthy. You cannot insure a car that isn't legal to drive on public roads.
Yes. Auction purchases are one of the most common uses for drive away cover, since vehicles typically need removing on the day of sale.
No, drive away policies are standalone and don't interact with your annual insurance. Claims won't touch your existing no-claims discount.
Don't rely on it. A seller's policy covers them, not you, and once the sale completes you need your own cover to drive legally.
Some providers offer drive away cover for vans, but not all. Specify the vehicle type when getting your quote to see available options.
Policies run from one hour up to 28 days. After that, you'll need annual cover in place.
Most policies offer fully comprehensive cover as standard, including accidental damage, fire, theft, and third-party liability.
