Taking out car insurance on a year’s contract can be wasteful if you only need a policy for a few days a year. However, it is now possible to take out short-term car insurance which can give you the cover you want for just as long as you need it.

What is short-term car insurance?

Driving without insurance is a risky affair – the police have stepped up their efforts to clampdown on offending motorists by working in collaboration with the Association of British Insurers which has found that accidents involving drivers that are uninsured add around £40 a year to an honest motorist’s premiums.

That’s why it’s important to ensure you’re covered no matter how short the term may be that you need a vehicle for. However, most traditional policies need to be taken out for a year – which is why short-term cover was created.

With a short-term policy you can get cover for anything from one day to six months (periods vary depending on the insurer). As you’re only taking out insurance for a short period, it is comparatively low-cost.

Who is it right for?

There are many reasons why you may consider a short-term policy. Some of the most common include:

- Adding a named driver – Perhaps someone needs to use your car, such as a visiting friend or a child returning from university for the summer. Instead of adding them to a policy for the full year, you can take out a temporary policy.

- Car hire vehicles – You may need insurance to cover you while you use a car hire vehicle or a removal van, for example.

- Learner drivers – If the plan is for a teenager to buy their own vehicle as soon as they pass a driving test, then consider taking out short-term car insurance for their learning period so they don’t cause your car insurance premiums to rise substantially. Specific learner driver policies are available.

How can you get short-term car insurance?

Generally policies are defined as temporary (one-28 days) or monthly (one-six months). They are offered by a host of insurers in the UK so it’s well worth shopping around online before you buy.

By: Alex Gregory