Many of us are familiar with taking out a 12 month annual vehicle insurance policy for the primary car or van we drive most of the time.
However, sometimes it is necessary (and in some cases more convenient and economical) to take out an additional separate temporary car insurance policy to provide cover for additional vehicles or drivers.
1. Insuring an additional driver on a car you own when sharing the driving on a long journey. This could be an overnight or 24-hour trip where you can alternate driving stints and ensure you are both well rested and fresh while driving.
2. Insuring yourself on a friends car or van. This might be when you borrow a friends van to move belongings in as part of a housemove, for example.
3. It may also be possible to take out a short term policy for the purposes of taxing the vehicle in the UK. This may arise when you are planning to sell the vehicle in the next few weeks and months. Check the conditions of a any policy you take out as some policies may not allow this.
4. Protecting a no-claims discount. Taking out a separate policy may protect your main policy from any negative effects of having to make a claim during this short-term period.
5. If you are planning to buy a new vehicle, but would like to test-drive it before making the purchase, a temporary or one day insurance policy may be beneficial.