Whether you need to borrow a mate’s van, or you’re a student coming home from university and wish to use the family car during the holidays, there’s a plethora of reasons why short-term insurance is incredibly handy.
Understanding the need for flexibility, Sterling has recently updated its short-term app, designed to offer flexible cover for every conceivable – and inconceivable – circumstance.
Our streamlined process is designed to get you insured within minutes, with no lengthy paperwork or unnecessary delays.
Here we explain exactly what short-term insurance is and the benefits of getting this temporary cover.
What is short-term insurance?
There may be occasions when you only need car or van insurance for a small period of time, such as a day, a week or a month. That’s where short-term insurance comes in handy. Drivers will be covered during this period without having to buy a year’s policy worth of cover.
Whether you’re borrowing a friend’s van, learning to drive, or sharing the driving on a long journey, Sterling can find the right cover for you. We cover a wide variety of vehicles and drivers.
How long does short-term car insurance cover me for?
Short-term car insurance usually lasts between one day and 90 days, but some policies can extend to several months.
When do I need short-term car insurance?
Short-term insurance is handy if you need temporary cover for the following reasons:
- Using a car for a short time while learning to drive
- Collecting or driving a vehicle that belongs to a friend or relative
- Hiring a vehicle for a road trip
- Borrowing a friend or family member’s car
- If you’re a student looking to use a family vehicle while home for the holidays
- Driving a vehicle such as a classic car during the warm months
- In an emergency in which you need to drive someone else’s car to a hospital
What does short-term car insurance cover me for?
When you take out a short-term car insurance policy, you’ll usually be given fully comprehensive cover as standard – though some providers may also offer third-party and third-party, fire and theft as alternative options.
Having fully comprehensive car insurance means you’ll be covered for damage you do to a third-party, their vehicle or their property, as well as loss, damage and theft of the car you’re insuring.
What are the benefits of short-term car insurance?
As previously mentioned, this type of temporary policy allows you to get covered for a day, a week or even up to 90 days, but this cover also comes with the many advantages that a standard 12-month offering comes with.
Short-term car insurance is also available to drivers aged 21 and over.
With Sterling you will receive:
- 24/7 claims support from our UK-based team: Our experienced advisors are on hand whenever you need them
- No-claims bonus assist: Short-term cover can contribute towards your no-claims bonus
- We can provide you with temporary cover for left-hand drive vehicles
- It can be provided for all insurance groups: We cover everything including modified cars, classic cars, kit cars, grey imports and custom cars
- Up to £100,000 of legal cover: If you’re involved in an incident that isn’t your fault, our legal cover is there to help cover your expenses and offer peace of mind
What extra cover can I get with a short-term car insurance policy?
In most cases you should be able to add the following on to your policy:
- Green card cover: This gives you short-term cover for driving in Europe
- Breakdown cover: This pays out for any recovery or call out costs you may face if your vehicle breaks down during your journey
- Additional drivers: You can usually add additional drivers to your short-term policy
- Protection for driving in Europe and further afield
- Keycare services: This covers you if you lose or damage your keys
- Misfuelling cover: To protect you against any costly mistakes when filling up at a petrol station
- Windscreen cover: To help protect you against any unexpected cracks of chips
Driving without insurance
Driving without insurance is illegal and will get you in serious trouble. Those found to be driving without insurance can face a fixed on-the-spot penalty of £300 and up to six points on your licence. If the case goes to court you could land yourself with a fine of up to £5,000and be disqualified from driving.
The police could also seize, and in some cases, destroy the vehicle that’s being driven uninsured.
Get short-term insurance from Sterling
If you’re looking for affordable short–term insurance, we offer temporary car insurance with all the great benefits that come with our annual policies, whether you need it for a few days or a number of months.
Call us on 0344 381 9990 for a quote or request a callback at a time better suited to you.