What are the different types of car insurance?
Choose from comprehensive, third party, fire & theft, and third party.
Temporary business car insurance
Compare short-term business use car insurance policies
What is temporary business car insurance?
Temporary business car insurance is comprehensive short-term cover specifically for business use.
It sits alongside your standard personal car insurance policy, which typically only covers you for social, domestic, pleasure, and commuting purposes.
If you do occasional business mileage, such as travelling between offices or one-off work trips, you’ll need to take out business car insurance or you’ll be driving uninsured.
The benefits of temporary business car insurance are that it’s:
A standalone policy: There’s no impact on your no-claims discount if you need to make a claim
Fully Comprehensive: It’s the highest level of cover
Flexible: You can take out cover for anything from an hour up to 30 days, usually
Fast: Cover can start immediately
How does temporary business car insurance work?
To take out temporary business car insurance you:
Choose the start time and duration - anything from an hour up to 30 days
Compare fully comprehensive options - not all inclusions will be the same
Check the eligibility criteria - this will apply to you and your vehicle
Activate the cover - this can be instant once you’ve paid for it or you select a future date
💡 Top tip: Your temporary business car insurance policy will end automatically when the term expires but you can then purchase a new policy if needed.
When do I need temporary business car insurance?
Temporary business car insurance could be useful when:
Travelling to different offices
Attending conferences or work events
Visiting clients
Transporting work-related items (but not goods)
Giving lifts to colleagues for business purposes
But you can’t use temporary business car insurance if:
You’re doing commercial deliveries
Transporting passengers for payment
Employed in a certain profession, such as being a driving instructor or a delivery driver for the motor trade
You don’t meet the insurer’s eligibility criteria
Am I eligible for temporary business car insurance?
What are the driver requirements for temporary business car insurance?
If you’re employed or self-employed you can get temporary business car insurance provided you meet specific criteria set by your insurer. That’s usually:
Being aged between 17 and 75 years old
Having a valid full UK driving licence for at least three months if over 25 years old or six months if under 25
Having a permanent UK address
Not working in a certain profession, such as being a driving instructor or a delivery driver for the motor trade
No more than 1 fault claim in the past year
No more than 9 penalty points and no disqualifications in the past 18 months or 3 years
No motoring offences with the conviction codes prefix DR,CD,DD, UT or DG in the past 3 years or 5 years
No motoring offences with the conviction of fence code prefix NI or CU80 in the last 3 years
No unspent criminal convictions
Never been refused insurance or had a policy invalidated
What are the car requirements for temporary business car insurance?
To be eligible for temporary business car insurance, the insured car usually needs to meet the following criteria:
Registered in Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man
Taxed and roadworthy with a valid MOT (if your car is over 3 years old)
Not declared off the road (SORN)
Current market value of less than £75,000
No more than 7 seats, including the driver's seat
No Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs)
No hire or rental vehicles
No seized vehicles or vehicles that have been held in a police compound
Under 3.5 tonnes in weight
Engine size of 3999c or less
No engine modifications, body kits or alloy wheels – unless fitted at manufacture, or carried out for a disabled driver or passenger
Not be imported from another country through channels other than the maker's official distribution system
What do temporary business car insurance policies cover?
Policies are fully comprehensive as standard but details can vary between providers. Always check your policy documents to confirm your cover.
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What is usually covered?
Driving your car for business purposes (but not commercial use)
Accidental damage to your vehicle e.g. another car hits you from behind
Loss, theft, fire or vandalism e.g. your engine overheats and ignites
Third-party liability e.g. you accidentally scrape another car while parking
Personal accident e.g. you’re injured or killed in a road accident
Legal expenses e.g. you're sued for injuring another road user
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What isn't usually covered?
Driving other vehicles
Additional named drivers
Claims outside the declared vehicle use
Commercial deliveries
Transporting passengers for payment
Wear and tear - the normal deterioration that's expected over time
Unattended vehicle e.g. you leave your car with the engine running or the keys in the ignition and it’s stolen
How much does temporary business car insurance cost?
Temporary business car insurance usually costs from around £20 per day but prices will vary depending on your individual circumstances, including:
Your car’s make and model
How long you need cover for
Your claims history
Your job title
Our expert says…
You can take out temporary business car insurance multiple times but if you’re regularly doing work-related journeys you’re likely to be better off adding business use to your annual car insurance policy. Speak to your insurer and compare quotes to find the best deal.”
Sara Newell Motor & Home Insurance Expert
What is the cheapest way to insure a learner driver?
The cheapest way to get insurance as a learner driver will depend on your individual circumstances but your options are:
Being added as a named driver on someone else’s policy such as your parent’s
Taking out a standalone annual policy
Being insured on your driving instructor’s car (the cost of this will be included in the amount you pay for driving lessons)
Taking out a standalone temporary policy
Short-term temporary cover or being a named driver is likely to be the cheapest option if:
Most of your driving is going to be done in your driving instructor’s car
You will only occasionally practise in your parents’ car or a friend’s car
Before making a decision it’s a good idea to compare the cost of short-term and annual learner driver insurance, as well as being a named driver on another policy.
Who is responsible if a learner driver has an accident?
If a learner driver causes an accident (i.e. an at-fault accident) they are responsible but their driving instructor can also be held responsible if:
They didn’t make sure the learner driver followed the rules of the road and drove safely
They didn’t intervene to prevent the learner driver causing an accident by using dual controls
They were under the influence of drugs or alcohol
They were distracted by using their mobile phone
If another driver, (known as the third-party) causes the accident (for example, by driving into the back of the learner driver’s vehicle) it’s a non-fault accident and the cost should be covered by the third party’s insurance.
Can my parents drive my car on learner insurance?
No, if you have learner driver insurance it only applies to you as the policyholder. However, your parents might have driving other cars included in their insurance which may allow them to drive your car. This is usually on a third-party basis, and it may be for emergencies only so check their policy documents carefully.
Alternatively, your parents might be able to:
Be a named driver on your insurance policy
Take out separate short-term car insurance
What happens if you're caught driving without insurance on a provisional licence?
If you drive uninsured you risk getting a fixed penalty of £300 and six penalty points on your driving licence. This could result in your licence being cancelled as there are strict rules for learner drivers and for new drivers for the first two years of passing their test.
Driving without insurance could also lead to:
Your car being seized
Going to court. If you’re prosecuted you might get an unlimited fine and be disqualified from driving
You’re also likely to see your future car insurance premiums rise or struggle to get cover from insurance providers.
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One of the best ways to get the lowest prices and best deals is to compare quotes from different companies. We do the work for you, comparing quotes side-by-side and giving you all the information you need so you can choose the right deal for your needs and your wallet.
We don’t give recommendations or financial advice, but we give you clear information so you can choose financial products that suit your circumstances.
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No, not every company can be included in our service. This is because some companies don’t want their products included on comparison sites, and some decide that they would rather not pay a fee. There are also a few smaller providers who can struggle to cope with the volume of customers that can find their products if they appear on MoneySuperMarket.
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Is temporary car insurance eligible for SuperSaveClub and rewards?
No, at this time temporary car insurance is not an eligible product for unlocking our SuperSaveClub rewards.
It is also not included in our Price Promise.
Reviewed on 20 Mar 2026
YouGov Survey 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025. Net Recommend score derived from “Which of the following online service websites would you recommend to a friend or colleague, or tell them to avoid?” Base: Current Customers of (MoneySuperMarket n=18,382, Compare the Market n=16,802, Go.Compare n=10,162, Confused.com n=8,229, Uswitch n=528).
