How to Insure a Car for a Day in 2026: Borrowing a Car the Right Way
Last Updated: July 1, 2026
The easiest way to insure a car for a day is through a temporary insurance app like Cuvva. You can get fully comprehensive cover from one hour to 28 days, activated instantly through your phone. Alternatives include being added as a named driver on the owner's policy or using a short-term policy from a traditional insurer.
Insuring a car for a day is simpler than most people think. The fastest route is a temporary insurance app like Cuvva that covers you from one hour to 28 days, activated instantly from your phone. This guide covers the three ways to insure a car for a day, what each option costs, and when temporary cover beats being added as a named driver.
Quick Verdict
To insure a car for a day in the UK, temporary insurance apps are the fastest and most flexible option. Cuvva lets you insure a car from one hour to 28 days with fully comprehensive cover activated instantly. You pay only for the time you need.
The alternatives are being added as a named driver on the annual policy (cheaper if you will drive regularly) or using a short-term policy from a traditional insurer (may be cheaper for longer periods like a full week). For a single day, temporary apps are almost always the best combination of speed, simplicity, and price.
Three Ways to Insure a Car for a Day: Options Compared
1. Temporary insurance app (Cuvva). Download the app, enter your details and the car's registration, choose how many hours or days you need, and pay. Cover is active instantly and is fully comprehensive. Best for: borrowing a car, test driving, sharing a long drive.
2. Added as a named driver. The car's main policyholder contacts their insurer and adds you to the policy. This can be cheaper if you will drive the car regularly, but it is more hassle for a single day. Some insurers charge an admin fee to add and remove named drivers.
3. Short-term policy from a traditional insurer. Companies like RAC, AA, and Dayinsure offer daily policies that work similarly to temporary apps but are arranged through a website rather than an app. May be slightly cheaper for longer periods (a week or more) and sometimes offer higher coverage limits.
Common Questions
Can I insure someone else's car for a day?
Yes. Temporary insurance covers you to drive a specific car that you do not own. You need the car's registration number and the owner's permission. The owner's own insurance is unaffected by your temporary policy. You are insured separately for the period you select.
How much does one-day car insurance cost?
Typically £15 to £40 for a full day, depending on your age, driving history, and the car. Younger drivers and higher-value cars push the price up. The app gives you a quote before you pay, so you can check without committing. An hour typically starts from a few pounds.
Do I need the car owner's permission to insure their car for a day?
Yes. You must have the owner's permission to drive their car. The insurance app will ask you to confirm this. Driving without the owner's consent is a criminal offence regardless of whether you have insurance.
Does temporary insurance cover me to drive any car?
No. Temporary insurance covers you to drive a specific car that you name when you take out the policy. If you want to drive a different car, you need a new policy for that car. It is not the same as a Driving Other Cars extension on an annual policy.
Can I get temporary insurance if I am under 21?
Yes, Cuvva covers drivers aged 18 to 75. Younger drivers pay higher premiums, reflecting the higher risk. Some traditional short-term insurers have higher minimum age requirements, so temporary apps are often the only option for younger drivers needing short-term cover.
What happens if I need cover for longer than a day?
You can extend cover from within the app without starting a new policy. If you know in advance that you need several days, booking a week up front is usually cheaper per day than extending hour by hour. Coverage can run up to 28 days on most temporary policies.
I have used temporary insurance a handful of times: test driving cars before buying, borrowing a van for furniture moves, and sharing the driving on a long trip. Each time, the app route was faster than I expected. Within a few minutes of downloading Cuvva, I was insured and legally on the road.
The biggest mistake people make with one-day insurance is not checking whether they are already covered. Some annual policies include Driving Other Cars as standard, particularly on comprehensive policies for older drivers. Check your own policy before paying for temporary cover. The second mistake is using temporary insurance repeatedly for the same car. If you are driving a friend's car every weekend, get added as a named driver. The temporary cover premium will quickly exceed the cost of a policy amendment.
Buying a car with temporary cover
A one-day policy is not always necessary when you only need a short test or collection journey. My guides explain private test-drive insurance and temporary cover to drive a newly bought car home.
I’m Steven, founder of MoneyAppReviews. I test money apps, referral programs, and EV tools in real life before I write about them. I drive a 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, use Octopus Intelligent Go for home charging, and regularly track costs, savings, and app performance over time. I focus on practical, evidence-based reviews that help people decide what is actually worth using, not just what pays the highest commission.
