Temporary Car Insurance: What It Is & How To Get It (2025)

What Is Temporary Car Insurance?

Temporary car insurance is auto insurance that covers you for a short period — a day, a week, or possibly a month. It’s also sometimes referred to as short-term car insurance, temp car insurance, 24-hour car insurance, weekly car insurance, or monthly car insurance.

Most of the largest insurance companies only write car policies for six months or a year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find short-term car insurance policies. Research lesser-known insurers online to find daily car insurance or month-to-month car insurance.

When shopping online for temporary vehicle insurance, it’s important to exercise some healthy caution.

Some providers offer cheap temporary car insurance that might not provide sufficient coverage if you’re one of many involved in a car accident each year. Such offers could also be a scam in some cases. Make sure you purchase your temporary auto insurance policy from a licensed insurance agent, and read the fine print thoroughly to understand your coverage.

You can check the National Insurance Producer Registry or call your state’s insurance department to find a licensed insurance agent.

What’s Covered by Temporary Car Insurance?

Like any other insurance, what short-term car insurance covers will vary depending on your policy. However, it will usually cover the following:

• Theft of the car
• Damage from an attempted theft
• Accidental damage
• Damage from vandalism
• Car accident lawyer fees and damages if you cause injury or property damage
• Fire damage

Most temporary car insurance policies don’t cover these situations:

• Damage or theft because you left keys in the ignition
• Using the car for purposes not covered in the policy
• Driving the car when you aren’t properly licensed
• Damage caused to the car by a driver not named on the policy

Notably, most temporary policies do not cover rental cars. If you rent a car, you must get insurance through the rental company. Some credit cards will also offer insurance to protect you in the event of a rental car accident.

Reasons You Might Need Temporary Car Insurance

If you’re searching for temporary car insurance, you likely only need coverage for a brief time. There are several reasons someone might need short-term insurance, including the following:

Borrowing a Car

You may need to use a friend or family member’s vehicle for a few days, and you want coverage to protect it in case you’re involved in a collision.

Coming Home From School

If you’re a college student, you might walk or rely on public transportation and only drive when you’re home on break.

Renting a Car

If you travel often, you may need to rent a car on a trip without conventional insurance.

Testing Driving a New Car

Perhaps you plan on test-driving a new car at the dealership and want one-day car insurance just in case something happens during the test drive.

Sharing Driving Responsibilities

You might live with someone who doesn’t drive and borrow that person’s car occasionally to get them around town for shopping or doctor’s visits.

Driving Infrequently

Even if you’re licensed and own a car, you might not drive that often, making a full-term auto insurance policy superfluous.

Storing Your Vehicle

Your vehicle might sit in storage for most of the year. Even so, you’ll naturally want to protect it from theft, vandalism, and the elements.

Ultimately, the decision of whether you need temporary car insurance or a standard six-month or year-long policy depends on your situation.

Temporary Car Insurance for Young Drivers

Young or inexperienced drivers can get temporary car insurance like any other driver. However, just like with traditional car insurance policies, young or inexperienced drivers may be charged higher premiums.

Can You Temporarily Insure a Car You Don’t Own?

If you need car insurance but don’t own a car, you have a few options:

Non-Owner Insurance

Some carriers offer “non-owner insurance” for drivers who use cars they don’t own. However, these policies usually only offer liability coverage.

Being Added to the Owner’s Policy

If you regularly borrow a friend’s or family member’s car, see if they can add you to their policy. If you will only use the car for a short period, the owner can remove you from their policy afterward.

Options for Temporary Car Insurance

You have several options when it comes to getting the coverage you need for the specific period you’ll be driving. Here are just a few:

• Buy a standard insurance policy and cancel it when you no longer need it
• Purchase non-owner auto insurance, which provides liability coverage only
• Pay extra for rental car insurance when it’s offered
• Opt for pay-per-mile insurance, which is available from many major insurers
• If you borrow a car regularly, ask the owner to add you to their insurance

Your situation will dictate the best way for you to get temporary auto insurance. You can eliminate much of the hassle by evaluating your coverage needs, understanding the terms of the policy you purchase, and having a transparent discussion with your insurance agent.

How Long Can You Have Temporary Car Insurance?

Temporary policies offer coverage for as little as an hour. If you want to be insured for a longer period of time, you can pay weekly or monthly. Many policies are pay-as-you-go and allow you to renew indefinitely.

The Risks of Going Without Insurance

Finding temporary car insurance may take some effort, but it’s worth it, given the risks of going uninsured.

Roughly 14% of drivers are uninsured. Driving without insurance is illegal in most states, which means you could have your license suspended, get slapped with a fine, or even be put in jail.

Allowing your insurance to lapse is just as bad. Your former insurer can report your non-payment to the local Department of Motor Vehicles, resulting in your license being suspended.

As an uninsured driver, you also may hit someone or something, forcing a claim against someone else’s insurance or leaving you on the hook for personal injuries or vehicle or property damage. Given the number of car accidents each year in the U.S., your odds will likely be much better with insurance than without. However, if you borrow a friend's or family member's car, their auto insurance should typically cover you in the event of an accident.

How Much Does Temporary Car Insurance Cost?

Short-term auto insurance coverage typically costs around $15 per day. That’s more expensive on average than the daily cost of a standard insurance policy.

The average standard six-month auto insurance policy costs $947. That’s an average cost per month of $157.83, or about $5.26 per day.

If you’re looking for temporary car insurance, major insurers recommend buying a standard six- or 12-month auto policy and canceling it when it's no longer needed. Keep in mind that you might also need to factor a cancellation fee into your car insurance cost calculations.

How Much Does Temporary Car Insurance Cost by Duration?

That depends on the policy, your driving record, the value of the car, your age, and other factors. However, these are some general estimates:

• Hourly: From about $15 per hour
• Daily: About $15
• Weekly: About $30 per week (for state minimum coverage)
• Monthly: About $80 per month (for state minimum coverage)

When choosing a policy, make sure to look at more than the total cost. State minimum coverage may be a few dollars less than collision coverage. However, if you damage the car you’re driving, you could be on the hook for thousands.

Find the Right Temporary Car Insurance for Your Needs

Now that you have a better idea of your options for securing temporary coverage from car insurance, you might be ready to discuss your needs with a qualified insurance professional.

At ConsumerShield, we enjoy sharing our insurance knowledge to help people make prudent decisions for their unique circumstances. Contact us today to learn more.