Just bought a car? Get insured, get it taxed and drive it home, all before you leave the seller’s driveway.
Buying a car is exciting, but you can’t legally drive it until it’s insured and taxed. Covrly’s drive away insurance gives you temporary, fully comprehensive cover on your new car, so you can get it home and, if you like, keep driving while you sort out an annual policy.
Quote in about three minutes using the registration, with documents emailed straight away.
Your details go onto the Motor Insurance Database, which needs to happen before you can tax the vehicle.
Choose up to 30 days of cover so you don’t have to rush into an annual policy.
The moment a car becomes yours, you’re responsible for making sure it’s legal to drive. The seller’s insurance doesn’t pass to you and won’t cover you driving the car away. Set off uninsured and you risk a £300 fixed penalty and 6 points, or an unlimited fine and disqualification if it goes to court, and the car could be seized before it’s even reached your street.
Your existing annual policy may not help either. Some insurers let you transfer cover to a new car, but you’ll usually need to contact them first, and if you’re keeping your old car too, that isn’t an option. Drive away cover fills that gap.
Since October 2014, vehicle tax no longer transfers with a car when it’s sold. When the seller tells the DVLA they’ve sold it, their tax is cancelled. That means you, as the new keeper, must tax the car before you drive it, even if it was taxed when you viewed it.
Here’s the catch: you can only tax a car that’s insured. The tax system checks the Motor Insurance Database, so your cover needs to be in place first. If the tax service doesn’t pick up your policy straight away, keep your emailed documents handy.
A simple order to follow:
Some dealers arrange short drive away cover as part of the sale. If yours does, ask exactly what’s included and when it ends before you rely on it. If they don’t offer it, or it doesn’t suit your plans, a Covrly policy gives you your own fully comprehensive cover.
Private sales are where temporary insurance for buying a car really earns its keep. There’s no dealer cover and no one to sort the paperwork for you. Once you’ve agreed the sale, you can get a quote on your phone using the car’s registration and have your documents before you set off.
If you’d like to test drive the car before committing, a short test drive policy covers that separately.
If you only need insurance to drive your new car home, a few hours may be enough. Allow for the drive itself, plus time to tax the car and check things over. If the car is a long way from home, a full day gives you more breathing room.
Many buyers choose a longer policy, up to 30 days, so they can use the car while they compare annual quotes properly. That avoids signing up to a 12-month policy on the seller’s doorstep just to get moving.
A few final checks can save you a headache later:
Remember that cover is for social, domestic and pleasure use, and the car must be UK-registered. If you’re buying a vehicle for business use, this isn’t the right product.
Yes. The seller’s insurance doesn’t transfer to you, so you need your own cover in place before you drive the car. A temporary policy lets you do that without rushing into annual cover.
No. Vehicle tax doesn’t transfer from the previous owner, so you must tax the car before you drive it. You’ll need insurance in place first, because the tax system checks the Motor Insurance Database.
Yes. Private purchases are one of the most common reasons for drive away cover. You can quote using the car’s registration once you’ve agreed the sale, subject to eligibility criteria.
Some dealers arrange short drive away cover as part of the sale, but not all do. Ask what’s included and how long it lasts before relying on it.
Getting a quote takes around three minutes, and your documents are emailed as soon as you buy. Your details are also uploaded to the Motor Insurance Database.
Only to a pre-booked MOT test, and you’ll still need insurance for that journey. Check the car’s MOT status online using the registration before you buy.