Quote online in about three minutes, choose to start now or later, and get your documents by email straight away.
Plans change fast – a lift falls through, a car needs collecting, a relative needs help today. Instant car insurance takes you from quote to covered in minutes, with the policy recorded on the Motor Insurance Database so you can drive legally.
Begin cover as soon as you’ve paid, or set it to start later when you’re planning ahead.
Your certificate and policy documents are emailed instantly, ready to show on your phone.
Every policy is fully comprehensive and standalone, from 1 hour up to 30 days.
It can. When you buy, you pick the start time. Choose now and the policy begins as soon as your payment goes through; choose a later time and it switches on then. Either way, your documents are emailed to you straight away and your details are uploaded to the Motor Insurance Database (MID).
The MID is what police and the DVLA check to confirm that a car is insured. Updates are normally quick, but it’s sensible to keep your emailed certificate on your phone in case anyone asks before the database has caught up.
There’s no phone call to make and no paperwork to post. The whole process happens online and usually takes about three minutes if you have your details to hand.
Answer the questions carefully – quick is good, but rushing and getting your postcode or licence details wrong can affect your cover. Once you’ve paid, check the confirmation email to make sure the registration, your name and the start and end times are exactly right before you drive.
You’ve agreed to collect your sister’s car from the garage this afternoon while she’s at work. Your partner has sprained a wrist and needs you to do the school run in their car this week. A friend is clearing out their loft and wants you to drive while they navigate to the recycling centre.
Each of these needs cover that starts today and ends when the job’s done. Same day car insurance means the owner doesn’t have to touch their annual policy, and you don’t have to wait for anything to arrive in the post. If you’ve just bought a car and need to drive it home, drive-away cover works in the same instant way.
Speed doesn’t override eligibility. Minimum age and licence requirements apply, the car must be UK-registered and meet the vehicle criteria, and cover is for social, domestic and pleasure use. It doesn’t extend to business use, deliveries or driving for hire and reward, and it isn’t designed for releasing a car from an impound. The policy wording sets out exactly what’s covered.
Learners can get cover in minutes too, with a provisional licence, but the usual rules still apply: a qualifying supervisor beside you and L plates displayed. Being insured quickly doesn’t change what the law expects on the road.
If you know you’ll need the car tomorrow morning, there’s no harm in buying tonight and setting the start for when you plan to leave. It’s one less thing to do in a rush, and you can check the details calmly.
Just make sure the end time covers your whole journey with some slack. Traffic, a late pick-up or a slow handover can push you past your planned finish, and once a policy ends, you’re no longer insured. If you think you’ll need longer, buy longer – or arrange a new policy before the current one runs out.
Yes. You can quote and buy online in about three minutes and choose for cover to start straight away, subject to eligibility. Your documents are emailed to you instantly.
It starts at the time you choose. Pick the current time and it begins once your payment is complete, or set a later start if you’re planning ahead.
Your policy details are uploaded to the MID when you buy, and updates are usually quick. Keep your emailed certificate on your phone as proof of cover in case you’re stopped before the database reflects it.
Yes, if you have the owner’s permission and meet the criteria. It’s a standalone policy in your name, so the owner’s annual insurance and No Claims Discount aren’t affected if you claim.
The car’s registration, your licence details, your address and date of birth, your preferred start time and duration, and a card to pay with.
A car must be insured, and showing on the MID, before it can be taxed. Once your policy is active and on the database, you can tax the vehicle in the usual way.