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Short Term Car Insurance

Temporary or short-term insurance is comprehensive car cover that lasts from 1 hour up to 28 days. It’s the modern approach to insurance for those who don’t want to be tied down with a 12-month policy.

You may find short term motor insurance useful if you are:

  • collecting a new vehicle
  • test driving a new vehicle
  • a young driver back home from university
  • borrowing a friend's car or van
  • sharing the driving on a one-off trip

What are the benefits of Short Term Motor Insurance?

  • Temporary car insurance for drivers 19 - 75
  • Cover available from 1 hour to 28 days
  • All policies are fully comprehensive
  • Get a quote and cover in minutes
  • Coverage for vehicles with a value up to £65,000
  • Provided by trusted & established insurers

Why choose Direct Gap for your Short Term Car Insurance?

We have partnered with GoShorty to provide market-leading short-term motor insurance. GoShorty are one of the UK’s leading short-term car insurance providers, and we help thousands of motorists across the UK each week to become insured on a car from just 1 hour to 28 days.

•  Flexibility: Comprehensive car insurance when you need it.

•  Responsibility: All Direct Gap policies and those of our partners, GoShorty, are fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and we hold ourselves to the very highest standards.

•  Integrity: Our team do not make any commission from sales of Short Term Car Insurance – we’ve only got your best interests in mind.

•  Service: We hold over 11,000 5-star Feefo reviews alongside GoShorty's 4.9 (Excellent) rating on Trustpilot.

See what our customers are saying about us

Alpesh Patel 23 Oct 2025

55 star rating

Great service this would be the 5th time now

Jennifer Hodgett 2 Jan 2026

55 star rating

Website is so easy to use and the level of cover and cost compares favourably with their competitors. Second policy with Direct Gap would definitely recommend to others.

Chris R 4 Oct 2024

55 star rating

Excellent Customer service and support. Quick and easy to set up. Great price. Would highly recommend based on my personal experience.

Carolyn Lyle 16 Sep 2025

55 star rating

Great information easy to understand and £100 less than my dealer offered.

GEOFFREY HARDMAN 4 Nov 2025

55 star rating

Easy to set up, used this firm over many years

Kerry Parry 1 Mar 2024

55 star rating

Easy process that is what you want, Diane was nice

Alan Stewart 20 Oct 2025

55 star rating

Excellent website which is easy to use and a range of policies to suit your needs. The price of the policy I chose was very competitive and cheaper than most. I also liked the high…

R Holmes 9 Jan 2026

55 star rating

After having to unfortunately claim last year it was a no brainer to come back to Direct GAP they're so friendly and helpful. It gives me the peace of mind should the worst happen…

Lee Appleyard 3 Feb 2025

55 star rating

Hayley on the phone was great

Nic_C 17 Sep 2025

55 star rating

Quick and easy process with friendly advice when I rang to check I had chosen the correct policy

Alex Sissons 24 Oct 2024

55 star rating

3rd policy I've had and best price by far

Angela B 20 Sep 2025

55 star rating

Have used Direct Gap for a few years now. Always quick, easy and competitive.

Barbara Stewart 4 Dec 2024

55 star rating

Hayley was brilliant 🤩 I had done everything on line & it wouldn’t let me in to do my password so Hayley sent me a link. Also she amended my cover from 3 to 4 yrs. Very pleased w…

Edward McLeod 6 Jan 2026

55 star rating

thank you, 3rd or 4th policy I bought

Richard Smok 6 Mar 2024

55 star rating

I have used Direct Gap for many years and always found them competitive, value for money and easy to deal with.

Leyon Joseph 14 Mar 2024

55 star rating

I have been in the unfortunately position to have to use this policy and can say they were very helpful through the whole process 5 stars

PHD Mail Limited 2 Nov 2025

55 star rating

I use Direct Gap for all my Company Car fleet. Easy to use website and competitive rates.

Anthony Mackenzie 14 Nov 2025

55 star rating

Full marks for very easy to use application form. Your help line was friendly and a pleasant girl gave me all the information I needed. I have purchased the Gap insurance I need no…

Graham Dickinson 13 Dec 2018

55 star rating

I chose Direct Gap because of the good reviews and that fact that they were not the cheapest. I would rather pay a little more and be sure of a company that does not try to avoid p…

A Kenny 11 Nov 2018

55 star rating

2nd vehicle covered with Direct Gap - very easy and a lot cheaper than policy offered by dealer

andy wales 18 Dec 2013

55 star rating

The salesman was helpful, clear and thorough

Louisa Horth 19 Jun 2021

55 star rating

Quick and easy to get a quote and set up insurance. Speedy service should you ever have to claim to on past experience!

Yann 28 May 2021

55 star rating

One of the easiest and clearest websites I've ever used and the cost is substantially less than that quoted by the main dealer I bought the vehicle from.

colin darley 2 Dec 2017

55 star rating

This is our second policy very easy to set up which I had it on my car which has just been written off.

FAQ

What does short term motor insurance cover?

Short term motor insurance, also known as temporary car insurance, is a fully comprehensive cover for shorter periods. This type of insurance includes coverage for loss, theft, or damage to the vehicle, accident recovery, and legal liability.

When is short term motor insurance not suitable?

Short term motor insurance may not be suitable in certain situations, such as:

  • Hiring or renting vehicles, as these require specialist insurance from the rental company.
  • Use for taxis or commercial transport of goods.

What does short term motor insurance cost?

The cost of short term motor insurance varies based on several factors, including your age, the vehicle type, and the length of the policy. Other considerations may include your driving history, such as points on your license.

Why choose Direct Gap and GoShorty to insure with?

Choosing Direct Gap and GoShorty ensures quality insurance products and excellent customer support. Our partnership with GoShorty reflects our shared values, and both companies boast exceptional reviews. Feel free to contact us or GoShorty for any questions before getting a quote or purchasing a policy.

What is the shortest time I can insure my vehicle for?

The minimum coverage period for our short term motor insurance is 1 hour.

What’s the longest time I can insure my vehicle with this insurance?

The maximum coverage period for temporary car insurance is 28 days.