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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

Lee Haworth 28 Sep 2025

55 star rating

Excellent. Easy to buy. Much cheaper than dealership GAP

Alpesh Patel 23 Oct 2025

55 star rating

Great service this would be the 5th time now

Isabelle Salami 20 Apr 2024

55 star rating

Friendly customer service. Answered my queries politely and professionally. No complaints and would recommend!

Phillip Bee 27 Sep 2025

55 star rating

Great company, easy to use customer portal. Been using this company for about 8 years now.

Liam Boyle 6 Nov 2025

55 star rating

1st - GREAT! price 2nd - quick and easy 3rd - did i mention the GREAT pricing?

Craig Richards 7 Nov 2025

55 star rating

Existing customer, easy to use portal, and helpful staff

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…

Nadiya Davies 23 Apr 2024

44 star rating

Hayley was brilliant over the phone!

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

jennifer Savage 10 Oct 2025

55 star rating

so easy , called the office as well to check something very helpful staff . impressed!

Carolyn Lyle 16 Sep 2025

55 star rating

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

David Smith 18 Nov 2025

55 star rating

Great service and Hayley was very helpful when I phoned for more information, thank you.

Paul Chattenton 24 Oct 2025

55 star rating

Very straight forward to arrange and actually cheaper than I expected.

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…

Katie Sharp 3 Sep 2025

55 star rating

Great support on the phone earlier :)

Stephen Webb 10 Nov 2025

55 star rating

I've used Direct Gap for my previous vehicle, so it was an obvious choice for the new car.

Heather Smith 28 Oct 2025

55 star rating

Used several times only claimed once due to car being stolen, excellent customer service and speedy service in payment

Edward McLeod 6 Jan 2026

55 star rating

thank you, 3rd or 4th policy I bought

Mr Imran Khattak 23 Dec 2013

55 star rating

simple website, with clear information

Rob Hannah 18 Dec 2013

55 star rating

Combination of site (presentation / functionality / customer journey) and product at the price. Good use of your independant five star rating ;)

Jonathan Hawkins 5 Feb 2021

55 star rating

Really good price and better value than other companies. I used the phone service and the agent was so helpful and gave lots of advice. Very easy to buy and excellent to see differ…

DAVE DAVIERS 2 Mar 2019

55 star rating

2ND POLICY NOW NEVER THOUGHT I'D USE FIRST ONE BUT SO GLAD I HAD IT AS CAR WRITTEN OFF AFTER 4 MONTHS. DIRECT GAP PAID OUT DIFFERENCE TO INSURERS VALUATION AND THIS COVERED COST OF…

Helen Lawrence 4 Jun 2021

55 star rating

These guys are very help full with any questions and made me feel at ease with my purchase of this insurance

Ashley Griffiths 19 Jan 2019

55 star rating

I am a returning customer and have always received a great service when changing plates or vehicles. Great company with extremely competitive prices!

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.