Table of Contents:
Temporary Car Insurance Ireland
Temporary car insurance provides short term car insurance (from a few hours to 30 days).
Temporary car insurance provides short term car insurance (from a few hours to 30 days), which is useful in situations where you may need to drive for a certain period but do not need a car longer term day to day, e.g. moving house, or borrowing a car from a friend.
However, there is very limited availability of this type of standalone temporary car insurance in Ireland as it exists in other markets, the UK or the US for example.
In Ireland, rather than standalone cover, protection for short term driving is provided by amendments to existing full time or year long policies in the main.
Is Temporary Car Insurance Available in Ireland?
Temporary car insurance has very limited availability in Ireland as a standalone product. However, there are options if you need shorter term cover to drive here.
Generally short term cover is provided by amending an existing annual car insurance policy or by benefits that may already be included in an annual car insurance policy.
You can be listed as a named driver, or an additional driver, on a family member or friend’s policy by the main driver on the policy.
You can be added to a policy as a named driver for a short term duration(such as up to 28 days), or for the remainder of the policy term on an annual policy. Typically the cost is covered by an increase in the existing premium or in the monthly payment if the main driver pays monthly.
Typically in this scenario, you will enjoy the same level of cover as the main driver, so you would have cover for third party damage and liability, fire and theft, and for accidental damage to the car you are driving on a comprehensive policy.
You may need to drive a car other than your own for a short period, such as when your own car is undergoing repairs or you wish to drive a small, personal van belonging to a friend or family member to move house, for example.
In this situation, it is possible to substitute your existing car (covered by your own annual policy) with another on the same policy.
Some car insurance policies, usually comprehensive policies, already provide cover for driving a temporary car if your own car is undergoing repairs as a standard benefit. You will still need to contact your insurer and give them the details of the temporary car in any event.
Your own annual car insurance policy may protect you to drive other cars without having to make specific arrangements with their insurer. This is often a standard benefit in comprehensive and third party, fire, and theft policies.
Be aware though, that when driving a car other than your own, your cover may be limited to third party cover only. This means that damage to your own vehicle, fire damage, and theft or attempted theft of your vehicle will not be protected.
If you wish to drive another person’s car, they may have an open drive benefit on their annual insurance, which would allow you to do so without them having to call their insurance company and add you specifically.
Open drive is usually a premium additional option, often only available with comprehensive policies. You will also need to meet certain criteria and have the explicit permission of the vehicle’s owner to drive their vehicle.
As with driving other cars benefit, you may not be covered to drive with fully comprehensive cover, cover may be limited to third party only, so it’s important to check before driving.
Hire & Reward Cover, also known as ‘pay as you go’ insurance in Ireland, is specifically designed for delivery riders who require hire and reward insurance for their work-related hours. Hire & Reward Cover is usually used in conjunction with your annual S,D&P (social, domestic and pleasure) car insurance.
On the other hand, Temporary Car Insurance generally relates to short term cover for borrowing a car, adding a named driver to your policy or replacing a vehicle on an existing annual policy for a short period of time.
If you’re looking for Delivery Rider/Courier Insurance coverage, please refer to our Pay As You Go Car Insurance page.
Who Needs Temporary Car Insurance?
Whether or not you have your own vehicle, there are several scenarios where temporary car insurance may be useful. Some of these may include:
Borrowing a family member or friend’s car. Whether or not you own your own car, there may be a situation where you need to borrow another car, such as swapping cars with a relative who has a larger car for a touring holiday, for example.
Repairs – if your own car is undergoing repair in a garage or where a garage is awaiting a part for your car and repairs take longer than expected, you may need cover on a replacement or courtesy car.
Adult children who return home may wish to borrow your car for a time.
Illness – if a family member or friend is ill or has a minor injury and needs your help to get around.
Collecting or delivering a vehicle – if you have recently purchased a new car and need to bring it home from the dealers.
Test driving a car when test driving a car sold by a private seller (generally car dealerships have garage insurance that would cover your driving).
Moving house when you don’t have your own vehicle it may suit you to borrow one when moving house.
Holidays – if you are planning a driving holiday, then you may wish to share the driving with a companion who can be insured as a temporary or named driver on your policy or vice versa.
Requirements for Temporary Car Cover
In order to be eligible for any of the types of temporary car cover in Ireland, you may need to meet certain requirements:
- Have a full Irish, EU, or UK driving licence, with the exception of named driver cover which is available to drivers on a learner permit.
- Policy benefits such as temporary driver cover, driving other cars benefit, or open drive benefit may not be available to younger drivers (under age 25 or 30) even on their own policy or may be prohibitively expensive and will almost never be available to learner drivers.
- The car must be fully taxed and have a valid NCT certificate.
- The car must be registered in Ireland.
- You may need the vehicle owner’s explicit permission.
- Open drive benefit may be restricted to drivers aged over 25 (or even 30), with a full Irish, EU, or UK licence and penalty points below a certain limit.
How Much Does it Cost for Temporary Car Insurance in Ireland?
As standalone temporary car insurance is rarely available in Ireland, amendments to annual policies can bring certain costs.
You may need to pay an administrative charge in the region of €15 to €30 for making a change to a policy before renewal.
If you are driving a temporary car that has a higher value or is more powerful than your own, you may pay an additional premium. This may be added to your existing monthly direct debits if you pay monthly until the renewal date.
Temporary Car Insurance FAQs
In Ireland there is no grace period, you must immediately insure your new car with a minimum of third party insurance for it to be legal to drive on an Irish road.
You can often arrange cover almost immediately online, via an insurance company app, or over the phone, especially if you have an existing car insurance policy.
It may also be possible, if you have a time period between buying the car and collecting it from the garage, to arrange insurance where the cover starts at a set time before you drive the new car. This is useful where you do not already have insurance in your own name.
If you have an existing car insurance policy, it can be done very promptly via your insurer’s app or over the phone, you can get email confirmation almost instantly.
Similar to getting temporary cover for another car, it is a relatively straightforward process to add a driver to your current policy.
You can add a driver via the insurance company app, or over the phone, but will need to call your insurer if you are adding a learner driver, a young driver, or a driver who may have previous claims.
In order to add a driver to your policy you will, since 2025, need their driver number (section 4d in the driving licence), the type of licence (full licence or learner permit), details of any claims, convictions, or penalty points they have had, and their occupation.
This depends on why your car is off the road. If it is being temporarily repaired, it is easy to get cover for a temporary vehicle.
If you have declared your car ‘off the road’ to avoid paying motor tax you must tax the car for the period you intend to use it on a public road and you would also need to have a valid NCT certificate. You will then need to purchase an annual car insurance policy in order to drive legally on a public Irish road.
No, a rental car and your driving is generally covered by the terms of your car hire contract. However, the excess on such cover can be high and it is possible to purchase insurance to protect you against paying this excess.
Pay as you go type car rental (such as GoCar) generally includes insurance cover for the duration of your trip.
Get a Car Insurance Quote
Takes less than 3 minutes | Secure & Independent
- Comparing quotes from top providers
- Finding affordable coverage for your needs
- Getting advice from licensed experts
- Saving more with exclusive deals
