Car insurance for short term use is not used in place of permanent insurance. If you need temporary cover however, while on a holiday, borrowing a car or for an additional vehicle say to move house, then this type of cover is ideal.

These are typical scenarios when it is used:

• When renting a car while on holiday
• Renting a car, truck or van to move house or move large items. Note that some vehicles require extra insurance policies to be put in place
• When you buy a new car but have not yet got your permanent insurance policy
• If your old policy has lapsed and the new one has not yet come into being
• If you want to add a new driver to your vehicle
• If you need to drive someone else’s car

This type of insurance could be slightly expensive but it makes one legally capable of driving a car without any long term commitments. Short term auto insurance policies typically don’t include cover for repairs unlike many full auto insurance policies.

Insurance for short term car usage extend from 1 day to 11 months and 30 days. Anything longer than that then becomes an annual policy.

Any class of vehicle may be used in this type of policy, but again additional fees or coverage may be required for larger, classic or more powerful vehicles.

It can be applied for by anyone over 21 years of age, and can be extended to include items such as windscreens and radios.

Applying for insurance for a shorter time frame is much quicker than acquiring a long term policy. These policies are easily available online, with websites such as EconomyWatch.com providing extensive resources on where and how to find suitable policies.

The same policies can cover multiple cars, including those you own, those you rent or those you borrow.

A wide range of policies are available, priced by day, week or month.

Short term policies can be taken even if one has an existing long term policy and will not affect redemptions or any other clauses or benefits you currently enjoy.