Temporary Car Insurance

As you might guess from the name, temporary car insurance is an insurance policy that is intended to remain in force on a vehicle for only a short period of time.  The most common use for this type of insurance is to cover rental cars.  Most people take the temporary insurance from the company that they are renting the car from. It is much easier and more convenient to purchase insurance at the same time you rent the car, but that usually doesn't result in the best price.

When buying coverage for a rental car, there is often cheaper and better coverage available from your current car insurance company. Your pre-existing business relationship allows them to give you a cheaper quote than you will get from the rental company.  In most cases, the insurance company will allow the temporary insurance policy to start right before your travel date and stop upon your return.  Sometimes you don't even have to buy the temporary insurance.  Coverage for rental cars is built right into some auto insurance policies, so if you have a policy with this benefit, then you are already covered.

With the rise in temporary auto insurance, there are companies offering temporary insurance for anywhere from one day up to a whole month. This type of insurance can even be used to cover stored vehicles.  This might be needed if the vehicle is being stored where it will be exposed to the elements.  However, the insurance you purchase for a vehicle that is in storage will only need to cover theft and comprehensive damage, not collision.

Be sure to shop around for the best quote if you are in the market for temporary car insurance. The price for a policy can vary from one company to the next. Your rates will also be dependent upon many factors, such as your age and driving record, which can only be taken into consideration by getting quotes from several different insurance companies.

As with regular insurance or car rentals, drivers between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five can expect to pay more for temporary insurance. If you drive only occasionally, you will often find that it makes more sense financially to purchase temporary car insurance when you are actually going to be driving. However, if you drive every day it will almost certainly be cheaper to get a regular car insurance policy.

The people who benefit the most from temporary insurance are business men or women who travel a lot and use different vehicles while away from home.  College students who live in the dorms and only drive to travel home for the school holidays would also benefit from temporary car insurance.  Temporary insurance can also be used if you purchase a new vehicle and can't get it added to your regular car insurance policy right away.