To borrow a friend's or family member's car you must be insured to drive it: either named on the owner's policy, or covered by your own temporary policy. A separate temporary policy, from 1 hour to 60 days with Veygo, means any claim does not touch the owner's no-claims bonus (October 2026).
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED To borrow a friend's or family member's car you must be insured to drive it: either named on the owner's policy, or covered by your own temporary policy. A separate temporary policy, from 1 hour to 60 days with Veygo, means any claim does not touch the owner's no-claims bonus (October 2026).
- It is illegal to drive a vehicle on a road without at least third-party insurance; the police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points, and a court can impose an unlimited fine and a driving ban.
- Veygo temporary car insurance runs from 1 hour to 60 days, is fully comprehensive, is a separate policy that protects the car owner's no-claims bonus, and can be extended.
- Veygo says the car owner does not need their own insurance for the borrower to be covered under a Veygo policy.
- For cover of 24 hours or less, Veygo prices start at £18.30 for full licence holders (average £29) and £16.20 for learners (average £25).
KEY FACTS
- It is illegal to drive a vehicle on a road without at least third-party insurance; the police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points, and a court can impose an unlimited fine and a driving ban.
- Veygo temporary car insurance runs from 1 hour to 60 days, is fully comprehensive, is a separate policy that protects the car owner's no-claims bonus, and can be extended.
- Veygo says the car owner does not need their own insurance for the borrower to be covered under a Veygo policy.
- For cover of 24 hours or less, Veygo prices start at £18.30 for full licence holders (average £29) and £16.20 for learners (average £25).
- In a OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Veygo (March 2025), 22% were not aware temporary car insurance exists.
Your options when borrowing a car
Driving without at least third-party insurance is illegal. The police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points, while a court can impose an unlimited fine and a driving ban. If a car owner adds a borrower as a named driver to their own policy, the borrower is covered while driving that car, though any claim can affect the owner's no-claims bonus.
A separate temporary policy is another route. Veygo temporary car insurance runs from 1 hour to 60 days, is fully comprehensive, and protects the car owner's no-claims bonus. Veygo says the car owner does not need their own insurance for the borrower to be covered under a Veygo policy. For cover of 24 hours or less, Veygo prices start at £18.30 for full licence holders, with an average of £29, and £16.20 for learners, with an average of £25.
Awareness of this option is limited. In a OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Veygo in March 2025, 22% were not aware temporary car insurance exists. Veygo's Trustpilot product and service scores both stood at 4.6 out of 5 in October 2026. Prices are Veygo's own data as of October 2026 and vary by driver, car and duration.
Whose policy pays after a claim
When a borrower has their own comprehensive policy that allows driving other cars, a claim can be made on that policy. The owner's policy may also respond if the borrower is a named driver or if the owner holds cover permitting any driver. Where a Veygo temporary policy is in place, the claim is made on that separate policy. Veygo says the car owner does not need their own insurance for the borrower to be covered under a Veygo policy.
A claim on the owner's policy can affect the owner's no-claims bonus, even if the borrower was driving. A separate temporary policy protects the car owner's no-claims bonus because the claim sits with the borrower's own cover. Veygo temporary car insurance is fully comprehensive and can be extended.
Driving without at least third-party insurance is illegal. The police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points, and a court can impose an unlimited fine and a driving ban. Veygo's data from October 2026 shows temporary cover from 1 hour to 60 days, with 24 hours or less starting at £18.30 for full licence holders and £16.20 for learners.
What a day's cover costs
For cover of 24 hours or less, Veygo prices start at £18.30 for full licence holders, with an average of £29. For learners, prices start at £16.20, with an average of £25. This is Veygo's data from October 2026. Prices vary by driver, car and duration.
Veygo temporary car insurance runs from 1 hour to 60 days and is fully comprehensive. It is a separate policy that protects the car owner's no-claims bonus, and it can be extended. Veygo says the car owner does not need their own insurance for the borrower to be covered under a Veygo policy.
It is illegal to drive a vehicle on a road without at least third-party insurance. The police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points, and a court can impose an unlimited fine and a driving ban. In a OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Veygo in March 2025, 22% were not aware temporary car insurance exists. Veygo's Trustpilot product and service scores both stood at 4.6 out of 5 in October 2026.
The legal position
It is illegal to drive a vehicle on a road without at least third party insurance. The police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points, and a court can impose an unlimited fine and a driving ban. This applies to any driver, including someone borrowing a car for a single trip. The car owner's policy may not cover another driver, so a borrower cannot assume they are insured.
Temporary car insurance is a separate policy that covers a named borrower for a set period. Veygo's temporary car insurance runs from 1 hour to 60 days, is fully comprehensive, and protects the car owner's no-claims bonus. Veygo says the car owner does not need their own insurance for the borrower to be covered under a Veygo policy. For cover of 24 hours or less, Veygo prices start at £18.30 for full licence holders, with an average of £29, and £16.20 for learners, with an average of £25. This is Veygo's data from October 2026 and prices vary by driver, car and duration.
How one provider does it: Veygo
To show how this works in practice, here is how Veygo, part of Admiral Group, handles it. Veygo is a Featured Partner of Kael Tripton; the figures are its own data as of October 2026.
- Veygo temporary car insurance runs from 1 hour to 60 days, is fully comprehensive, is a separate policy that protects the car owner's no-claims bonus, and can be extended.
- Veygo says the car owner does not need their own insurance for the borrower to be covered under a Veygo policy.
- For cover of 24 hours or less, Veygo prices start at £18.30 for full licence holders (average £29) and £16.20 for learners (average £25).
- In a OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Veygo (March 2025), 22% were not aware temporary car insurance exists.
Featured Partner: Veygo is a paid partner of Kael Tripton. Veygo by Admiral is a trading name of Able Insurance Services Limited (company number 2890075), a subsidiary of Admiral Group plc, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference 311649). Prices and figures are Veygo's own data as of October 2026. Our editorial, rankings and conclusions are independent of this partnership.
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DISCLAIMER
General information, not financial advice. Cover terms vary by insurer, driver and car; check the policy wording before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive my friend's car on my own insurance?
Only if your policy specifically covers driving other cars, which many no longer do. Otherwise you need to be named on their policy or buy separate cover.
Will borrowing a car affect the owner's no-claims bonus?
Not if you are on a separate temporary policy, because a claim is made on that policy.
How long can temporary cover last?
From 1 hour up to 60 days with Veygo.
How much is a day's cover?
Veygo's cover for up to 24 hours starts at £18.30 for full licence holders, average £29 (October 2026).
Do people know this cover exists?
In a Veygo-commissioned OnePoll survey (March 2025), 22% of UK adults were not aware temporary car insurance exists.
SOURCES
- GOV.UK: Vehicle insurance - accessed 11 October 2026
- Veygo: product page - accessed 11 October 2026
- FCA Financial Services Register (firm 311649) - accessed 11 October 2026
Start here: Temporary car insurance in the UK: how it works, costs and who it suits.
