Temporary van insurance

Depending on the insurance provider, different eligibility criteria may apply, but as an essential first step, you will need to hold a valid driving licence.

You don’t have to be the registered owner of the van in question, you just need the owner’s permission to drive it.

Tempcover eligibility rules:

To get short-term van insurance, you must: 

• Be 17-77 years old
• Hold a UK or EU driving licence
• Have been a UK resident for the last 12 months
• Have no more than seven licence penalty points and no more than two fault claims in the past three years
• Have no disqualifications in the past two years
• Have no criminal convictions
• Have had no previous insurance policy declared void by an insurance provider.

The van to be included in the policy should be: 

• No more than 7.5 tonnes in weight
• Valued between £1,500 and £65,000
• Roadworthy with a valid MOT (unless the insurance is to cover you for taking the van to a pre-booked MOT appointment)
• Free from any modifications, unless they’re factory-fitted extras or designed for disabled drivers. Please check with Tempcover directly to find out more.

Please note: This is a broad outline of the eligibility requirements but each insurance provider on Tempcover’s panel has its own criteria, so make sure you read their Proposer’s Declaration.

Tempcover works with a panel of providers to make sure it can provide temporary insurance for as many drivers as possible. Because of this, policies may vary depending on the insurance provider. Always double check the policy wording before you buy so you know exactly what’s included.

You’ll need to check your insurance policy to see if you’re covered to drive someone else’s van or car. If you are, you may only have third-party cover. This means you’ll be covered if you injure other people or damage their vehicle or property, but if you cause an accident, you’ll be liable for any damage to your vehicle and your own injuries, which could leave you out of pocket.

Temporary van insurance gives you fully comprehensive cover so you and the van’s owner can have peace of mind.

Yes, you can be added to someone else’s van insurance policy as a named driver. But temporary insurance could be a faster and easier way to get cover in place – especially if it’s only for a few days or weeks.

Being added to someone’s policy can be expensive, especially for young van drivers. It’s often worth getting quotes for both options to see which gives you the best value.

If you own a van but only drive it occasionally – for example, for holidays, sporting events or big shopping trips – short-term insurance can be a cost-effective option.

If you don’t want to insure your van for the long periods when you’re not using it, you’ll have to keep it off the road and get a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

Hire and reward van insurance is designed for couriers, hauliers and furniture movers – anyone who moves someone else’s property as part of their business operations.

If you need hire and reward cover, standard short-term van insurance won’t cut it. You need van insurance, which considers the risks associated with this particular work, including: 

• The varied nature of the cargo
• High day-to-day mileage
• The frequency of stops during trips.

Hire and reward insurance can cover: 

• The goods you’re carrying
• Any damage caused to your van and other vehicles
• Public liability
• Employer’s liability.

Many drivers who want to borrow a van will be using one for the first time. This brings a whole new set of challenges.

Compared to driving a car, there’s more vehicle to manoeuvre and you’re sitting up higher. You also lose out on having a back window or a rear-view mirror.

This unfamiliarity can make accidents more likely, so before you get in the driver’s seat, make sure you stack the odds of a smooth ride in your favour.

Before you start driving: 

• If your journey covers unfamiliar roads, get the route set up in advance.
• Make sure anything you’re carrying is firmly secured and won’t move around as you drive.
• Check that the driver’s seat is in the right position for you and that you can reach the pedals comfortably.
• Position the mirrors so you have a clear view of the road around you.
• Get familiar with the controls – including the indicators, lights, radio and windscreen wipers – before you set off.
• Check out the gears. Many newer vans have a sixth gear for motorway driving at higher speeds to increase your miles per gallon.

Once you’re on the road: 

• A large van is usually slower to stop than a car, so make sure you anticipate hazards and give yourself extra time to brake, particularly if the van is fully loaded.
• Although sitting up higher and having larger wing mirrors gives you better visibility in some respects, remember that the lack of a rear view can create blind spots.
• With a longer, wider vehicle, cornering is more difficult. Turn more gently than you would in a car and be extra careful not to hit anything.

When you reach your destination:

• Parking a van is what sorts the novices from the professionals. Ask a passenger or even a willing passer-by to help guide you in as you reverse or parallel park into the space.
• If you haven’t got help, use your mirrors and take it slowly.
• Remember to give yourself enough room to open the doors at the back so you can unload easily.

Typically, short-term insurance gives you comprehensive cover. This means that if you have an accident, you’ve got the highest level of protection, although different policies vary depending on the insurance provider.

An added advantage of short-term van insurance is that your no claims bonus and that of the van’s owner won’t be affected.

• Temporary insurance isn’t a replacement for annual cover. If you’re looking for longer-term cover, an annual insurance policy is likely to be more cost effective.
• There’s no cover for any goods carried in or on the vehicle, so you’ll need to find a separate policy to cover those.
• Temporary cover won’t count towards a no claims bonus.
• You’ll have to pay for your policy in full before you drive off.

It’s also a good idea to keep a copy of your Insurance Certificate with you during the period of cover, in case the details aren’t immediately uploaded onto the Motor Insurance Database (MID).

Some insurance providers will offer temporary van cover for road trips in the EU too, whether that’s for business or pleasure.

If you’re comparing policies with Tempcover, make sure you select ‘carriage of your own goods in connection with your business’ if your van is being used for commercial purposes while you’re away.

Tempcover offers the minimum cover required by law for driving in the EU, rather than fully comprehensive cover. Make sure you know which countries you’re travelling to so you can make sure you get a policy that covers you.

You also need to make sure that your journey begins in the UK at the start of the policy and your van is returned there before the policy ends. If your itinerary changes, you may need to update your insurance provider as well.

Most countries in Europe no longer require you to carry a green card. For a full list of travel requirements, visit gov.uk.

If you’re planning on hiring a van for your trip, you’ll need hire van insurance instead.

No, with Tempcover only the driver named in the policy is covered. If you want another person to share the driving, they’ll need their own temporary cover policy, unless they’re already insured for the vehicle in question.

But having two separate policies isn’t a problem. They won’t interfere with each other or cause any issues with either policy.

Standard short-term van insurance doesn’t cover the release of an impounded vehicle, but it’s important to act quickly as the longer your van is impounded, the more it will cost you.

You won’t be covered for any loss or damage to a vehicle, trailer, trailer-caravan or broken-down vehicle that’s being towed by the insured van.

Yes, you can use short-term van insurance to travel to a pre-booked MOT. In any other situation, you can only drive with a valid MOT.

Yes, you can tax your van using a temporary policy and most insurance providers are quite efficient in uploading the details to the Motor Insurance Database (MID). The MID is used by the DVLA and the police. 

For a complete guide to taxing your vehicle, visit gov.uk.

Some providers may offer short-term cover for longer than 28 days, but Compare the Market doesn’t currently include them when you compare temporary van insurance.

Yes, you can easily get temporary insurance for cars as well as vans.

Again, cover is available for as little as an hour to 28 days with Tempcover. It takes just a few minutes to apply, and you can be on the road with fully comprehensive cover in minutes.