Take a car to the EU for up to 28 days

Temporary European Car Insurance

Short-term cover for a UK car on a European trip. The legal minimum for the country you are in comes with any UK policy; what the insurer adds, and on what conditions, is in the policy.

Up to 28 days, cars only
Check the policy before you go
Legal minimum abroad, by law

In partnership with GoShorty

FCA-regulated cover

Every policy is arranged by an authorised UK insurance broker
1 hour to 28 days

One policy, any length in between, no annual contract
Certificate emailed to you

Your policy number and documents, minutes after paying
MID updated four times a day

So a roadside check shows the vehicle as insured

What Is Temporary European Car Insurance?

Temporary European car insurance is a short-term policy that lets you take a UK car to the EU for up to 28 days, with the legal minimum abroad that every UK policy carries, and anything more set by the insurer.

You are going on a trip and want to drive there, rather than fly and hire. The car might be your own with a policy that does not extend abroad, or a car you are borrowing for the holiday. Either way, you need cover that works on the other side of the Channel.

This is a version of temporary car insurance, with two things that matter more than anything else on the page: abroad the cover is the legal minimum for the country unless the insurer’s wording gives more, and some insurers require the journey to start and end in the UK.

What Is the Problem With Driving Abroad?

Your car must be insured in every country you drive through, your licence must be accepted there, and the car must carry the right identifiers and documents.

Insurance is only one of four things to get right. GOV.UK’s guide to driving in the EU lists the others: your driving licence, any International Driving Permit, the vehicle’s registration documents and the UK identifier on the car.

Insurance

GOV.UK says all UK vehicle insurance provides the minimum third party cover to drive in the EU, including Ireland, and in several other European countries. It also says to check with your insurer if your policy has extra cover for things like theft or damage to your car abroad. That is the point to remember with temporary cover too.

Documents

If you are taking your own vehicle abroad, GOV.UK says to take your V5C log book and your insurance certificate. For a vehicle you have hired or leased in the UK, you need a VE103 certificate. Rental and hire cars are not permitted on this product, so that is not the case here.

The law at home

A policy that works in France does not change what happens if the car is stopped in the UK without cover. GOV.UK sets out the penalties: a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points, or a court case with an unlimited fine or a disqualification.

What Does the Cover Look Like Abroad?

Abroad it is the legal minimum for the country you are in unless the insurer’s wording gives more, which may be less than UK third party cover, and some insurers require the journey to start and end in the UK.

At the legal minimum, cover abroad is third party only, which means damage you cause to other people and their property, not damage to the car you are driving or theft of it. That is a real change from the UK policy, which is comprehensive as standard.

Two practical consequences follow. First, if you want the car itself protected, think about breakdown cover and other optional extras, and do not assume the policy gives it to you. Second, the limit is the legal minimum for that country, so for a long trip through several countries you cannot assume the figure is the same as in the UK.

Some insurers require the journey to start and end in the UK, so a car that is already abroad, or that you plan to leave there, is unlikely to fit.

Ready when you are

Cover the car for your European trip.

Just the registration to begin. Comprehensive in the UK, one hour to 28 days.

Get Quotes

How Do You Get Temporary European Car Insurance?

Enter the registration, say who is driving and when, choose the length up to 28 days, then check the quote and the policy wording before you buy.

1
Enter the registration

The number plate is enough to start. It pulls up the make, model and value of the car. Cars only, so a van is quoted separately.
2
Say who is driving and when

Your licence details, your address and the start time. Cover can start within minutes of paying, or you can set it for the day you leave. If the car is not yours, you need the owner’s permission to take it abroad.
3
Choose the length

Up to 28 days on one policy. Allow for the journey out, the time you spend there and the journey back, with a day or two of slack, because the policy ends at the time you set.
4
Check it, then buy

Read what is covered abroad, what the excess is and what the optional extras add. The certificate is emailed once you pay. Cover exists only once the policy is issued and you hold the certificate, so do not drive on the strength of a quote.

Do You Need an International Driving Permit?

If you hold a UK photocard licence, GOV.UK says you do not need an International Driving Permit to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein.

That changes if your licence is on paper. GOV.UK says you might need an IDP to drive in some EU countries and Norway if you have a paper driving licence, or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. The GOV.UK table of countries says which type applies, and some countries set their own conditions on top.

The rules vary by country and can change, so check the page for the country you are visiting before you leave, and check with the embassy if the table is unclear. The same groups are likely to need one: paper licences and licences from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.

What About the Green Card and the UK Sticker?

GOV.UK says you do not need a green card to drive in the EU, and you must display the UK identifier on the car, with a sticker if the number plate does not already carry it.

On the green card, GOV.UK’s EU driving guidance says you do not need to carry one when you drive in the EU, including Ireland, and in Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia or Switzerland. It adds that you still need valid vehicle insurance. For other countries, it says to check what you need before you drive.

On the sticker, the same guidance says you must display the UK identifier when driving a UK-registered vehicle abroad. A plate that includes the UK identifier with the Union flag does not need a sticker. A plate with a GB identifier with the Union flag, a Euro symbol or a similar mark needs a UK sticker clearly displayed on the rear. Check your own plate before you go.

How Much Does It Cost?

From £46.59 for one week and £54.11 for two weeks of temporary car cover, with no figure published for 28 days. Your own quote depends on the car, the driver and the length.

Those are for the standard car product, and they are floors, not typical prices. What moves the price is the same as on any motor policy, and the four things that matter most are below.

What sets your price

1 The car Value, group and whether it is a model insurers see claims on.
2 The driver Age, licence history, claims and convictions.
3 The length The number of days sets the price.
4 The start time Cover starting at an unusual hour is priced differently from daytime cover.

Starting prices on this page are GoShorty’s published from-prices, based on quotes from December 2025 to May 2026. A starting price is the lowest sold to anyone, not a typical price, and every quote is individual. Source: GoShorty’s published prices.

Who Can Get It, and What If You Are Going for Longer?

Drivers aged 17 to 75 with a full UK licence, in a car worth up to £65,000, for up to 28 days, with the minimum age and the value band varying by insurer; for longer, plan other cover before you leave.

The car must meet the standard criteria for temporary car cover, including a valid MOT and no SORN status, and the car cannot be a hire car, an import, left-hand drive or modified. For the shortest trips, hours are available, but a trip to Europe is more likely to be weekly car insurance or monthly car insurance, which runs up to 28 days. Motorhomes have their own cover, described under temporary motorhome insurance.

For drivers with an EU or EEA licence living in the UK, see non-UK licence insurance for which licences are accepted. The policy has its own certificate and policy number, it is reported to the Motor Insurance Database, and policies never renew by themselves. There is no refund once cover has started.

Before you start

Can you get it?

If you and the car fit these criteria, a quote is likely.

The driver

Aged 17 to 75, minimum age depending on the insurer
A full UK licence from the DVLA or DVA, or an EU or EEA licence with at least 12 months of UK residence
A permanent UK address
Never had insurance refused, cancelled or voided
Points and convictions declared on the form and priced within each insurer's limits

The car

Worth between £500 and £65,000, with each insurer setting its own band
A valid MOT, and not declared SORN, unless you are driving to a pre-booked MOT
Up to 3.5 tonnes and no more than seven seats
Not a hire or rental vehicle, and not held by the police
Not imported, left-hand drive or modified, apart from factory options or mobility adaptations

Criteria are set by each insurer on the broker’s panel and vary between them. Acceptance is always the insurer’s decision.

Questions

Temporary European Car Insurance: FAQs

What is temporary European car insurance?

It is a short-term car policy that lets you take a UK car to the EU for up to 28 days. Abroad, every UK policy gives the minimum legal cover for the country you are in; whether the insurer gives more, and any conditions such as the journey starting and ending in the UK, depend on the insurer and are in the policy wording.

How long can I be away?

Up to 28 days on one policy, which is the longest single temporary policy. The policy can run from one hour, but a trip to Europe will normally be days. If you want longer, you would need to plan the cover before you leave, since a policy cannot be stretched once it has ended.

Is the cover abroad the same as in the UK?

Not usually. By law every UK policy gives the minimum legal cover for the country, which may be lower than UK third party, and whether the insurer gives more depends on the insurer. Do not assume damage to the car you are driving is covered. Read the policy wording and plan for this before you travel.

Do I need a green card?

GOV.UK says you do not need a green card to drive in the EU, including Ireland, and several other European countries. You still need valid vehicle insurance. Carry the policy certificate, and check the GOV.UK page for countries outside that list.

Do I need an International Driving Permit?

GOV.UK says you do not need one to drive in the EU if you hold a UK photocard licence. You might need one for some EU countries and Norway if you hold a paper licence, or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. Check before you go.

Do I need a UK sticker?

GOV.UK says you must display the UK identifier on a UK-registered vehicle abroad. If your number plate already has the UK identifier with the Union flag, you do not need a sticker. Other plates need a UK sticker on the rear of the car.

Who can get this cover?

Drivers aged 17 to 75 with a full UK licence, driving a car worth up to £65,000, with the minimum age and the value band varying by insurer. Cars only, so vans have their own product. The car must meet the standard criteria for temporary car cover, including a valid MOT and no SORN status.

How much does it cost?

From £46.59 for one week and £54.11 for two weeks of temporary car cover, on the broker’s published prices. There is no published figure for 28 days, and your quote depends on you and the car.

Does it cost anything to get a quote?

No. Getting a quote is free and you are under no obligation to buy. We may be paid a fee by the broker if someone takes out a policy after being introduced by us. It does not change the price you are quoted.

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