There’s nothing quite like buying a new car. With all the excitement it can be easy to forget about the practical things you need to do, like sorting out drive away insurance.
Can I drive a new car home without insurance in the UK?
You’ll need to have insurance to drive your new car home, no matter how short the journey is. If you’ve already got your annual policy in place, that will cover you to drive home. If not, you’ll need to take out a drive away insurance policy.
Can I drive a new car home without tax?
It’s illegal to drive a vehicle without tax so it’s important to make sure it’s sorted before you pick up your car. If you’re buying a new car from a dealership, they should sort out tax for you, so all you’ll need to organise is your insurance.
If you’re buying a used car, the road tax is not transferred from the old owner to you. You’ve got to tax your new car in your name before you can drive it home. You can do this online here.
What does drive away insurance mean?
Drive away insurance means you don’t have to sort out your annual insurance policy before taking your new car home. It’s a temporary insurance option that enables you to pick up your new car easily and with confidence.
When do you need drive away insurance?
Whether you’re buying your car from a car dealer or a private seller, you’ll need insurance from the moment you start driving. Drive away insurance is a great option If you’ve bought a new car and can’t wait to start driving, but don’t have annual insurance sorted yet. You’ll need to get temporary cover:
- If you’re insurance hasn’t transferred over to your new car yet
- If you want some time to shop around for the best deal on annual insurance
- If you’re in a rush to pick up a new car from a private seller
How long do you need?
Drive away insurance is flexible so you only pay for what you need. If you only need insurance to get you from the dealership to home you can buy hourly insurance. Or if you need a little longer to sort out your annual insurance policy you can buy daily, weekly or monthly car insurance.
How does it work?
With our temporary insurance, you can get cover to drive your new car home from 1 hour up to 60 days. You can go through our speedy insurance quote engine and get instant cover, making it ideal for impulse purchases. Get a quote on your phone and you could be on the road in minutes. Or, if you prefer to plan ahead you can book cover in advance. Our temporary car insurance is fully comprehensive so you can relax and enjoy the drive.
What will you need to get drive away cover?
- A full UK driving license
- Be aged 17-75 (If you’re 17-21 you’ll need to have held your license for at least 6 months)
- Insuring a car that’s less than 30 years old