📅 Can I get car insurance for just one day?

Not from major U.S. insurers. The closest you can get is rental car insurance or buying a regular policy and canceling after a day. Websites advertising "one-day insurance" are usually scams or will just sell you a six-month policy.

💰 What's the cheapest way to get short-term coverage?

It depends on your situation. For borrowing a car occasionally, using the owner's insurance is free. For frequent borrowing or renting, non-owner insurance may be cheapest. For rental cars, check your credit card coverage first.

🚗 Can I drive someone else's car without insurance?

Yes, as long as they have insurance and give you permission. Their policy typically covers you through permissive use. But if you borrow cars regularly, you should either be added to their policy or get your own non-owner insurance.

📊 Will short-term coverage affect my insurance history?

It can. Very short policies might look like gaps in coverage to future insurers, which could raise your rates. Non-owner insurance helps maintain continuous coverage if you're between cars.

✈️ What about international trips?

U.S. car insurance generally doesn't work abroad. Many policies extend to Canada, but not Mexico or overseas. For international driving, you'll typically need to buy coverage locally or through the rental company. Some travel insurance policies also include rental car coverage.

🛣️ Is pay-per-mile insurance worth it?

If you drive less than 10,000 miles a year, probably yes. Some drivers save compared to traditional policies. But if you drive regularly, the per-mile charges add up and traditional insurance is likely cheaper.

Updated December 18, 2025

Temporary Car Insurance: What Your Options Are

Temporary Car Insurance: What Your Options Are

Unfortunately, true temporary car insurance, like a policy for just a day or a week, doesn’t really exist in the U.S. Major insurers don’t sell standalone short-term policies. The shortest you’ll typically find is six months.

But don’t worry. If you only need coverage for a short time, there are legitimate workarounds that can get you covered without locking you into a long-term commitment.

Jerry has helped 126,382 drivers get car insurance quickly, including those who may only need it temporarily. Here’s what your options are.

Jerry pulls up to 20 quotes from top rated carriers.

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Buy a regular policy and cancel it early

This is the most straightforward workaround if you own a car but only need coverage for a month or two.

Here’s how it works:

📱Buy a standard policy from a major insurer. You can do this quickly using the Jerry app.

🛡️ Use the coverage for as long as you need it.

💵 Cancel when you’re done and get a car insurance refund for any coverage you paid for but didn’t use, minus any cancellation fees.

This may not be the best option if:

You don’t want to pay upfront or wait 7-30 days for a refund.
You need coverage that kicks in immediately (some insurers have waiting periods).
You’re worried about having an insurance lapse on your record, which can raise car insurance rates in the future.

Jerry recommends: Need coverage for just a month or two? Buy a standard policy through Jerry, use it as long as you need, then cancel for a prorated refund – just watch out for cancellation fees and potential insurance gaps.

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Borrow someone’s car and be covered by their insurance

Here’s something a lot of people don’t know: if you borrow a friend or family member’s car with their permission, their insurance usually covers you.

This is called “permissive use”, and it’s built into most standard car insurance policies. As long as the car’s owner says you can drive it, you’re covered under their policy if something happens.

This option will work if:

You only borrow their car occasionally, typically less than 12 times a year.
You don’t live at the same address as the car’s owner.
The owner has given you permission.
You’re not specifically excluded from their policy.

This won’t work if:

You live with the car’s owner, since you should instead be listed on their policy.
You borrow the car regularly, typically 12 times a year or more..
Their policy specifically excludes permissive use
Their policy names you as an excluded driver.

Key takeaway: If you borrow someone else’s car occasionally, the owner’s insurance usually covers you. Just make sure you have permission, don’t live together and aren’t excluded from their policy.

Learn more: Can you drive someone else’s car?

Get non-owner insurance if you regularly drive others’ cars

If you don’t own a car but drive regularly, a non-owner insurance policy gives you your own liability coverage. However, It won’t pay for damage to the car you’re driving.

A non-owner policy could be right if you:

Rent cars frequently.
Regularly borrow cars.
Don’t want an insurance lapse.

Key takeaway: If you drive often but don’t own a car, a non-owner policy may be right for you. It provides liability coverage for rentals and borrowed cars, plus keeps your insurance history intact.

Get added to someone’s policy

If you’re going to be driving a friend or family member’s car regularly for a while, the simplest solution might be for them to add you to their policy.

This gives you the same coverage as the car’s owner, and is often cheaper than getting your own policy. When the situation changes, they can simply remove you.

This may be a good fit for:

College students home for the summer.
Family visiting for an extended stay.
Temporarily using a family member’s car while yours is being repaired.
Sharing driving duties during a long road trip.

This may not work if:

The owner is worried about their premium increasing if you’re listed on the policy.
The owner doesn’t want a potential accident you cause to appear on their insurance record.

Key takeaway: If you’re driving someone’s car regularly, getting added to their policy gives you coverage and is often cheaper than getting your own. They can remove you when you’re no longer using their car regularly.

Get pay-per-mile insurance if you rarely drive

If you own a car but barely drive it, pay-per-mile insurance might be perfect. Instead of paying a flat monthly premium, you pay a small base rate plus a few cents for every mile you drive.

This isn’t “temporary” insurance in the traditional sense, but it effectively gives you cheaper coverage if you’re only using your car occasionally.

How it works:

💵 You pay a monthly base rate.

🛣️ You then pay a per-mile rate for every mile you drive. There’s typically a daily mileage cap so you don’t overpay.

📱 Miles are tracked through a device that plugs into your car or by a mobile app.

Jerry recommends: Pay-per-mile insurance is typically best if you drive under 10,000 miles a year. If you drive more than that, traditional car insurance is probably more affordable.

Jerry can get you covered today

Do you need coverage quickly? Jerry makes it easy to find the right solution for your situation – whether that’s a standard policy you can cancel later or non-owner insurance.

Just download the Jerry app, answer a few questions and Jerry will show you side-by-side quotes in minutes. You can then buy your policy and get covered. The whole process takes just a few minutes.

It only takes 2 minutes to sign up at Jerry.

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faq

📅 Can I get car insurance for just one day?

Not from major U.S. insurers. The closest you can get is rental car insurance or buying a regular policy and canceling after a day. Websites advertising “one-day insurance” are usually scams or will just sell you a six-month policy.
💰 What’s the cheapest way to get short-term coverage?

It depends on your situation. For borrowing a car occasionally, using the owner’s insurance is free. For frequent borrowing or renting, non-owner insurance may be cheapest. For rental cars, check your credit card coverage first.
🚗 Can I drive someone else’s car without insurance?

Yes, as long as they have insurance and give you permission. Their policy typically covers you through permissive use. But if you borrow cars regularly, you should either be added to their policy or get your own non-owner insurance.
📊 Will short-term coverage affect my insurance history?

It can. Very short policies might look like gaps in coverage to future insurers, which could raise your rates. Non-owner insurance helps maintain continuous coverage if you’re between cars.
✈️ What about international trips?

U.S. car insurance generally doesn’t work abroad. Many policies extend to Canada, but not Mexico or overseas. For international driving, you’ll typically need to buy coverage locally or through the rental company. Some travel insurance policies also include rental car coverage.
🛣️ Is pay-per-mile insurance worth it?

If you drive less than 10,000 miles a year, probably yes. Some drivers save compared to traditional policies. But if you drive regularly, the per-mile charges add up and traditional insurance is likely cheaper.

Methodology

Data included in this analysis comes from policies that Jerry has quoted within the last 6 months for drivers with a clean record and that have full coverage, unless stated otherwise. Data related to violations, accidents or credit scores pull from quote data from the last 18 months. Jerry services 48 states and offers a range of insurance companies to choose from.

Expert-driven. Built for you.

Our experts

Ben Moore

Ben Moore is a writer and editor at Jerry and an auto insurance expert. He previously worked as a writer, editor and content strategist on NerdWallet’s auto insurance team for five years. His work has been published in The Associated Press, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, MarketWatch, Nasdaq and Yahoo News. He also served as a NerdWallet spokesperson, with appearances on local broadcast television and quotes in Martha Stewart and Real Simple magazine.

Ben has an extensive background in digital marketing, working on affiliate and programmatic advertising campaigns for brands like Cabela’s, H&R Block and Sears. He holds a bachelors degree in marketing from Olivet Nazarene University.

^†Over the past 12 months, 25% of drivers who switched with Jerry paid $89 or less per month. Not all customers find savings. Savings depend on state, policy features, coverage, driving history and other factors.

Editorial Note: This article was written by a paid member of Jerry’s editorial team. Statements in this article do not constitute advice or recommendations. You should consult with an insurance professional about your specific circumstances and needs before making any insurance decisions.