Question 1

How quickly can I be insured?

Accepted Answer

Most customers go from entering a registration to seeing an indicative price in under three minutes. Once you pay, we format your details into the template insurers ask for and forward the request. If an insurer accepts it, cover can start from around 15 minutes after acceptance, or at any scheduled time in the next 30 days. You are only on risk once the insurer has issued your certificate of motor insurance and policy schedule — do not drive on the strength of our estimate or a payment receipt alone. If an insurer declines, we refund the amount you paid us for the preparation of that request.

Question 2

Does temporary insurance affect the car owner's no-claims bonus?

Accepted Answer

No. A short-term policy is a standalone contract in your own name that sits alongside the owner's annual policy, rather than adding you as a named driver on it. If you have an accident, the claim is made against your temporary policy, so the owner's no-claims discount and renewal premium are not touched. This is the main reason people borrowing a friend's or a parent's car choose temporary cover instead of being added to the main policy for a weekend. The owner should still be told you are driving, and their policy must remain in force on the vehicle.

Question 3

What level of cover do I get?

Accepted Answer

The short-term policies UK insurers offer through this route are normally fully comprehensive. That typically means third-party liability to meet the Road Traffic Act minimum, plus fire, theft, accidental damage to the vehicle you are driving, windscreen cover and 24-hour claims and recovery lines run by the insurer. A compulsory excess applies to most damage claims, and you can see our optional excess and breakdown extras during the quote. The exact cover, excess and limits are set by the insurer, and its policy wording overrides anything you read on this page.

Question 4

Will the police be able to see my policy?

Accepted Answer

Yes, once the insurer has accepted the request and issued the policy. UK insurers are required to register motor policies on the Motor Insurance Database, which is what Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras and roadside checks query. Registration is usually complete within minutes of the policy being issued, but it is the insurer that files the record, not Bluebird Insurance. Keep the certificate the insurer emails you on your phone so you can show it if you are stopped before the database updates.

Question 5

Who can buy temporary cover?

Accepted Answer

Typically drivers aged 17 to 78 who are resident in the UK and hold a full or provisional UK licence, or an eligible EU or international licence held for a qualifying period. Insurers also look at your claims and conviction history, your occupation and the vehicle itself. Some combinations fall outside acceptance criteria — high-value or heavily modified cars, certain postcodes, and drivers with multiple recent fault claims or disqualifications. We tell you as early as we can in the quote rather than at the payment screen. See our eligibility notes on the how it works page.

Question 6

Can I cancel a policy?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 you have 14 days to cancel a distance-sold insurance contract, and we charge no cancellation fee on the preparation service. If the insurer has already issued cover and it has not started, you can normally get a full refund of the premium; if cover has started, the insurer refunds the unused portion, and very short policies may fall below the insurer's minimum premium. Email support@bluebirdinsurance.co.uk with your order reference and we will pass the cancellation to the insurer the same working day.

Feature	Bluebird Insurance	Annual policy
Terms from 1 hour
No impact on the owner's no-claims
Insurer documents in minutes		Usually next day
Comprehensive cover as standard
Registered on the MID by the insurer
Pay for only the days you drive
Our service fee if you cancel	None	Typically £50+

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