Insurance to test drive a private sale car
A private seller's own policy almost never covers you to drive their car. An hour of cover in your name means you can take the car on a proper route instead of a nervous lap of the estate.
Why the seller's insurance will not help
Private motor policies cover named drivers, not prospective buyers. Some sellers offer a 'come and drive it, you'll be fine' assurance that simply is not true — if you crash, neither of you is covered and the liability is personal.
Dealers carry motor trade policies that extend to test drives; private sellers do not. If you are buying privately, the cover has to come from you.
Drive it like you mean to own it
A meaningful test drive includes a dual carriageway, a hill start, full lock in both directions and a hard brake from speed. You cannot judge a clutch or a gearbox from five minutes at 20mph, and having your own cover removes the pressure to keep it short.
If you buy the car
Buy a second short policy — usually a day — to drive it home, then arrange annual cover once the car is on your driveway. Our page on insuring a car you have just bought walks through that step.
Frequently asked questions
Other reasons people buy short-term cover
Send your details to insurers in three minutes
Enter your registration and the dates you need. We prepare your details and pass them to insurers, who decide whether to offer cover.
Get an indicative estimate