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Buying temporary car insurance

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Khatir Soltani

You can take out temporary car insurance in France for short periods only.

Temporary insurance has the same legal validity as traditional policies that are generally valid for one year. Each year, drivers need to pay for the policy and either stay with their insurance company or switch to a new one. However, many motorists have other needs and for them there are different products, such as temporary auto insurance.

This is a newly created service that insurers have started to offer in France. At this point in time, not all large companies have taken the plunge, but there are already options for using it.

 

| Photo: Renault

Temporary auto insurance meets somewhat different needs than a regular policy. In general, insuring a car for a few days is more expensive than insuring it for a year, but there are some specific cases where it may be useful to take out one of these policies.

Rented car :
Rental cars are one of the cases where single-day insurance may be useful. Car rental companies usually offer rental car insurance, although sometimes the coverage can increase the price of the product considerably. Renting an insurance policy for a rental car can reduce the bill.

Travel abroad :
Not all traditional insurance policies allow motorists to travel abroad with the vehicle. In the event that the policyholder needs to travel outside the country for a short period of time, it may not be necessary to change the insurance policy, but it may be sufficient to purchase one of these temporary insurance policies.

Car for sale :
Cars that are offered for sale by individuals are also eligible for receiving temporary auto insurance. Many owners decide to put a car up for sale when the annual policy expires so that they don't have to pay the same price, but the car may not be sold immediately.

If the expiry date of the annual policy is coming up, there is no need to buy another insurance policy for a full year, but it is possible to take out one of these short-term policies until the vehicle is sold.

Classic car :
Classic cars are one of the clearest cases of vehicles that need temporary insurance. Most collectors who keep one of these vehicles do not usually drive it on a daily basis, but rather use it to attend gatherings or events from time to time. There is specific term insurance for these types of cars.

Price
The price of these policies is proportionally more expensive than traditional policies. In other words, if you take the price of one day's insurance in a daily and an annual coverage, barring surprises, the daily coverage will be much more expensive. This is to be expected because, like all services, the relative amount becomes cheaper over time.

| Photo: Citroen
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada