Car Insurance Guide

Temporary and short-term car insurance in South Africa

Written by Daniel Pretorius Insurance Content Editor Reviewed by Nomsa Dlamini RE5 qualified · 12 years in short-term insurance Updated 28 July 2026 Our editorial standards →

Can you get temporary or one-day car insurance in South Africa?

True daily or short-term car insurance is uncommon in South Africa - most insurers sell month-to-month policies you can cancel with notice rather than cover by the day. If you're driving a borrowed car, you're usually covered (if at all) by the owner's policy, not by taking out your own short policy. For a short need, a monthly policy you cancel afterwards, or being added to the owner's cover, is typically the practical route.

Key takeaways

Genuine one-day car insurance is rare in South Africa.
Insurers prefer month-to-month policies you can cancel with notice.
A borrowed car is usually covered, if at all, by the owner's policy.
Pay-as-you-drive lowers cost but is not the same as daily cover.
For rentals, cover and excess come through the hire company.

Is there daily or temporary car insurance in SA?

Drivers often search for one-day or short-term car insurance to cover a quick trip or a borrowed vehicle. In South Africa, though, this kind of by-the-day product is uncommon. The market is built around monthly policies that you can cancel with notice, rather than cover you switch on for a day or a weekend. So the honest answer is usually that a dedicated daily policy isn't readily available, and you'll need to look at the alternatives instead.

Why standard insurers rarely sell daily cover

There are practical reasons for this. Underwriting a policy - assessing risk, pricing it, and setting it up - carries fixed costs that don't make sense for a single day. Very short cover also attracts a higher proportion of claims relative to premium, because people tend to buy it exactly when they perceive risk. And South Africa's month-to-month model already offers flexibility: you can start cover and cancel it later with notice. Between those factors, few local insurers offer true daily cover as a standalone product.

Driving a borrowed car

If you're borrowing a friend's or family member's car, the important question is whose policy responds. In most cases it's the owner's policy, not yours, that would cover the car - and only if that policy allows drivers other than those named. Some policies cover occasional other drivers, sometimes with a higher excess; others only cover listed drivers. Before you borrow a car, ask the owner to check their policy and, if needed, to add you as a driver. Our guide on whether car insurance covers other drivers explains this in detail.

Practical short-term options

Since daily cover is scarce, the workable routes are:

A month-to-month policy - take out standard cover and cancel it with notice once you no longer need it
Being added to the owner's policy - the simplest fix for a borrowed car, if their insurer allows it
Usage-based or pay-as-you-drive cover - see usage-based car insurance and pay-as-you-drive options if you drive infrequently

Pay-as-you-drive can lower the cost for a low-mileage driver, but it's an ongoing policy priced on distance, not a short-burst product.

Renting a car

If you're hiring a car rather than borrowing one, cover works differently again. The rental company provides insurance as part of the hire, typically with a significant excess you'd pay if the car is damaged or stolen. You can often reduce that excess by buying the rental firm's waiver, or by using a separate car hire excess insurance policy, which reimburses the excess and is usually cheaper than the counter waiver. Check what the hire already includes before paying for extra.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get one-day car insurance in South Africa?

Genuine one-day cover is uncommon here. Most insurers sell month-to-month policies you can cancel with notice rather than daily cover. For a short need, a monthly policy you cancel afterwards, or being added to the car owner's policy, is usually the practical route.

Am I covered driving someone else's car?

Usually only if the owner's policy covers drivers other than those named, sometimes with a higher excess. Your own policy generally won't cover a car you don't own. Ask the owner to check their policy and add you as a driver if needed before you drive.

How do I insure a car for a short period?

The common options are taking out a month-to-month policy and cancelling it with notice afterwards, or being added to the owner's policy for a borrowed car. Daily standalone cover is rarely available from South African insurers.

Does the owner's insurance cover other drivers?

It depends on the policy. Some cover occasional drivers who aren't named, often with a higher excess, while others only cover listed drivers. The owner should confirm their policy wording, and add you as a named driver if the car will be driven regularly.

Is pay-as-you-drive the same as short-term cover?

No. Pay-as-you-drive is an ongoing policy priced partly on the distance you travel, which suits low-mileage drivers. It lowers cost but isn't a short-burst product you switch on for a single day or trip.

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