GoShorty

GoShorty: temporary vehicle insurance with comprehensive cover

GoShorty is a British insurer specialising in short-term vehicle policies. Its offering focuses on comprehensive cover that can be taken out from one hour up to a maximum of 28 days, designed for situations where it makes no sense to add a driver to an annual policy or take on a long-term contract. Policies are arranged entirely online and the company states that the whole process can be completed in under two minutes.

Vehicle types and uses covered

The company offers temporary policies for a range of vehicles and driver profiles. Available options include temporary insurance for cars, vans, learner drivers, taxis, couriers, motorhomes and impounded or seized vehicles. It also provides specific cover for drivers not resident in the UK, for driving in Europe and for additional drivers.

Car policies accept drivers aged between 21 and 75 and vehicles valued at up to £65,000. Cover includes third-party liability, damage to your own vehicle, theft, fire and, in some cases, third-party EU cover for journeys that start and end in the UK. Business Class 1 use is included as standard, which covers travel to meetings or business trips beyond commuting.

Flexible durations and hourly cover

The company structures its range around usage time: hourly, daily, weekly and monthly policies. Hourly cover insures the vehicle for one hour or more; daily cover covers a full 24-hour period, a weekend or individual days; weekly cover spans one to four weeks; and monthly cover extends up to 28 days. This pay-as-you-go approach avoids taking out annual policies when the vehicle is only needed occasionally.

Protecting the owner's No Claims Discount

One of the company's key selling points is that its temporary policies operate as standalone contracts, separate from any existing annual insurance. This means that if the temporary driver has an accident, the claim is handled entirely under the temporary policy and does not affect the vehicle owner's No Claims Discount or their future annual premiums. The company highlights this feature as an advantage for those who lend their car to someone else.

Common use cases

GoShorty lists a number of situations where its policies are useful: lending or borrowing a vehicle, taking private test drives before buying a second-hand car, driving a newly purchased vehicle home, sharing the driving on long trips or journeys to festivals, house moves or bulky deliveries, students returning home during holidays who need to use the family car, business travel and unexpected emergencies.

Optional extras and policy management

When purchasing, customers can add extra cover such as breakdown cover from £1.49, which includes recovery, roadside assistance and transport costs; excess protection, which covers up to £500 of the compulsory excess in the event of a claim; and legal cover, which helps recover costs if the policyholder is involved in a non-fault accident.

The company states that all temporary policies are recorded on the UK Motor Insurance Database (MID, now Navigate) four times a day, 365 days a year. It also emails the insurance certificate to the policyholder.

Specific options for vans, taxis and couriers

Within its range, GoShorty distinguishes van policies with hourly or monthly cover, including the carriage of own goods option; weekly taxi insurance; courier and delivery cover with your own or a hired vehicle; and impound release policies for both cars and vans. It also offers learner driver insurance, with hourly or monthly options, and cover for supervisors during the learning phase.