At a glance
- Temporary motorhome insurance can help eligible drivers get short-term cover for festival weekends, borrowed motorhomes and short trips
- Dayinsure temporary motorhome cover is available from 1 hour to 30 days
- Temporary cover only covers the named driver on the policy. If you’re sharing the driving, each driver needs their own valid cover
- The motorhome needs to meet Dayinsure’s criteria before we can offer cover
- You need the right driving licence category for the motorhome’s weight
- A category B licence covers motorhomes up to 3,500kg. Heavier motorhomes may need category C1
- If a motorhome is SORN, it must stay off public roads unless an exemption applies, such as driving to a pre-booked MOT
There’s a lot to love about taking a motorhome to a festival.
You can pack properly. You’ve got somewhere dry to sleep. You can make a cup of tea in the morning without joining a queue. And when the weather does what British weather does, having four walls and a proper bed can feel like a small luxury.
But before you load the fridge, choose the playlist and head for the campsite, there’s one important thing to sort: insurance.
If you’re borrowing a motorhome, using one for a short trip or sharing the driving, temporary motorhome insurance can help you get covered for the time you actually need. With Dayinsure, eligible drivers can get short-term motorhome cover from 1 hour to 30 days.
This checklist explains what to check before a festival weekend, from licence rules and vehicle criteria to SORN, MOTs and driving abroad.
Why temporary motorhome insurance can work well for festival weekends
Temporary motorhome insurance is short-term cover for a specific motorhome, driver and period of time.
It can work well when you only need cover for a few hours, a weekend, a week or another short spell up to 30 days. That makes it useful for festival trips, campervan weekends and last-minute travel plans.
It can help if you’re:
- Borrowing a motorhome from a friend or family member
- Taking a campervan to a festival for the weekend
- Sharing a long journey with another driver
- Using a motorhome for a short break
- Taking cover for a single day
- Getting insured while you decide on longer-term plans
Temporary cover means you don’t need to be added to an annual policy for one short trip. You arrange cover for the time you need, then get on with the journey.
Sharing the driving with friends
A long drive to a festival can be tiring, especially with traffic, service station stops and a full vehicle.
Sharing the driving can make the journey feel easier. But it only works if every driver is properly insured.
Dayinsure temporary motorhome insurance covers one named driver. It doesn’t automatically cover everyone in the group. If someone else wants to drive, they need their own valid cover before they get behind the wheel.
Before you set off, agree who is driving and check:
- Each driver has valid insurance
- The cover is for the correct motorhome
- The policy dates and times match the trip
- The owner has given permission
- Nobody drives before their cover starts
A quick check before you leave is much better than working it out in a muddy field with low signal.
Fast and simple cover
Festival plans don’t always come together neatly.
Someone finds a spare ticket. A lift falls through. A borrowed motorhome becomes available at the last minute.
With Dayinsure, you can get a quote through the website or the Dayinsure app. If you’re eligible and your vehicle meets our criteria, you can choose cover from 1 hour to 30 days and receive your documents by email.
That helps when you need short term motorhome insurance quickly, without committing to annual cover for a one-off trip.
How short-term cover works when you’re borrowing a motorhome
Borrowing a motorhome is a big favour.
It’s someone else’s vehicle, often with personal belongings, fittings and travel memories inside. So it’s completely understandable if both you and the owner want the insurance to be clear before the keys are handed over.
Dayinsure temporary motorhome insurance is a separate short-term policy. It covers the named driver for the chosen period, as long as the details are correct and the driver, vehicle and journey meet our criteria.
Before borrowing a motorhome, make sure:
- The owner has given you permission to drive
- The registration is correct on the policy
- Your name and licence details are correct
- The cover starts before you drive
- The cover lasts until after the journey is finished
- You understand what the policy does and doesn’t cover
There is also one important claims point. If any claim or incident happens while the motorhome is being used, the owner may need to tell their insurer when they arrange or renew their own policy. Insurance questions need to be answered honestly.
That keeps things clear for everyone.
Standalone cover for short trips
Temporary cover can be useful because it’s built around the trip.
You might only need one day motorhome insurance to collect a vehicle, weekend motorhome insurance for a festival, or motorhome insurance for a week if you’re turning the festival into a longer break.
The key thing is to choose the cover period carefully. Check when you’re collecting the motorhome, when you’ll return it and whether you need extra time in case plans change.
Our temporary campervan conversion criteria checklist
Before you arrange cover, check that the vehicle fits Dayinsure’s motorhome criteria.
Temporary motorhome insurance is not the same as temporary van insurance. A basic van with a mattress in the back won’t be treated as a motorhome just because you’re using it for a weekend away.
For Dayinsure temporary motorhome insurance, the vehicle needs to meet our criteria. It must have:
- A permanently fitted bed: The vehicle must feature a built-in bed that is at least 6 feet (1.8 metres) in length and permanently secured to the floor.
- Fitted wardrobe or cupboard space: There must be dedicated storage units or cupboards permanently fixed to the vehicle body.
- Built-in dining seating: The living area must have a permanently installed table and seating designed for dining.
- A secure cooking facility: A built-in cooking appliance, such as a stove or hob, must be permanently fitted to the structure.
There are also other vehicle rules. For Dayinsure temporary motorhome insurance, the vehicle must:
- Be registered in Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man
- Have an engine size of 3000cc or less
- Be no more than 5 tonnes gross vehicle weight
- Not be manufactured in the USA
It’s worth checking this before you apply, especially if you’re using a converted campervan, an older motorhome or a vehicle you haven’t driven before.
What about DIY campervan conversions?
Lots of people love a DIY campervan conversion. We get it. Done well, they can be practical, personal and perfect for weekends away.
But for insurance, the physical setup matters. The motorhome needs to meet Dayinsure’s eligibility criteria, not just feel like a camper inside.
If it doesn’t meet the criteria for temporary motorhome insurance, we won’t be able to provide cover. Converted vans that don’t meet our motorhome requirements also aren’t eligible for temporary van insurance because of their modifications.
Driving licence weight thresholds: Category B vs Category C1
Before driving a borrowed motorhome, check your licence and the vehicle’s weight.
This is one of the easiest details to miss, especially if you normally drive a car. Motorhomes can be much heavier than they look once they’re packed with passengers, water, food, bags and festival kit.
GOV.UK says you need category C1 to drive a motorhome with a maximum authorised mass between 3.5 tonnes and 7.5 tonnes. A standard category B licence covers vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.
Here’s the simple version:
| Licence Category | Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) | Driver Requirements |
| Category B | Up to 3,500kg (3.5 tonnes) | Standard UK car licence. Covers almost all standard campervan conversions. |
| Category C1 | Between 3,500kg and 7,500kg | Required for heavier motorhomes. Automatically held by drivers who passed their test before 1 January 1997. |
| Dayinsure Limit | Up to 5,000kg (5.0 tonnes) | Our maximum weight limit for temporary motorhome insurance. |
Checking the vehicle logbook
Ask the owner for the V5C logbook before you drive.
Look for the motorhome’s maximum authorised mass or gross vehicle weight. Then compare it with your driving licence categories.
If you passed your driving test on or after 1 January 1997, don’t assume you have category C1. Check your licence first. If the motorhome is too heavy for your licence, you can’t legally drive it.
How SORN affects your motorhome
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification.
It tells DVLA that a vehicle is being kept off the road. If a motorhome is SORN, it must be kept off public roads and on private land, such as a driveway or garage.
GOV.UK explains that registered keepers are responsible for making sure valid insurance is in place or making a SORN if the vehicle is untaxed, uninsured and off the public road.
A SORN motorhome can’t simply be driven to a festival because you’ve arranged short-term insurance. It needs to be taxed, insured and road legal before normal road use.
There is an MOT exception. GOV.UK says you can drive a SORN vehicle to a pre-arranged MOT appointment.
If you’re bringing a SORN motorhome back into use, check the steps carefully before you drive:
1. Check whether the motorhome has a valid MOT.
2. Arrange insurance before using it on the road.
3. Tax the vehicle before normal road use.
4. Only drive a SORN vehicle to a pre-booked MOT if that specific exception applies.
5. Keep the motorhome off public roads until it is legal to use.
Public road parking restrictions
A SORN motorhome must not be kept or parked on a public road.
That means you can’t leave it outside your house on the road between short-term policies if it’s still SORN. It needs to stay on private land until it is taxed, insured and legal to use.
Festival plans are much easier when the vehicle admin is sorted before the week you travel.
Heading to Europe? What you need to know about continental road trips
If you’re planning to cross the English Channel for a summer road trip or drive to a music festival in Ireland, a motorhome’s the perfect way to travel.
Driving abroad requires extra preparation to make sure you stay on the right side of local laws. Fortunately, our temporary motorhome insurance includes third-party EU cover as standard, so you can travel with confidence.
If you want more protection for your trip, you can easily choose to upgrade to fully comprehensive EU cover during your quick online application process. This ensures that you have the same level of complete peace of mind abroad as you do in the UK.
Before you pack, read our guide on how to have the perfect motorhome holiday to ensure you have all the equipment, documents and permits required for driving in Europe. We make the insurance process simple, allowing you to get fully covered in as little as 15 minutes after applying so you can focus on your journey.
Get festival-ready with the right cover
A motorhome can make a festival weekend feel so much easier.
You’ve got proper space, a dry place to sleep and a bit more comfort when the campsite gets busy. But the insurance needs to be right before you leave.
Dayinsure temporary motorhome insurance can help eligible drivers get cover from 1 hour to 30 days. It can work for festival weekends, borrowed motorhomes, shared driving and short road trips.
Before you go, check the driver, the vehicle, the licence category, the cover dates and the owner’s permission. If the motorhome has been SORN, check the tax, MOT and road-use rules before planning any journey.
Ready to sort cover for your trip? Get a temporary motorhome insurance quote through the Dayinsure website or the Dayinsure app before you set off.
FAQs about temporary motorhome insurance
Can I drive someone else’s motorhome on my car insurance?
No, standard ‘driving other cars’ (DOC) extensions on annual car insurance policies almost never cover motorhomes or campervans. To drive a borrowed motorhome legally and comprehensively, you’ll need a dedicated temporary policy like our temporary motorhome insurance.
Does temporary motorhome insurance affect the owner’s No Claims Discount?
Temporary motorhome insurance is a standalone policy, so it’s separate from the owner’s annual insurance policy. If you need to make a claim, it’ll be handled under your temporary policy. However, claims can still affect future insurance premiums and should be disclosed to insurers when you’re asked about your claims history.
Can I get temporary motorhome insurance to drive in Europe?
Yes, Dayinsure temporary motorhome policies include third-party cover for EU driving as standard. Drivers can easily choose to upgrade to fully comprehensive EU cover during their application process.
Can I use temporary insurance to tax a SORN motorhome?
Yes, you can use our temporary policy to tax a motorhome that’s been declared SORN. Once the cover’s active and showing on the Motor Insurance Database (MID), you can use it to tax the vehicle and legally drive it on public roads.
