Can I Cancel My Car Insurance Within 14 Days?

Yes, you can cancel your car insurance within 14 days in the UK, this is known as the “cooling-off period.” By law, insurers must give you at least 14 days from the start of the policy (or the date you receive your documents) to cancel without penalty, though a small admin fee may apply.

You may still be charged for the days you were covered, but you won’t have to pay the full annual premium.

Susan Difford

Insurance Expert & Co-founder of Clean Green Cars

Updated 16 December 2025 2 Min Read

Not quite. While you won’t be charged for the rest of the year, insurers usually:

Deduct the cost of any days you were insured
Apply a cancellation fee, usually between £25 and £50

So, if you cancel after a few days, your refund will be slightly reduced.

Found a cheaper deal elsewhere
Realised the policy doesn’t include something important (e.g. business use)
Bought the wrong level of cover by mistake
Decided not to keep the car

Yes, but the refund rules are different. After 14 days:

You’ll still be refunded the unused portion of your premium
Cancellation fees may be higher
Some add-ons (like breakdown or legal cover) may not be refundable

No. During the cooling-off period, you can cancel for any reason, or none at all.

If you’ve already made a claim, you’ll usually have to pay the full premium and may not get a refund.

If you cancel before completing a full year, you won’t earn a no claims bonus for that policy.

Yes, as long as it’s within 14 days of purchase or receiving your documents.

In Summary

You can cancel car insurance within 14 days under the UK’s cooling-off period rules
You may still pay for the days covered and a cancellation fee
Refunds are pro-rata, and some add-ons may be excluded
Cancelling after a claim usually means no refund at all