Solo test drives and full cover within 90 seconds – the future of automotive retail is here

Following ten weeks of lockdown, car dealerships across the UK are finally able to reopen their physical sites to the public on 1 June 2020. And not a moment too soon, with a recent Tempcover survey revealing that almost one third (32%) of motorists are considering purchasing a new or used vehicle. Not surprising as the vast majority (86%) admitted that they are still not comfortable using public transport in the current climate.

While this move is welcome news to many consumers that are looking to purchase a new or used vehicle, what are the implications for social distancing and risk of infection? The DVLA has already confirmed that prospective car buyers are able to conduct solo test drives with participating dealerships that have registered trade plates and the relevant test drive insurance in place.

That’s the test drive covered, but what about getting driveaway insurance cover once you’ve found the car of your dreams? To make the process even more seamless and contact-free, Tempcover has teamed up with major national dealerships to offer fully-comprehensive fixed-price 5-day driveaway insurance policies that can be accessed by the customer following a few taps on a mobile phone.

Due to the flexibility and agility of our digital solution, we are able to offer each retailer its own unique URL, where the customer can obtain a simple single-cost policy in just 90 seconds, compared to the industry standard of 20 minutes to an hour – by eliminating all lengthy paperwork and admin through simplified T&Cs and a user experience that is based on direct customer and dealer feedback.

Our entirely digital user experience is the first of its kind in the traditionally outdated and inflexible driveaway insurance industry and it is dramatically simplifying the process of how insurance is purchased and consumed through our own in-house proprietary technology. The result is more efficient stock clearance times and greater profitability for the dealers.

For the end customers, it takes the stress out of searching for annual insurance on the spot, and provides the driver with near instant cover so that they can immediately leave the forecourt with their new set of wheels, while giving them the opportunity to thoroughly research the best annual policy to suit their needs.