A cover note is a temporary document issued by insurance providers that acts as proof of insurance until the full official documentation is obtained. It is usually issued when a driver is waiting for their full insurance documentation to be processed or when they make a change to their insurance policy, such as adding or changing a vehicle covered by the policy. A cover note usually includes details such as the drivers name and address, vehicle registration and details, level of cover and any excess, policy number, any special conditions, and date of expiration. Cover notes were more common in the past because issuing certificates of insurance took far longer, but with processing times much faster, they are not very common these days. However, some insurance providers still issue cover notes, so it is important to understand when you might need one. A cover note is usually valid for 30 days and is replaced by the insurance certificate when that is issued.