Compare Convicted Driver Car Insurance Quotes

Can I get car insurance as a convicted driver?

You can still purchase car insurance if you have a conviction and plenty of insurers will happily insure you. Unfortunately, if you do have a prior conviction, many companies will apply loadings onto their premiums, leaving you with little option but to pay extra for your coverage.

Take note that insurers do increase their premiums if you’ve had a motoring conviction or two. Some insurers have different policies for convicted drivers so the benefit of applying through a broker or comparison site is that you have access to a range of companies and policies so that you can get a deal that suits your needs.

When searching for car insurance with any previous penalties remember that failure to disclose a driving conviction will invalidate your policy and you may be guilty of insurance fraud.

What are driving convictions?

A driving conviction is a form of criminal conviction received after being prosecuted for a motoring offence. Offences are categorised into several main categories, these include:

Dangerous driving

These are offences that could endanger you or someone else

Careless or inconsiderate driving

These are offences that show disregard for other drivers and which are likely to inconvenience or concern other road users

Driving under the influence

Driving under the influence of alcohol or any kind of drug(s) is a separate offence, but it may also be considered dangerous or careless driving

Using a mobile device

Using a mobile phone or handheld device is a separate offence but also can be considered dangerous or careless driving.

Administrative offences

Some offences are not directly related to drivers’ behaviour or quality of driving but they can still have serious implications for things such as safety such as driving without insurance or without a valid MOT.

Data gained through a Freedom of Information request last year (2023) from the DVLA highlighted that the South East had the most driving convictions ahead of London and the North West. The same set of data showed that speeding offences accounted for 67% of the points currently on driving licences within Britain. Using a phone behind the wheel was also one of the most common driving offences across the UK.

How is car insurance affected if you have driving convictions?

Drink driving is regarded as an incredibly serious offence by all insurance companies due to the increased risk to safety in addition to potential property damage. A drunk driving conviction will undoubtedly inflate your premiums and you will almost certainly have to commit to a significantly larger voluntary excess.

Twelve or more penalty points on your license within three years can lead to a driving ban. Drivers who have been disqualified from driving after accumulating this many points will not be eligible to be insured until the ban has been lifted and the period served.

Aside from the option of a speed awareness course in certain circumstances, driving offences carry a set amount of penalty points depending on their perceived severity. The more points you have, the higher your premiums are likely to be. Points on a person’s license stay between four and eleven years.

For instance, if you were given a fine or community service, the conviction is ‘spent’ after five years and it may not have to be declared to insurers.

Prison sentences under two and a half years are removed after 10 years and if you served for over two and a half years, the time is never spent and must always be disclosed to insurers.

Reducing the costs for car insurance with convictions

There are numerous ways in which drivers can reduce the price of their car insurance policies and many of them also apply to convicted drivers. One of the key factors when an insurer decides your policy price is the make and even the model of your car. Brands will consider your car’s value, theft risk, performance and repairability. When choosing your car there are many guides to help inform you what makes and models are generally cheaper to insure and also highlight the cars that tend to be the most expensive to obtain coverage for.

One way to reduce the costs of many types of insurance products is to increase the voluntary excess should an accident occur. Those with driving convictions may find this option appealing as a way to bring down their premiums.

If you have the option to keep your car in a more secure location such as a locked garage as opposed to leaving it out on the street, you may be able to reduce your overall insurance price in line with reducing the theft risk of your vehicle.

A common choice for parents looking for car insurance for their children, a telematics or black box can reduce premiums by tracking a person’s driving habits and behaviours. This kind of technology is also an attractive choice for those with previous convictions as prices can be lowered should you be willing for your behaviours behind the wheel to be monitored.

Although a seemingly hefty initial investment, paying your policy off as one annual lump sum can work out cheaper than spreading the cost over each month.

How to apply for convicted car insurance

When applying for convicted driver insurance, as with any type of car insurance, you’ll have to provide a few details. These include your personal details, as well as information about your license and insurance history.

Below is a list with some of the main pieces of information you’ll commonly have to provide when applying for any type of car insurance:

• The driver’s name
• The driver’s age
• The driver’s address and contact details
• Details of the driver’s license
• Any previous claims history
• Details of the vehicle (model, make, value and registration)
• Any previous insurance information
• When signing an insurance contract, you are expected to disclose “all material facts”, regardless of whether you are asked about them