Car insurance for higher-risk drivers: comparing cover

How insurers assess risk and what to check when comparing motor insurance.

Can You Still Get Insurance?

Some insurers may offer cover to drivers they consider higher risk, while others may decline. A specialist provider is one possible option, not the only route available to every driver.

There is no fixed percentage or cash increase that applies to everyone. Insurers consider the offence, driving history, vehicle, address, use and other factors. A historic average cannot predict your quote, and some insurers may decline. Compare current personalised quotes for suitable cover.

Are All Driving Convictions Equal?

Insurers can assess offences differently. The conviction, sentence, age of the record and other risk details can affect eligibility and price. A civil penalty charge notice, such as a council parking PCN, is different from a criminal motoring conviction; do not treat every ticket as the same.

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Advertisement. MoneyNerd introduces enquiries to Quotezone and may receive a referral fee. Prices, cover and acceptance depend on your circumstances and the insurer.

Shopping Around Is Advisable

Compare premiums alongside cover, exclusions, compulsory and voluntary excess and any instalment interest. Specialist insurers and brokers may help, but are not automatically cheaper. Use accurate mileage and vehicle-use details. Only add a genuine named driver, identify the main driver correctly and choose an excess you can afford.

A comparison website may not cover every insurer. Check available direct and broker options as well, using consistent and accurate details.

Comparison Sites Are a Great Tool

Comparison websites can help collect quotes, but they do not necessarily cover the whole market. Compare the policy and excess alongside the premium, and check who will arrange the insurance.

Do not assume insurance comparison services are unregulated. Check the provider or intermediary’s authorisation and permissions on the FCA Register. If contact details seem suspicious, use independently verified details.

Factors That Contribute to the Risk You Pose to Insurers

It isn’t just unspent convictions that can make you seem like a high-risk driver to insurers. Many other factors contribute to the overall risk evaluation. This would include things like your age, how long you have had a full licence, the insurance category of the vehicle you are trying to insure, and the level of coverage you are seeking.

Your own circumstances will be unique, based on these kinds of factors. In effect, risk is a scale from very low to very high, and your own situation that is not solely based on unspent convictions will place you somewhere on this scale. This, in turn, will directly impact how much you pay for your vehicle insurance.

Steps You Can Take To Help Lower the Cost

Compare premiums alongside cover, exclusions, compulsory and voluntary excess and any instalment interest. Specialist insurers and brokers may help, but are not automatically cheaper. Use accurate mileage and vehicle-use details. Only add a genuine named driver, identify the main driver correctly and choose an excess you can afford.

Compare comprehensive cover too: third-party-only insurance is not necessarily cheaper. Only remove commuting or business use if you genuinely no longer need it. Do not misstate your use or overnight parking to reduce the quote.