Getting Cheap Car Insurance With Convicted Driver Penalties

Sorting out your car insurance after a conviction can be a headache. With so many different endorsement codes and insurance policies, it can be difficult to know where to start.

I have put together this quick article to help make finding insurance for convicted drivers a little bit easier. I will walk you through some of the basics, a couple of quick tips to help you find the cheapest deals, and finally, a breakdown of your endorsement or conviction code.

How Much Will Penalty Points Affect My Car Insurance?

Obviously, any penalty points or even a criminal record on your driving licence will increase the cost of your insurance premiums. Having points or driving convictions can also mean that fewer insurers are willing to cover you.

Keep in mind that the actual increase in your insurance premiums will depend on how many points you have and how old the conviction is.

This is because your insurance premiums are calculated based on your risk factors. A driver with endorsements – penalty points, convictions, etc. – is more likely to make an expensive claim in the eyes of the insurance company. 

In fact, anyone who has committed a serious motoring offence or regularly commits more minor offences is far more likely to be involved in a collision. This is obviously because they don’t drive as safely as someone with a clean record.

Generally, you are asked to disclose your conviction code when you renew or start a new policy. This code will tell your insurance company what your conviction was for. This is usually when your premiums noticeably increase.

How Much Will My Insurance Increase If I Have Points?

From my research, you can expect your car insurance premiums to increase by anything from 30% as soon as you get points on your license. This is the biggest increase that you will see when shopping around for insurance. Convictions or fines will also increase your premiums, but not as significantly as this initial price hike. 

Remember that the cost of your car insurance is generated by an algorithm – there isn’t an actuary sitting at a desk with a pencil working out how much of a risk you are! Instead, the information that you give the company will lump you together with other people who have inputted similar information.

There is nothing personal about it, your information is just used to group you with people who the insurance company thinks are a similar risk. And one of the biggest and most obvious risk factors for insurance companies is penalty points or driving convictions.

As I mention below, other common risk factors that can group you with risky and expensive drivers include age and the type of car that you drive. A BMW 1 Series driven by a younger person with penalty points is going to be more expensive than a  Skoda, because people who drive Skodas are less risky drivers.

Do I have to Tell My Insurance Company About My Driving Record?

Yes, you have to tell your insurance company about any penalty points or convictions that you have. It is actually a criminal offence per the Road Traffic Act 1998 to withhold this information from your insurance company.

So you can’t not tell anyone and hope that you get cheaper insurance! Not telling your insurers will be considered misrepresentation, and your insurance will not be valid.

You might not have to tell your insurance company immediately after you receive your points, but you will need to inform them when you go to renew your policy. If you are unsure, you need to check the T&Cs of your contract. 

However, you definitely need to tell your insurance company immediately if you have been banned from driving. A ban from driving usually happens if you have racked up more than 12 penalty points on your driving record in 3 years. Not informing your insurance company is a criminal offence.

Spent convictions don’t have to be shared with your insurance company, even if they ask. It is illegal for an insurance company to increase your premiums based on a spent conviction. 

Tips for Getting Car Insurance With Points

Getting insurance after a driving conviction or with points on your licence can be tricky – and expensive! 

From my own experience, I can tell you that you need to be comparing quotes from as many insurance companies as possible. This will increase the chances of you finding a company that will insure you, and finding a company that will insure you at a competitive price.

Keep in mind that insurance companies have different underwriting terms from each other. This means that different convictions will increase your premiums at different rates, depending on the company you are looking at. Shop around, and you are much more likely to find your cheapest insurer!

Apart from doing your research, there are some other things that you can do to help yourself and find cheaper insurance. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Downgrade your car: Downgrading your car to one in a lower insurance group might be drastic, but it can make a huge difference to the price of your insurance premiums. Cars with bigger engines are generally much more expensive to insure, so downgrading to a less powerful engine after your driving conviction could also make you eligible for more policies. 
• Install a black box or opt for black box insurance policies: Giving your insurer more information about your driving habits can help offset some of your perceived risk. Black box or telematics car insurance will give your insurer data about your safe driving habits and how well you adhere to the rules of the road by tracking your driving. More monitoring can mean lower premiums.
• Add an experienced driver to your policy: Adding an experienced driver with a clean record to your policy as an occasional driver can lower your premiums, especially if you are a young driver. Younger drivers, especially young men, are far more likely to be involved in a collision or to receive penalty points, so letting an experienced driver borrow your car means that you are driving for fewer miles, thus reducing the likelihood of a collision and reducing your premiums accordingly. 
• Take an advanced driving test like Pass Plus or RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders test: Some insurance companies might be willing to lower their premiums if you have successfully completed an advanced driver’s course. Successfully finishing these courses can help prove that you are now a safe and conscientious driver.

What is the Cheapest Car to Insure After a Driving Conviction?

I mentioned above that downgrading your car is one potential way of getting cheaper car insurance after a conviction. But which cars are the cheapest to insure?

Below I have listed a few cars that are some of the cheapest to insure as a convicted driver:

• Ford Fiesta
• Renault Clio
• Citroen C1
• Skoda Yeti
• Ford KA+.

Which Driving Convictions Affect My Insurance Premiums the Most?

Not all driving convictions are created equal, and some are likely to have a much bigger impact on your insurance premiums than others. Here is a quick breakdown of how different conviction codes impact your insurance.

Conviction Codes with the Biggest Impact

Reckless driving offences tend to have the worst impact on your ability to get car insurance. Drinking and drug-related offences are very serious, and so usually have the biggest impact on your car insurance search.

You might find that some insurers won’t cover you at all, but those that will insure you demand high premiums and a very high excess. 

The above offences all remain on your driving record for 11 years and can affect your ability to get insurance during this time. 

Other offences can have a similar impact on your ability to secure insurance but remain on your driving record for 4 years.

Speed Limit Conviction Codes

Getting caught breaking the speed limit can result in points added to your driving record. As with any other driving offence, too many points, and you will be disqualified.

All of the following conviction codes will stay on your driving record for 4 years.

Other Conviction Codes 

There are other conviction codes that, while they have a less serious impact on your insurance than the above endorsements, will also impact your car insurance.

Where Can I Get Support?

Need some support after your driving conviction?

Fortunately, there are several online resources that provide advice to convicted drivers and will be able to help calm any anxieties you may have about your situation.

These groups and organisations offer practical self-help information, but some also offer free advice.

• Unlock
• The Helpline
• Citizens Advice.