Car Insurance with Points on Licence – Cost Saving Tricks

Are you worried about the cost of car insurance after penalty points have been added to your licence? It’s understandable, but you’re not alone. In fact, over 9,300 people visit our website each month seeking guidance on this very issue.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• What penalty points on your licence are and how they can affect your car insurance.
• Different types of driving offences that can result in penalty points.
• The impact of accumulating too many points on your licence.
• How to check how many penalty points you have.
• The best ways to find affordable car insurance even with penalty points.

We understand your concerns about the cost of insurance and the fear of not being able to insure your car at all. But don’t worry; we’re here to help and provide clear information and cost-saving tricks to find car insurance that fits your budget, even with penalty points on your licence.

Let’s get started and discuss your options.

What are penalty points on your licence?

Penalty points are applied or “endorsed” on your driving record when you’re guilty of a driving offence. 

You can accept penalty points on your driving licence when you receive a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), or you can be convicted of a driving offence and handed penalty points.

Driving offences can impose different numbers of penalty points, depending on the seriousness and consequences of the driving offence. 

What are the different types of driving offences?

There are lots of driving offences that can result in penalty points being added to your driving record. Some of the most serious driving offences are issued for speeding, dangerous driving and careless driving. 

Each driving conviction has its own conviction code. We have discussed the various conviction codes in detail in MoneyNerd articles already, which you can find below.

What happens if I accumulate too many points on my licence?

Generally, when you receive 12 penalty points within any three-year period you get a driving ban for a minimum of six months. This is known as a totting-up ban. 

You’ll receive a court summons if you’re not already expected to attend court due to the offence. 

At the hearing, the judge will decide how long your driving ban should last, but there is an opportunity to appeal the offence and therefore ban. Or you might be eligible to plead a case of hardship to prevent the driving ban. 

When do penalty driving licence points expire?

The length of time penalty points stays on your driving record depends on the type of driving offence they were issued for. Most penalty points stay on your licence for four years.

More serious offences, such as causing death by dangerous driving, stay on your record for eleven years. 

How do I check how many penalty points I have?

To check how many penalty points you currently have and when they expire, you can either:

1. Check your driving record online via the government website
2. Contact the DVLA

To use the government’s online service you will need your driving licence number, the postcode where your driving licence is registered and your National Insurance number. 

If there are any endorsed points that you believe are incorrect, you must contact the court which applied them to discuss the details and potentially have them removed. 

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Find the best insurance for drivers with points

Do you have to tell insurance about points straight away?

Most car insurance policies don’t require you to disclose penalty points you’ve accumulated during the policy term. However, you should check the terms of your policy in case your insurance company does require you to inform them. 

So, how long until you need to declare penalty points to your insurer? It’s usually when you renew the policy or apply for a new policy.

Do I have to tell my insurance provider if I get a speeding ticket?

Most of the time you won’t need to tell your insurance company that you were caught speeding during the term of your policy. This is similar to how you probably don’t have to inform them of new penalty points during the policy’s term. 

But always check your agreement or call your insurer to make sure they don’t need to know about speeding tickets or new points.  

Can you get insurance with points?

Yes, you can still get insurance if you have penalty points on your driving licence, provided you haven’t accumulated so many points that you’re banned from driving ban. 

Do points on your licence affect car insurance?

The bad news is that having penalty points on your licence could reduce the number of car insurance companies willing to offer you an insurance policy. And your insurance could become more expensive. 

This is because your driving record indicates to the insurer that you’re not as safe a driver and are therefore a greater risk to insure. The car insurance company mitigates these risks by charging you more to be insured. 

Do penalty points affect your car insurance premium?

Yes, when you have penalty points, it’s your car insurance premiums that increase. 

This is the amount you pay to the insurance company on a regular basis, either weekly, monthly or quarterly. Other aspects of your insurance may also increase, including the excess on any claims. 

How do points affect your insurance premium?

Penalty points increase your car insurance premiums. Generally speaking, the greater the number of points the greater the increase in your premiums. 

Does having 3 points on a licence affect insurance?

According to data published by Admiral, the average increase to your insurance premium after receiving three penalty points is 42%. 

This means if you were previously paying £1,200 per year for insurance (£100 per month), you would now be expected to pay £1,704 per year after receiving three points. 

Learn more in our article discussing insurance premiums with three penalty points. 

Does having 6 points on a licence affect insurance?

Yes, having six penalty points on your licence will increase your insurance premiums by 55% but can be as high as 86% in some cases. This was reported by Admiral.

You can find more information on the consequences of having six points by reading our drivers with six penalty points post.  

How much does 9 points affect insurance?

Admiral states that having nine penalty points can increase your insurance premiums by 75%. Other sources have suggested the increase can be as much as double someone with no penalty points.  

Do insurers check if you have points?

Yes, insurers can check if you have points on your licence. 

When you make an application for vehicle insurance, you will need to supply your driving licence. It’s likely you’ll also need to give permission for the insurance company to check your driving record if they want. 

Is it illegal to not declare points?

As per the Road Traffic Act 1998, you’re obligated to disclose your penalty points when applying for insurance. 

Purposefully not telling the insurer or forgetting to disclose penalty points (possibly at renewal) is serious. It could invalidate your insurance, which can cause problems if you need to claim. 

Will getting a speeding ticket increase my insurance?

Speeding-related offences will add points to your driving licence and will therefore likely increase the cost of your insurance when it comes time for renewal. 

Where can I find car insurance if I have penalty points for speeding? 

Depending on the number of penalty points you have for speeding, many of the mainstream insurers will still be willing to offer you vehicle insurance. You should just expect to pay more for it than you otherwise would without penalty points. 

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How can I reduce my insurance premiums if I have a speeding ticket?

You can reduce your insurance premiums with a speeding ticket in a number of ways, including by using a specialist insurance broker, or by considering insuring yourself on a vehicle that is cheaper to insure. 

We dive into the details of this in the sedition below. 

How can I get cheaper car insurance with penalty points on my licence?

You can find cheaper or cheap car insurance after you receive penalty points by:

1. Searching for insurance policies aimed at people with points, such as searching “drink driving insurance” or insurance for people caught speeding”.
2. Use these searches if you decide to use comparison websites, which can sometimes unearth cheaper deals.
3. Consider speaking with a car insurance broker who specialises in helping drivers with points on their licence get cheaper insurance. They might be able to access policies you’re not aware of. 
4. Consider changing your vehicle to a model that is generally considered cheaper to insure.

How long are penalty points valid for insurance?

For the purpose of insurance, penalty points are considered spent after five years. So you shouldn’t be subject to higher insurance premiums after five years from when the points were endorsed.

Will a speed awareness course affect my insurance?

Most insurance providers don’t require you to tell them if you attended a speed awareness course – some might. 

Most people attend these courses to avoid a fine and penalty points as part of motoring convictions. Consequently, attending the course instead of receiving points could stop your insurance from going up. 

Got another insurance question?

If you have more questions about car insurance or other types of insurance, why not visit the MoneyNerd insurance hub? 

Here you’ll find plenty more easy-to-read content answering the most common insurance questions!