How long must you declare penalty points to an insurer?

Why disclosure depends on the question, conviction status and applicable rehabilitation rules.

Do penalty points on your licence affect insurance?

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.

How long do you have to tell insurance about speeding points?

Take reasonable care to answer the insurer’s questions accurately about unspent convictions, points and bans. Check the policy for changes you must report before renewal. Spent convictions generally do not need to be disclosed for ordinary motor insurance, even when asked. If the question or your conviction’s status is unclear, get advice before answering.

Driving-record retention and the period before a conviction becomes spent are different. The sentence, your age and the relevant UK jurisdiction matter. The end of a ban or removal of an endorsement does not automatically settle the disclosure question. See the official rehabilitation guidance for England and Wales; check the separate rules for Scotland or Northern Ireland where relevant.

Is it illegal to not declare points?

If you gave an incorrect answer, tell the insurer promptly. An omission does not automatically make every policy void or amount to fraud. The outcome depends on the questions, the care taken and what the insurer would have done with the correct information. See the Financial Ombudsman’s guidance.

What will happen when I declare a spent driving conviction to my insurer?

Spent convictions generally do not need to be disclosed for ordinary motor insurance, even when asked. If you think an insurer has relied unfairly on a spent conviction, ask it to explain and use its complaints process.

Do I have to declare penalty points after 3 years?

Do not decide solely from the fact that three years have passed. Check the insurer’s question and whether the conviction is spent under the rules applying to your age, sentence and jurisdiction.

How long do you have to declare points for insurance?

Driving-record retention and the period before a conviction becomes spent are different. The sentence, your age and the relevant UK jurisdiction matter. The end of a ban or removal of an endorsement does not automatically settle the disclosure question. See the official rehabilitation guidance for England and Wales; check the separate rules for Scotland or Northern Ireland where relevant.

Answer relevant questions accurately for all named drivers. Different sentences can have different rehabilitation periods, so a single five-year answer is not suitable for every case.

Can car insurance companies find out if you are lying?

An insurer may request driving-record information and explain how it will check it. Do not assume you have already granted particular access, or that a lack of a check changes your responsibility to answer accurately. Ask the provider to explain any unclear request.

What are the consequences of not declaring points?

If you gave an incorrect answer, tell the insurer promptly. An omission does not automatically make every policy void or amount to fraud. The outcome depends on the questions, the care taken and what the insurer would have done with the correct information. See the Financial Ombudsman’s guidance.

Do you need to declare penalty points for temporary car insurance?

Take reasonable care to answer the insurer’s questions accurately about unspent convictions, points and bans. Check the policy for changes you must report before renewal. Spent convictions generally do not need to be disclosed for ordinary motor insurance, even when asked. If the question or your conviction’s status is unclear, get advice before answering.

What happens if you forgot to declare points on insurance?

If you gave an incorrect answer, tell the insurer promptly. An omission does not automatically make every policy void or amount to fraud. The outcome depends on the questions, the care taken and what the insurer would have done with the correct information. See the Financial Ombudsman’s guidance.

Can you pay to remove points from your driving licence in the UK?

You cannot pay to erase valid penalty points. Eligible drivers may be offered a speed-awareness course instead of the usual speeding penalty, but this is a police decision and not a general right. See the official speeding guidance.

Want to know more about cheap convicted car insurance?

All isn’t lost if you have penalty points on your licence. It’s still possible to find cheap car insurance as a convicted driver. 

I’ve discussed some of the techniques you could copy to hopefully shave money off the quotes you receive. Head to my convicted driver insurance page for the details!

Or if you have another question, why not ask me directly? It could be made into an anonymous blog that helps other readers!

How to check points on your driving licence

You can check your driving licence record online to see how many penalty points you have. To do this, you’ll need your driving licence number, driving licence postcode and your National Insurance (NI) number. 

You can also get details on your driving record by calling the DVLA.