How Much Do 9 Points Affect Insurance? A Cost Breakdown

Are you trying to find out how 9 points on your license can affect your car insurance? You’re not alone. Each month, over 9,300 people visit our website for guidance on this very issue.

In this easy-to-read guide, we’ll cover:

• The meaning of penalty points and how they impact your insurance.
• The need to inform your insurer about your penalty points.
• How to find car insurance even with 9 points on your license.
• Tips to lower your car insurance costs despite having points.

The Guardian reports that each year in the UK, around 1.2 million people face the challenge of securing car insurance because mainstream insurers typically refuse coverage to those with unspent convictions.¹

I know this can be concerning, but we’re here to help. There are ways to find cheaper insurance.

Can you drive with 9 points (UK)?

It’s possible that you can drive with 9 points.

You probably won’t be banned from driving if you have nine penalty points on your driving licence.

Most people only get a driving disqualification if they receive 12 or more penalty points on their license within a three-year period.

So in that regard, you won’t be given a driving ban just for having nine penalty points.

Driving ban

In accordance with the Road Traffic Act 1988, a court can give you a driving ban if you’re convicted of a driving offence, even if that offence gives you less than 12 penalty points.

Therefore it isn’t impossible to be banned from driving with just nine points, but it’s not as likely.

Those who receive enough penalty points to result in a ban may find certain parts of their lives impacted.

For instance, those with jobs requiring driving will not be able to perform their usual duties. Additionally, they will find it challenging to hire a car.

What happens if I get 9 points on my licence?

With nine points on your licence, you will be close to getting a driving ban. Just one more motoring offence will result in a driving disqualification for at least six months. 

If you receive just three more penalty points, which is standard for even the lesser offences, you may have accumulated 12 penalty points within three years.

As a result of the totting up procedure, you could receive a driving ban.

Some people claim that having nine points should make you a safer driver because you know the next offence results in a ban. Some MoneySavingExpert forum users have even stated their belief that this reduces the cost of your insurance, like this comment:

Source: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/59797927#Comment_59797927 

However, there is no concrete proof that this is the case.

How long does 9 points last on your licence?

On your driving licence, receiving nine penalty points in one go could last either four years or eleven years.

The lifespan of these penalty points depends on the nature of the motoring offence or conviction. 

You’ll probably only have to declare any driving convictions to insurance companies in the last five years.

This is still true if you get penalty points that remain on your driving licence for eleven years instead of four.

Will I get insurance with 9 points?

Getting vehicle insurance is still possible when you have nine points on your licence. 

Unless stated in your policy agreement, you won’t need to tell the insurer about the new penalty points until it is time to renew your policy. However, your insurance may be automatically null and void if you receive a driving ban and the points. 

Nine points on your driving licence won’t stop you from getting different types of cover.

You’ll still be able to find car insurance companies willing to give you third-party or comprehensive insurance. 

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

How does having points on licence affect insurance?

Insurers conduct a risk assessment and use insurance underwriting to determine premiums.

Therefore, having nine points on your licence will cause insurers to consider you a high-risk driver who is more likely to be involved in an accident.

Consequently, some insurance providers may be unwilling to provide you with (affordable) insurance. 

The most significant consequence of having nine points is that insurance companies will charge you more in insurance premiums.

This is comparable to loan providers charging people with a poor credit history a higher interest rate because they are at a greater lending risk. 

Convicted Driver Insurance Reduction

As mentioned earlier, points on your license can affect your insurance premiums. Luckily there are different ways to reduce insurance rates.

These include:

How to Reduce Insurance Rates	Keep in Mind…
Choose Your Car Wisely	Consider age, engine, insurance group & price. The lower the group, the lower the premium. A high-powered & fast car, or cheap car with less value come with a higher risk, which means a higher premium.
Ensure Car Safety & Security	Park in a driveway or locked garage. Use safety technology.
Add a Named Driver	Adding an experienced driver with a good claims history, such as a parent, can lower your insurance premium by reducing the perceived risk.
Drive Fewer Miles	Reduced mileage = Reduced risk.
Complete a Rehabilitation Course	Third-Party Only – the bare minimum; as required by law Comprehensive – provides full coverage and may include personal accident and medical expenses coverage Third Party, Fire & Theft – TPO cover and also insures against damage to other vehicles and injuries to others in accidents where you’re at fault, accidental fires or arson, stolen vehicles
Determine the Cover Level You Need	Third-Party Only – the bare minimum; as required by law. Comprehensive – provides full coverage and may include personal accident and medical expenses coverage. Third Party, Fire & Theft – TPO cover and also insures against damage to other vehicles and injuries to others in accidents where you’re at fault, accidental fires or arson, stolen vehicles.
Compare Policies and Opt Out of Extras	Get quotes tailored to your specific convictions and needs. Optional extras like excess protection, legal cover, breakdown, windscreen, and gadget cover are nice to have but come with added costs.
Increase Your Excess	Raising the amount of excess (upfront payment for any claim; the rest to be paid by the insurer) on your policy can lower your insurance premium.

How much do 9 points affect insurance?

Having nine points increases your car insurance premiums.

However, the increase to your insurance is usually calculated based on how many penalty points you received and the nature of the offence(s) that resulted in the points. 

Therefore it’s not possible to give a 100% accurate answer to this question. For context, Admiral states that receiving nine points will create an increase between 68% and 135%.

This means that if your insurance were previously £2,000 per year, it would now cost between £3,360 and £4,700.

How to get cheaper car insurance with 9 points on licence

To get more affordable car insurance with nine penalty points, you should search for insurance companies that specialise in insuring motorists with penalty points on their licence.

Drivers with penalty points can use insurance comparison sites to find more affordable insurance options.

However, the results may not be in your favour.

Some companies provide better deals for people with points than the mainstream car insurance market. They typically market their policies specifically to these people by calling it high-risk driver insurance, penalty points driver insurance, or something similar.

You could search for these options yourself or enlist the services of a car insurance brokerage.

They offer specialist services to help drivers without a clean record get affordable car insurance.

Those with points on their licence may also find telematics insurance or black box insurance a cheaper option.

From my experience, you should always check the terms and conditions before buying insurance, no matter which option you eventually go for.

You could also consider changing your vehicle…

What cars are cheaper to insure after penalty points?

You could find cheaper insurance with penalty points by driving and insuring certain vehicles. There are makes and models of cars that are typically cheaper to insure. A few options are:

1. Skoda Yeti
2. Renault Clio
3. Ford Fiesta
4. Ford Ka
5. Citroen C1

Can you get temporary car insurance with 9 points?

Yes, you can still get temporary car insurance with 9 points on your licence. 

Again, you’ll have fewer options and should expect to pay higher car insurance premiums due to the penalty points. 

References

1. The Guardian – Insurers’ Ban on Unspent Convictions