Finding Car Insurance as a Convicted Driver – Our Expert Advice

If you’re navigating the process of securing vehicle insurance as a convicted driver, you're probably feeling overwhelmed by the high premiums and disheartened by the flat-out refusals. Finding the right car insurance for convicted drivers doesn't have to be so stressful. With our expert advice, you will discover how to make your insurance premiums as affordable as possible.

What is a driving conviction?

In the UK, driving offences can result in being issued with a fixed penalty notice or lead to an individual being summoned to court. As a consequence, drivers may receive points on their license plus a fine, a driving ban, or even a prison sentence, depending upon the type of offence committed. Most driving offences fall under one of two categories:

1. Dangerous driving - If you are found to have driven in a manner that falls below that of a competent and capable driver, leading to endangerment of yourself or others, you could face a conviction for dangerous driving. Examples of dangerous driving are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, using your phone while driving, and driving aggressively.
2. Careless or inconsiderate driving - If you are found to have driven in a careless or inconsiderate manner, you could face a conviction. Scenarios include poor lane discipline on the motorway, driving too close to another vehicle, failure to dip your headlights, turning into the path of an oncoming vehicle, and failure of concentration, leading to a road traffic incident.

You can also receive a conviction for driving when disqualified and driving without insurance.

Did you know you don't need to have been summoned to court to become a convicted driver? You may have been pulled up for a minor motoring offence, like speeding or ignoring traffic signals, and served a fixed penalty notice, resulting in points on your license. These points constitute a form of conviction and must be declared when you're trying to obtain vehicle insurance.

Drivers who have committed an offence will have an unspent conviction placed on their license. The endorsement (the number of points added to your license) for each conviction varies. Some endorsements stay on your license for four years (such as those for speeding and driving without insurance), while others can remain for eleven years (including those for driving under the influence and causing death by dangerous driving). While these convictions stay on your license for the assigned period, they are referred to as unspent convictions. You must inform your insurer of any unspent convictions each time you renew your policy. Once their required time period has passed, they become a spent conviction. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, you don't need to notify your insurer of any spent convictions, even if you're applying for motor insurance for convicted drivers for other unspent convictions on your license.

To summarise, driving offences are appraised according to the threat you have put yourself or others under, and you are given a conviction deemed proportionate to this risk. Whether you’ve received points for speeding or for causing death by drunk driving, you are considered a convicted driver and will face difficulties obtaining insurance.

What is car insurance for convicted drivers?

Car insurance for convicted drivers is a specialist policy that offers cover for drivers who currently have unspent convictions on their license. This can include insurance for banned drivers once they're allowed back on the road and cover for drivers with other serious motoring convictions.

Motor insurance for convicted drivers has to reflect the driver's unspent convictions, acknowledging that they may pose a higher risk than other drivers. This means you will always pay more as a convicted driver, but by going to an insurer who specialises in this type of policy and is willing to take a personalised approach, you will receive the most competitive policy price. Like standard motor insurance, convicted drivers will be allowed to choose between third-party, third-party, fire and theft, and fully comprehensive cover.

How do convictions affect your insurance?

Whatever your conviction, you will pay more for your annual insurance premium as a convicted driver than a driver with a clean license. The severity of conviction does influence how difficult it is to secure insurance, and at the higher end of the offence scale, it can drastically increase the cost. For example, car insurance after a drink driving ban will be notably more expensive than insurance for someone with points for speeding.

Even if your conviction didn’t lead to a prison sentence, insurance for disqualified drivers who were shown to have driven recklessly or dangerously can still be very difficult and costly to obtain. Across the board, convicted drivers can expect to face fewer insurance providers offering coverage, and will have to pay a higher voluntary excess.

How to obtain cheaper car insurance for convicted drivers

Whether you’re trying to figure out how to afford car insurance after a drink driving ban or lower the cost of your upcoming renewal for convicted driver insurance, our top tips will help you find a policy within your budget.

Choose a lower-risk car

When an insurer is calculating your premium, they factor in the make, model, value, power, performance, and repairability of your car. If you drive a modified vehicle, a luxury car, or a high-performance model, switch to something more insurer-friendly while your convictions remain unspent. Look for vehicles with a smaller engine, enhanced safety features, and lower repair costs.

Pay annually

If you’re facing the costly consequences of drink driving and car insurance, there are savings to be made by paying for your premium annually, rather than monthly by direct debit.

Increase your voluntary excess

Just as with standard car insurance, your premium price falls the more you’re willing to contribute as your excess. Higher excesses are a good way to save on the annual cost of car insurance for convicted drivers, but think carefully about the figure you offer. Can you afford it, even during expensive months like December?

Step up security

Where you park overnight, and your vehicle's security features can impact your insurance cost. Off-street parking is always likely to lower your insurance, but depending on where you live, this may not always be possible. You can still make savings by reducing the likelihood of your vehicle being stolen with features like alarms, tracking systems, immobilisers, and other anti-theft devices.

Safety features

Insurers recognise that individuals who drive vehicles equipped with added safety features tend to file fewer and less expensive claims. This is excellent news for those looking for lower-priced insurance for convicted drivers. Consider a vehicle equipped with safety features such as electronic stability control, automatic emergency braking, and blind spot, forward collision, lane departure, and rear cross-traffic warnings.

Decrease your mileage

The less you drive, the less you pay. It's essential to be honest with an insurer about the number of miles you drive annually, so if you claim to fall into one of the lower mileage brackets, ensure you stick to that. Consider using public transportation for your work commutes and staycations, carpooling, and walking to local shops instead of driving.

Turn to telematics

Some car insurance policies for convicted drivers may offer a reduced premium cost if you agree to install a telematics device in your vehicle. This tracks your driving and can help provide evidence that you're consistently driving with due care and attention. Remember, data will be sent back from your telematics to your insurer, providing information about your speed, braking, location, and mileage. This means you need to be completely honest about where you park, where you mostly drive, and your mileage when you take out your policy.

Add another driver

If you don't intend to be the primary driver of the vehicle, you can save money by adding another driver to your policy. This is only likely to be helpful if the second person is an experienced driver with no outstanding convictions. Remember, you must not state someone else will be the primary driver if they will not be. This would lead to you committing a type of insurance fraud known as fronting, which could result in a further conviction and a voided policy.

Work on your no-claims bonus

With unspent convictions potentially remaining on your license for up to eleven years, it's best to consider the bigger picture. Focus on building up your no-claims bonus over the upcoming years to reduce your policy costs year after year. The telematic systems mentioned above help you work on the quality of your driving, serving as a good motivator to follow careful and considerate driving practices.

Turn to a specialist broker

It's always best to go to a specialist insurer like Park Insurance, who is willing to look at the nature of your convictions and broker a deal that ensures you don't overpay for insurance simply because you have to tick the box for being a convicted driver.

FAQs

Can you still get car insurance after a conviction?

The truth is that securing car insurance after a drunk driving ban, a disqualification, or another serious conviction can be problematic. Some insurance providers may not even consider offering you coverage. But, if you are legally allowed to drive, even if you have unspent convictions for serious driving offences, there are insurance options available – albeit sometimes at a significant price.

Does insurance get cheaper toward the end of a conviction?

As you know, endorsements stay on your license for either four or eleven years (while your associated penalty points stay on for three years from the date of your conviction). In some cases, but not all, an insurer may reduce the cost of your car insurance for convicted drivers as you get closer to the end of the conviction period.

Do I need to tell my insurer as soon as I’m convicted?

If you've received a fixed penalty notice, a court summons, or have already been given penalty points and a conviction, your insurer will need to know about this when it's time to renew your policy. Unless stipulated in your current policy, you don't usually need to tell your insurer during the term of an existing policy. Remember – failure to disclose unspent convictions when taking out or renewing a policy could lead to that policy becoming invalid. In practical terms, this means if you make a claim or have a claim made against you, the insurer may not pay out, and you'd be liable to shoulder all associated costs.

Does the type of conviction matter?

A conviction for skipping a red light or carelessly backing into another car will not bump up your insurance costs as much as a conviction for drink driving, and this in turn will not be as costly as a conviction that led to a prison sentence for causing a serious incident through dangerous driving.

When you're completing car insurance applications online, it's common to be automatically refused or given a higher quote because the system doesn't ask for all the details about your conviction. This scenario can be especially frustrating for those with a high number of points on their license due to multiple minor offences accumulated over the years. That's why it's always best for a convicted driver to speak person-to-person to a specialist in motor insurance for convicted drivers, such as the friendly experts at Park Insurance.

If you need a helping hand getting back on the road after a driving ban or would like to find cheaper car insurance for convicted drivers, Park Insurance is here to help. We’ve been tailoring bespoke policies for over three decades and will review your circumstances to secure the most competitive policy for you based on your specific unspent convictions. Contact us today and discover how we can help you get started anew.