Convicted Driver Insurance
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Why Compare Convicted Drivers Car Insurance at SimplyQuote.co.uk?
We understand comparing convicted drivers’ car insurance can be stressful and time-consuming. And you’ve probably wondered if you can even get car insurance with motoring convictions or a criminal record, right?
The good news is that many convicted drivers can get car insurance cover in the UK, and SimplyQuote, in partnership with Quotezone, makes comparing quotes easy.
The online comparison tool is 100% free and allows you to compare various convicted car insurance quotes from leading UK insurance providers, helping you find the right deal.
When looking for car insurance, even with driving convictions on your record, SimplyQuote’s service simplifies the process.
What Do You Need To Get Insurance For Convicted Drivers?
To get insurance as a convicted driver, you’ll need to provide the following information:
- Vehicle registration number
- Name in which the vehicle is registered in
- Vehicle size (i.e. how many seats/doors)
- Vehicle make and model (including any modifications made)
- No-claims bonus history
- Conviction history (unspent)
Why do you need motor vehicle insurance as a convicted driver?
It’s a legal requirement for anyone driving on UK roads to have a valid motor vehicle insurance policy in place.
What Are The Levels Of Convicted Driver Insurance Cover
Car insurance for convicted drivers generally provides the same level of cover as a standard car insurance policy – but at a higher fee, namely:
Third-party only (TPO)
Third-party-only insurance is a bare minimum car insurance for convicted drivers – and usually the cheapest too! It doesn’t cover you for any damages to your own car, but it does mean you’re covered for damages to a third-party property or persons.
Third-party, fire and theft (TPFT)
Third-party, fire and theft insurance covers convicted drivers for damage to a third-party vehicle and/or driver, as well as theft and fire damage to your own car.
Comprehensive
Comprehensive insurance includes the same level of cover of TPO and TPFT with the addition of:
- Repair or replacement of broken/damaged windscreens
- Personal injury cover for the vehicle driver
- Medical expenses
- Personal belongings cover
- Cover for using the incorrect fuel type
- Key replacement
When won’t you be covered?
You won’t be able to get car insurance if you are serving a driving ban. You’ll have to wait until the ban is over before you arrange for a convicted driver’s car insurance policy.
Additionally, you will be excluded by insurance providers if you fail to disclose your unspent criminal and/or driving offences.
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How Does A Criminal Conviction Affect Your Car Insurance?
If you have criminal offences or driving convictions on your license, you’ll pay higher premiums as insurance providers class you as “high risk”.
While this isn’t the best news, it’s far better than driving without vehicle insurance which could potentially lead to further infringements – and possibly a £300 on-the-spot fine!
As mentioned, more serious offences – such as a prison sentence – also drive your car insurance premiums up and some insurance providers may refuse to provide any cover at all, depending on the offence.
Which Add-ons Can You Get For Convicted Driver Car Insurance?
You can add several extras to your car insurance policy, ranging from breakdown to European cover. These are similar to standard motor vehicle insurance additions.
Here’s a list of options:
Personal accident cover
This means that your insurance company will pay out if you’re killed or injured as a result of an accident.
Breakdown cover
Adding this option means that you’re covered if your car breaks down and you require roadside assistance.
International driver insurance
This will give you cover if you want to take your car overseas to drive in the EU and other countries. Some countries may not allow a convicted driver to drive on their roads, so you need to check this before travelling abroad.
Windscreen cover
Having a windscreen cover included in your convicted driver insurance policy means that you’re covered for the costs of repair or replacement if your windscreen is shattered or cracked.
Courtesy car cover
This covers the costs of hiring a replacement vehicle whilst your car is being repaired, and usually, you can keep the courtesy car for as long as it takes for your car to be ready to use.
Note: Some insurance providers may have limitations to what can and cannot be added to convicted driver’s insurance.
How Long Do Criminal Convictions Stay On Record?
The length of criminal convictions varies, depending on the type of crime committed. As an estimate, your record could be cleared (i.e. spent convictions) within five to 11 years.
It’s worth mentioning that only certain convictions will appear on your Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate. Key players in determining your DBS include:
- The severity of the crime
- The sentence given
- The age of the offender
Types of DBS certificates
- Basic DBS Check– shows unspent convictions on your criminal record
- Standard DBS Check– shows unspent convictions and spent convictions including warnings and reprimands.
- Enhanced DBS Check– shows everything the above checks reveal including any
- relevant local police noteson file.
Offenders over the age of 18 can potentially have their records cleared when:
- More than 11 years have passed since the conviction
- The crime didn’t lead to a prison sentence
- The applicant hasn’t committed a crime since
- If the crime in question doesn’t appear on the relevant safeguarding list
Offenders under the age of 18 can potentially have their records cleared when:
- More than five and a half years have passed since the conviction
- The sentence didn’t involve prison time
- It’s the offender’s only offence
- The crime doesn’t appear on a relevant safeguarding list
Note: Terror offences, murder, sexual offences, and child abduction are serious criminal convictions that will never be removed from your DBS and could impact whether you can get motor car insurance or not.
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Do You Need To Tell Insurance Providers About Criminal Convictions?
The short answer is: it depends.
According to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all unspent convictions must be declared to insurance providers. It is a legal requirement.
You generally don’t have to declare spent convictions, even when asked by insurers.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how long you need to declare this sensitive information:
| Type of Sentence | Over 18s | Under 18s |
|---|---|---|
| Community order/Youth rehabilitation order | Until last day of order | Until last day of order |
| Sentences of 1 year or less | 1 year | 6 months |
| Sentences of 1 to 4 years | 4 years | 2 years |
| Sentences of more than 4 years | 7 years | 3.5 years |
What Are The Different Types Of Driving Offences?
Let’s look at a few motoring offences that may appear on your driving record:
Drunk driving or drug driving offences
Getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offence. Not only does it put yourself and others at risk, but it can also land you in hot water legally and financially.
If caught drunk driving, you could receive a DR10 (or DR20) endorsement on your driving record, equaling 11 penalty points on your license instantly. You’ll also face a one-year driving ban and will need to appear in court.
Speeding conviction
If you’re caught driving over the speed limit, you could potentially attend traffic awareness courses, such as the National Driving Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) as an alternative to getting points on your driving license.
Attending – and completing – these courses avoid having penalty points or driving bans added to your license and it’s not necessary to declare this to your insurance provider.
Penalty points
Penalty points are “demerits” for “smaller” driving offences – hence the name. Each offence is given a certain number of points that are added to your driving record. They include:
| Offence | Points |
|---|---|
| Not stopping after an accident | 4 – 10 |
| Dangerous driving | 3 – 11 |
| Driving with broken or faulty lights | 3 |
| Speeding | 3 – 6 |
| Careless driving | 3 – 9 |
| Dangerous driving (repeat) | 3 – 11 |
12 points result in a driving ban, with lengths varying between six to 12 months:
| Accumulated Points | Period | Resulting Disqualification |
|---|---|---|
| 12+ points within three years | 6 months | First disqualification |
| Second disqualification within three years | 12 months | Extended disqualification |
You won’t be able to get car insurance if you are serving a driving ban, and you’ll have to wait until the ban is over before you arrange a convicted driver car insurance policy.
You will be excluded by insurance providers if you fail to disclose your unspent criminal and/or driving offences.
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| CD10 | Careless driving |
| MS90 | Failing to provide identifying information |
| TT99 | Having too many penalty points |
| TS10 | Disobeying a traffic signal |
| IN10 | Having no car insurance |
| CU80 | Using a mobile phone while driving |
| SP50 | Exceeding the speed limit on a motorway |
| SP30 | Exceeding the speed limit (excl. motorways) |
| DR10 | Drink driving conviction |
| DR20 | Severe drink driving conviction |
You won’t be able to get car insurance if you are serving a driving ban, and you’ll have to wait until the ban is over before you arrange a convicted driver car insurance policy.
You will be excluded by insurance providers if you fail to disclose your unspent criminal and/or driving offences.
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How Much Is Convicted Drivers Car Insurance?
Convicted drivers with at least one conviction can expect to pay around £1,746 annually for motor vehicle insurance. As a comparison, drivers with no conviction pay £967 for annual cover.
How do convictions affect car insurance costs?
Drivers with at least one conviction – such as dangerous driving – will pay around 80% more on their car insurance premiums when compared to non-offenders. This is because insurance providers see you as a higher-risk driver.
How To Get Cheap Convicted Driver Insurance?
Convicted drivers can get cheaper car insurance in many ways; from paying premiums annually to increasing voluntary excess.
Let’s take a closer look:
Pay premiums annually
It might seem a lot of money but paying premiums upfront can work out cheaper in the long run as monthly instalments often come with added interest.
Opt for higher voluntary excesses
If you can afford higher voluntary excess payments, you save money on your overall car insurance premiums.
Do less mileage
Reducing your mileage can help lower the costs of your insurance policy. Doing fewer miles means you’re less likely to have an accident which means insurance providers will consider you a lower risk.
Black box policies
Agreeing to have a black box installed in your car is a good way to lower your insurance costs, as your insurer can monitor your driving using telematics. If you can demonstrate to them that you’re a safe and careful driver, your premiums should be reduced.
Lower car insurance groups
If the car you drive is in a low insurance group, it means that it’s considered safer than cars in higher groups, and insurance providers will charge you less to insure it.
Compare car insurance quotes
One of the best ways to find cheaper car insurance is to compare multiple quotes from different insurers. SimplyQuote’s comparison tool is 100% free to use and makes comparing convicted driver quotes a breeze.
Car security
Keep your vehicle in a secure area when not in use. This reduces the risk of vandalism, burglary and theft and will keep premiums to a minimum.
Avoid modifications
The more unique your car, the higher the insurance premiums you’ll pay. This is because these vehicles are generally more expensive to repair.
Prove you are trained
Taking an advanced driving course proves you are a responsible driver and could potentially lower your monthly premiums.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Convicted driver insurance is a specialised car insurance for those who have driving convictions on their record. These convictions can range from speeding offences to more serious convictions like drunk driving or driving without insurance. If you have serious criminal convictions, such as jail time or a driving ban, some insurers may not insure you while others will.
The good news is if you have unspent convictions, many insurers provide insurance for convicted drivers. While you’ll likely pay higher premiums when compared to standard car insurance policies, they usually give you the same amount of cover.
Insightful tip: Unspent convictions mean you are undergoing rehabilitation (and you’ll need to declare this to your insurance provider), whereas spent convictions mean your rehabilitation phase has lapsed (i.e. your slate is clean) and you don’t have to declare these.
Unspent convictions mean you are undergoing rehabilitation (and you’ll need to declare this to your insurance provider), whereas spent convictions mean your rehabilitation phase has lapsed (i.e. your slate is clean) and you don’t have to declare these.
If you fail to declare any unspent convictions to an insurance company when taking out a policy, your policy will most likely become invalid. This means that you wouldn’t be covered if you had any accidents, and the insurer would refuse to pay out for a claim.
If you have a no-claims discount, this will most likely reduce the cost of your insurance, but your premiums will still be higher than they would be if you had both no claims and no convictions.
Generally, car insurance providers will not cover you if you have a driving ban.