Convicted driver insurance is car or van cover for people whose driving history may make standard insurance harder to obtain.
Convicted driver insurance is motor cover for someone with a motoring conviction, penalty points or a previous driving ban. It can cover a car or van, depending on the policy and how the vehicle is used.
A conviction does not remove the need for insurance. However, some standard insurers may not offer cover, or they may apply different prices, excesses, limits or conditions. Insurance can cost more when you have an unspent conviction, although each insurer assesses risk in its own way.
A specialist broker may be able to approach insurers that consider a wider range of driving histories. Acceptance, price and policy terms will depend on the full details.
An insurer may ask about:
The effect on your insurance will depend on factors such as the type of offence, how recent it was and whether there are several convictions. Insurers may charge a higher premium, apply a higher excess or add exclusions and limits. Different insurers may respond to convictions in different ways.
More serious or recent offences may have a greater effect. For example, we arrange specialist drink driver insurance, IN10 insurance and TT99 insurance, subject to insurer acceptance and policy terms.
For driving records in England, Scotland and Wales, an endorsement usually remains for either four or 11 years, depending on the offence. The GOV.UK guidance on penalty points and endorsements explains the relevant periods.
Drivers in Great Britain can also face disqualification after building up 12 or more penalty points within three years. Different rules can apply to new drivers and in other circumstances.
Northern Ireland has different endorsement codes and processes, so drivers there should check the relevant local guidance.
The time an endorsement stays on a driving record is not always the same as the rehabilitation period for the conviction. Whether a conviction is spent or unspent can affect what you must disclose.
Answer every question fully and accurately. You will normally need to disclose an unspent conviction when an insurer asks about it. You do not usually have to disclose a spent conviction, but you should read the question and policy wording carefully.
MoneyHelper advises checking the policy terms when you receive a conviction during an existing policy. Some policies may require you to report the change straight away, while others may only ask at renewal.
Failing to provide information requested by the insurer could affect the policy or a later claim. The outcome will depend on the circumstances, the information withheld and the relevant insurance rules. Keep a record of the details you disclose.
The ABI guidance on customers with convictions also supports clear information about how convictions are used during and after a policy sale.
Convicted driver insurance is not a separate level of cover. Depending on the insurer, you may still be offered third-party only, third-party fire and theft, or comprehensive cover.
Check the policy documents for:
Van drivers should make sure the policy matches their work and the way the vehicle is used. Our van insurance page explains more about cover for different types of van use.
We arrange convicted driver insurance through a panel of insurers. We can discuss your driving history and look for car or van policies that may suit the details you provide.
We cannot guarantee acceptance, a particular price or that every insurer will offer cover. Any quote will be based on the full risk information and will be subject to the insurer’s terms, limits and exclusions.
