Convicted Driver Insurance

Get affordable car insurance for convicted drivers

Every motor insurance proposal form asks whether you have driving convictions or have ever been banned from driving. If you have, you will probably find that your premiums are higher than would otherwise be the case. You may even find it difficult to get cover at all.

Our job at MoneySupermarket is to help you find the cheapest deal from leading UK insurance providers, regardless of your situation. And there are a number of steps you can take to lower the cost of car insurance for convicted drivers.

Here we explain why convicted driver insurance is more expensive and outline what you can do to make the policy as cheap as possible.

Why is car insurance for convicted drivers so expensive?

Insurance is all about risk. Insurers set their prices according to the likelihood of having to pay out on a claim. And if they see you have convictions, they immediately think of you as a risky proposition. In other words, they take the fact that you have been in trouble in the past as an indication that you might be in trouble again in the future.

They will also point to statistics showing that individuals who have been convicted of a driving offence often have more than one conviction. This leads them to conclude that there is an increased danger of such a person being involved in an accident and making a claim - which all adds up to convicted driver insurance being more expensive than normal.

Don't drive uninsured

If you are confronted by a hefty premium for convicted driver insurance, or if you are initially rejected by insurance providers, it might be tempting to drive without insurance in place. But you should never do this - it is strictly against the law, and the authorities are clamping down under a scheme called the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) regulations.

The CIE scheme makes it a legal requirement for registered vehicle keepers to insure their vehicle at all times - and you don't actually have to be driving to be caught. It is an offence to keep a vehicle without insurance unless you have notified DVLA, by means of a Statutory off Road Notice (SORN), that your vehicle is being kept off the road.

If the Motor Insurance Bureau and the DVLA cannot find a vehicle on the Motor Insurance Database, the registered keeper will be sent an Insurance Advisory Letter telling them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured and warning them that they will be fined unless they take action.
If the keeper fails to comply with the advice set out in the letter they will face a fixed penalty notice of £100, having their vehicle being clamped, seized and disposed of, and a court prosecution with a maximum fine of £1,000.

These new measures are in addition to the powers the police already have to seize an uninsured vehicle and fine the driver.

Cheap convicted driver insurance

It's an unavoidable fact that a conviction or penalty points or endorsements on your Driving Licence will result in you paying more for your insurance cover than a similar person with a 'clean' licence. But that makes it even more important to take whatever steps are available to reduce your risk profile in the eyes of insurance providers and hence obtain cheaper convicted driver insurance quotes.

Drive a car in a low group

Every car registered in the UK is allocated to an insurance group, with group 1 deemed to be the lowest risk and group 50 the highest. The factors taken into account by insurers include vehicle value, performance capabilities, cost of repair, and security levels. You can see how the system works at our car insurance groups page.

If you want to save money on car insurance as a convicted driver, you could opt for a car in a lower group. The higher the group, the more you will pay.

Safety & security

Theft is a big problem for insurers, so if you can demonstrate that your car is well protected with devices such as an alarm, immobiliser and tracking unit, you should secure a lower premium. Parking in a garage or off-road overnight will also help.

Once you have given the insurance company information about your security measures, be sure to use them - you may run into trouble if you make a claim and it emerges that you weren't taking the action you described on your application.

Install a 'black box'

An increasingly popular option for cost-conscious motorists is to find an insurance provider which offers a policy that rewards good driving habits with lower premiums. These policies work by having 'black box' technology, known as telematics, installed in the car. This unit records your typical driving pattern, taking into account speed, braking, cornering and the time of day you are on the road.

The insurer will analyse the data generated by the black box and adjust your monthly premiums accordingly. Of course, if it turns out you are a risky driver, you may find your premium actually rises. You can find out more about telematics car insurance policies here.

Reduce your mileage

Insurers work on the basis that, the more miles you drive, the more likely it is that you will be involved in an accident. That is why you are asked to specify your annual mileage limit, and why choosing a lower limit will lower your premium. If you opt for a low limit, however, make sure you stick to it to avoid possible difficulties in making a successful claim.

Shop around

One of the most effective ways to get cheap car insurance for convicted drivers is to shop around and compare prices from as many different insurance companies as possible.

Moneysupermarket.com helps you compare deals available through some of the UK's leading car insurance companies to help find you the deal which best suits your circumstances, including any driving convictions. You can compare the best deals here.