Does a speed awareness course make car insurance more expensive?
If you’ve been caught speeding and the police have offered you a speed awareness course, do you need to tell your insurer and will it push up your premium?
Key takeaways
Speed awareness courses are offered in the UK if you’re caught speeding
Completing a speed awareness won't add points to your driving licence
Speed awareness courses typically cost between £80 and £100
Thousands of drivers are caught speeding every day on UK roads and face a minimum of a £100 fine and three points on their driving licence.
For a minor speeding offence the police may offer you a National Speed Awareness Course (NSAC) instead.
What is a speed awareness test?
If you’re caught speeding the police may give you the option of taking a speed awareness test. This is an online or in-person workshop which shows you how to identify speed limits, how to recognise and resist pressure to speed, and how to avoid distractions.
There’s no test but you are expected to attend the whole course and take part in group discussions.
There is no legal requirement for the police to offer you a speed awareness course and you won’t be able to go on a speed awareness course if you’ve already taken one in the past three years (in line with penalty points lasting for three years following a conviction).
It’s also not an option for speeding offences committed in Scotland.
Do you have to tell your insurer if you go on a speed awareness course?
No, you don’t usually have to tell your insurer if you’ve attended a speed awareness course.
Legally, attending a course is not a conviction and UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd), which manages the courses on behalf of the police, says that data will not be shared with insurance companies and they have no access to it.
However, if your insurer specifically asks about attending a speed awareness course you need to answer fully and honestly.
It’s also worth carefully looking at any policy renewal requirement. If you have any doubts it’s best to check with your insurer.
Will a speed awareness course affect your car insurance premium?
There isn’t a definite answer to this one as UKROEd says there is an inconsistent approach by the insurance industry. It says a minority of insurers do adjust premiums once notified that a driver has been on a speed awareness course but the majority do not.
Admiral, one of the major insurers in the UK, told us that it does not require drivers to declare they've been on a speed awareness course. LV= also says there's no need to tell it that you're going on a speed awareness course, or that you've already attended one.
However you will need to tell your insurer if you've received points on your licence for a motoring conviction or a fixed penalty notice.
What are the benefits of a speed awareness course?
There are lots of advantages to going on a speed test including:
No fines or licence penalty points
You won’t need to pay the fine and you won’t receive any penalty points on your licence. Remember that points count on your licence for three years and stay on for four years. If you get 12 points on your licence in three years, you could lose your licence.
If you’re a new driver you need to be particularly mindful about points. If you rack up six or more points within two years of passing your test your driving licence could be revoked.
Become a safer driver
A speed awareness course should help you to become a safer driver. A study commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) found that drivers who took a speed awareness course were less likely to reoffend in the following three years, with a 23% reduction on the likelihood of reoffending after six months.
Some drivers who have been on a speed awareness course say it has made them less stressed when driving and more aware of other road users.
Positive impact on fuel economy
It may also have a positive impact on your car’s fuel economy as studies show driving above 70mph uses significantly more fuel than driving at 60mph.
What are the disadvantages of a speed awareness course?
Cost
A speed awareness course is not free. There are a number of providers, which have been approved by National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), and it is the course provider that sets the final price. Typically, a speed awareness course costs £80-£100.
Time
There’s also the time involved. A course is usually two hours 45 minutes and if you attend an in-person workshop rather than online you’ll have to allow travel time too.
What happens if you miss a speed awareness course?
If you don’t turn up for a speed awareness course or arrive late you should be able to rebook, as long as you’re still within the timescales set by the police.
Failure to complete the course in time, however, will mean the matter is passed back to the police. That could result in points on your licence as well as paying the fine or you may even be summoned to court.
Author
Rebecca Goodman
Personal Finance & Insurance Expert
Rebecca is an award-winning financial journalist with over a decade of experience writing for print and online media. Her mission is to take the jargon out of personal finance and to help everyone...
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