Convicted Drivers Insurance

Compare Car Insurance for Convicted Drivers  

If you’ve been convicted of a motoring offence you probably already know that the cost of your car insurance is likely to rise quite considerably when you come to renew your policy, since insurance providers view convicted drivers as higher risk than a motorist with a clean driving record.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shop around for the best deals. In fact, when your premiums are likely to rise it becomes even more important that you compare quotes from a wide range of different providers, because that way you increase your odds of finding a suitable convicted driver insurance policy at a price that won’t break the bank.

And that’s where we come in – Quotezone’s convicted driver car insurance comparison service can help motorists with points on their licence, speeding, drink driving, or other motoring convictions. Compare quotes from a vast range of different providers side by side. Convicted driver insurance isn’t likely to be cheap, but with Quotezone insurance comparison system, you could just find a policy that’s cheaper. 

Do criminal convictions affect car insurance?

If you have convictions then unfortunately you will face higher insurance premiums and may also struggle to find insurers, Many insurance companies will also refuse to insure drivers with unspent convictions. Penalty points on your license will also drive up your premiums with 6 points pushing up premiums by as much as 25%. 

Why is insurance for convicted drivers so expensive?

Insurance providers use a wide range of different variables when they’re calculating a policyholder’s insurance premium, including their location, their age, their occupation, the type of vehicle they drive and how long they’ve held their licence.

Each of these variables are used to compile a ‘risk profile’ for that policyholder, based on what proportion of other motorists with similar attributes claimed on their insurance.

Motoring convictions for speeding, drinking driving, dangerous driving or a host of other violations will also be factored into a policyholder’s ‘risk profile’, with car insurance for convicted drivers usually costing more because insurance claims data suggests these drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident and more likely to claim on their insurance.

I have never claimed on my car insurance, though – surely that counts in my favour when I’m comparing convicted driver insurance?

Given that rules around speed limits, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and dangerous driving have all been implemented in order to prevent road traffic accidents, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to learn that drivers who have been convicted of these offences are statistically more likely to be involved in an accident at some stage, and many of those accidents are at-fault accidents which result in insurance claims.

So while the fact that you’ve never claimed on your own car policy should work in your favour, resulting in cheaper convicted driver insurance than you’d be quoted if you had a motoring conviction and an insurance claim, the fact that convicted drivers are more likely to claim will still push up the cost of your convicted driving insurance. 

Is there a way for a convicted driver to demonstrate to an insurer that the behaviour was out of character and won’t happen again?

Although a motorist’s driving conviction might have been an anomaly caused by behaviour behind the wheel that was completely out of character for them, insurance providers have no way to be sure of that fact. Since they don’t have a full picture of that particular motorist’s driving abilities and adherence to the rules of the road, they’re largely forced to rely on insurance claims data.

What can I do to find cheap convicted driver insurance?

If you’re looking to find Insurance or TT99 insurance as a convicted driver, the most important thing you can do to increase your odds of finding a suitable policy is to compare quotes from a wide range of providers. 

Different insurance providers can have very different underwriting terms, which means some insurers might weight risk factors like driving convictions very differently from others.

That’s one of the reasons why accepting your existing provider’s renewal quote is rarely likely to be the cheapest option – your risk profile has changed quite considerably following your driving conviction, so an alternative provider might be able to offer you a cheaper quote if their underwriting terms differ.

In addition to shopping around for convicted driver insurance quotes from a range of different providers, there are a number of other things that might help you find cheaper insurance for convicted drivers. For example, some of these suggestions are worth considering:

• Downgrading your car for one in a lower insurance group – while this might sound drastic, it’s worth considering if the cost you’re being quoted for convicted driver insurance is out of your budget. Cars with bigger, faster engines usually fall into higher insurance groups, so by trading in your motor for one with a smaller engine you could benefit from cheaper insurance for convicted drivers.
• Parking your car in a garage or on a private driveway (assuming you have that option, of course) – cars that are parked on a private driveway or in a garage have a lower risk of being stolen, vandalised or hit by a passing car.
• Letting a more experienced motorist borrow your car from time to time – If you happen to be a younger driver (and statistically speaking, young drivers are more likely to be convicted of motoring offences) you could benefit from cheaper convicted driver insurance if you agree to let a more experienced motorist with a clean driving record borrow your car. You won’t be driving the car yourself when this ‘named driver’ is borrowing it, which should mean you’ll be clocking up fewer miles yourself.
• Opting for a black box insurance policy – One way to help offset some of the risks you represent as a driver with motoring convictions is to provide the insurer with more information about your driving habits and adherence to the rules of the road. Telematics car insurance (or black box insurance, as it’s also known) is designed to give the insurance provider precisely this information, by installing a device in your vehicle that tracks your driving.
• Taking an advanced driving test (such as the ‘Pass Plus’ or ‘RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders’ test) – By taking an advanced driving test you can show that you have the necessary skills to deal with challenging situations on the road. This can help reduce your risk and so your premiums will be lower.
• Paying for the full year upfront – This can sometimes be a painful pill to swallow when your premium is very high, but if you’re able to pay the full amount upfront you could save quite a bit of money versus a monthly payment plan.

How specific conviction codes affect your car insurance

UK driving convictions are recorded on your licence using DVLA endorsement codes carrying between 3 and 11 penalty points. An endorsement stays on your driving record for 4 or 11 years depending on the offence (GOV.UK endorsement codes and penalty points), and insurers price each code differently. A speeding ticket signals a routine traffic slip; a drink-driving conviction signals a far greater risk. Specialist convicted-driver underwriters on the Quotezone panel price each code on its own merits rather than refusing cover outright, so the impact on your premium depends as much on the specific code as on the points themselves.

SP30 and SP50 (speeding)

SP30 covers exceeding the statutory speed limit on a public road; SP50 covers exceeding the limit on a motorway. Both carry 3 to 6 penalty points and stay on your licence for 4 years from the offence date. A single SP30 is one of the least costly convictions to insure: many mainstream insurers will still quote, though premiums typically rise by a single-digit percentage. Two or more speeding endorsements within three years can push you into specialist territory, where a wider panel of underwriters becomes more useful.

CD10, CD20 and CD30 (careless or inconsiderate driving)

CD10 covers driving without due care and attention, CD20 covers driving without reasonable consideration for other road users, and CD30 covers both. Each carries 3 to 9 penalty points and remains on your licence for 4 years. Insurers treat CD codes more seriously than speeding because they involve a judgement about driver behaviour. Premium loadings are higher and the pool of insurers willing to quote shrinks, but cover is generally available through specialist underwriters.

CU80 (using a handheld device while driving)

CU80 covers using a handheld mobile phone, sat nav or similar device while in control of a vehicle. Since March 2022 the penalty is 6 points and a £200 fixed penalty notice, with the endorsement staying on your licence for 4 years (GOV.UK, 2024). New drivers within their two-year probationary period under the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 will have their licence revoked at 6 points and must reapply, retake the theory test and pass a new practical test. Insurers price CU80 similarly to a CD code rather than a routine speeding offence.

IN10 (driving without insurance)

IN10 covers driving a vehicle without third party insurance and carries 6 to 8 penalty points plus a fine of up to £5,000 in a magistrates’ court, or an unlimited fine and disqualification at the court’s discretion. The endorsement stays on your licence for 4 years from the conviction date, but insurers treat IN10 as a significant red flag because it shows you have already driven uninsured. Specialist underwriters will still quote after an IN10, although premiums are typically loaded substantially and a higher voluntary excess is common.

DR10, DR40, DR60 and DR90 (drink and drug driving)

DR codes cover offences involving alcohol or drugs. DR10 is driving or attempting to drive while above the legal alcohol limit; DR40 is being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit; DR60 is refusing to provide a specimen for analysis; DR90 is being in charge while unfit through drugs. Each carries between 3 and 11 points and stays on your licence for 11 years from the conviction date, which is the longest endorsement period in the UK system. A DR10 conviction usually comes with a mandatory driving ban of at least 12 months under the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, and the court can also order an extended re-test before your licence is reinstated. Premiums after a DR conviction can be several times the standard rate, and only specialist underwriters will typically quote.

DD40, DD80 and DD90 (dangerous driving)

DD codes cover dangerous driving offences. DD40 is dangerous driving, DD80 is causing death by dangerous driving, and DD90 is furious driving. DD40 carries 3 to 11 points and a mandatory disqualification of at least 12 months; DD80 carries 3 to 11 points and a minimum 2-year ban, with maximum penalties under the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) of life imprisonment. Endorsements stay on your licence for 4 to 11 years depending on the specific offence. Insurance after a DD conviction is available only through specialist underwriters and is among the most heavily loaded in the UK market.

TT99 (totting up disqualification)

TT99 is not an offence in itself: it is the code recorded when a driver accumulates 12 or more penalty points within a three-year period and is disqualified under the totting-up rules. The TT99 endorsement stays on your licence for 4 years from the conviction date. For new drivers within their probationary period, the threshold is 6 points rather than 12. Insurers treat a TT99 as a pattern indicator rather than a single event, and premiums reflect the underlying offences that triggered it. Quotezone can compare specialist quotes on a TT99 once your licence has been reinstated.

How long does a motoring conviction affect car insurance?

Two separate clocks run after a motoring conviction, and confusing them is one of the most common reasons drivers either over-disclose or get caught out on a policy. The first clock is the conviction itself, governed by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The second clock is the endorsement on your driving licence, governed by the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, most motoring convictions linked to a licence endorsement become spent five years after the date of conviction for adults. Drink and drug driving convictions (DR10 to DR90) carry an 11-year licence endorsement period, mirroring the licence rule for endorsements. For court fines: under £1,000 spent one year after conviction; £1,000 and above spent two years after. Community orders become spent the day the order ends plus a further year, capped at two years total. Custodial sentences of six months or less are spent two years after release, six months to two-and-a-half years are spent four years after release, two-and-a-half to four years are spent seven years after release. Anything above four years is never spent.

Endorsement timing runs on a shorter clock. Most motoring endorsements stay on a licence for four years from the offence date, while DR drink and drug codes stay for 11 years. Insurers typically ask about any convictions or endorsements within the last five years, and a few specialist underwriters ask about anything still showing on the licence.

In practice, a conviction can be spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act while the endorsement is still on the licence, in which case the insurer’s question wording matters. Once a conviction is spent and the endorsement has expired, the offence doesn’t need to be declared to most car insurers. Quotezone’s specialist convicted-driver panel asks the right questions on the quote form, so drivers don’t disclose more than the law requires or accidentally invalidate a policy by under-disclosing.

Can you get car insurance after a driving ban?

Yes, but the licence has to come back first. A disqualification doesn’t automatically end with the calendar: drivers must apply to the DVLA for licence reinstatement once the ban period expires. Until the licence is returned, no UK insurer will quote because there is nothing legal to insure against. For drink and drug-related disqualifications (DR10 to DR90), the DVLA may require a medical re-examination, and high-risk offender drivers must satisfy specific medical criteria before the licence is reissued.

Drivers convicted under Section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (causing death by dangerous driving, code DD80) face an additional hurdle: under Section 36 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, the licence is revoked rather than just suspended, and the driver must pass an extended driving test before reinstatement. Other serious offences can also require a re-test depending on the court order.

Once the licence is back, mainstream insurers typically decline applications from drivers with a recent ban, and the few that do quote price the policy at a significant premium loading. Specialist convicted-driver underwriters on the Quotezone panel will quote, often using telematics, voluntary excess, and Thatcham category 5 or 6 trackers to reduce the load. The standard route for rebuilding insurability is a short-term policy on a low-group vehicle in the first year after reinstatement, then graduating to a comprehensive annual policy as a clean post-ban record builds.

No-claims discount built up before the disqualification is usually preserved if the driver maintained a laid-up or storage policy through the ban period. A complete break in insurance can reset NCD on the next live policy. Black box or telematics car insurance often helps post-ban drivers prove the driving behaviour insurers want to see, and the data trail can lower renewal premiums year on year. Quotezone compares specialist post-ban quotes from underwriters who work with this risk profile daily.

Do you need insurance during a driving disqualification?

A disqualified driver can’t drive, but the vehicle itself may still need to be insured if it stays on a public road. Continuous Insurance Enforcement, introduced under Section 144A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and enforced through the Motor Insurance Database, requires every vehicle registered for road use to be insured at all times unless it has been declared off-road with the DVLA.

If the car is parked off-road on private property (driveway, garage or secure private land) and a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) has been filed with the DVLA, insurance is not required during the ban. SORN is free, applies immediately, and lasts until the vehicle is taxed or sold. Without SORN, even a car sitting unused on a public road can trigger an £100 fixed penalty under CIE rules and an out-of-court settlement letter from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.

Many disqualified drivers maintain a laid-up or storage policy through the ban. These cover fire and theft on a parked vehicle but exclude driving, so the premium is a fraction of a full policy. An unbroken insurance record protects no-claims discount: most insurers freeze NCD if the customer maintains an active policy through the ban, while a full gap in cover usually resets the discount to zero on the next live policy.

Drivers planning their post-ban insurance route often start the conversation early. Quotezone can compare laid-up and storage cover during the ban, then switch to specialist convicted-driver quotes once the licence is reinstated, all from the same panel.

How to bring down convicted driver insurance premiums

The first rule is honesty. Hiding a conviction on a quote form is the worst possible move: the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE), run by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau on behalf of the insurance industry, holds a central record of claims and policy declarations. Insurers cross-check applications against CUE at quote and at claim. Non-disclosure of a conviction is grounds to void the policy back to inception, refund the premium, and reject any claim. Worse, it can trigger a fraud marker on CUE that follows the driver for years and pushes future premiums up across every insurer.

Panel width is the single biggest lever. Mainstream comparison sites surface mostly mainstream insurers, who price convicted drivers heavily because the risk falls outside their normal underwriting box. Quotezone’s panel includes specialist convicted-driver underwriters who write this risk every day, which usually produces materially lower quotes than the high-street panel.

Several tactical levers compound. Black box telematics lets the driver demonstrate post-conviction behaviour: some specialist convicted-driver policies are telematics-only because the data feed reassures the underwriter. Passing an advanced driving course with IAM RoadSmart or RoSPA can earn a discount with selected insurers, and the certificate is a useful negotiation point on renewal. Raising the voluntary excess trades upfront cost on a future claim for a lower annual premium, and paying annually rather than monthly avoids the 12 to 30 percent APR loading most monthly schemes apply.

Vehicle and policy structure also help. A Thatcham insurance group 1 to 5 car costs significantly less to insure regardless of conviction history. Adding an experienced, low-risk named driver to the policy can reduce the average risk score (this is legal as long as the named driver genuinely uses the car; declaring the named driver as the main user when the convicted driver is actually the main user is fronting, which is itself fraud). A voluntarily fitted Thatcham category 5 or 6 tracker can earn a further reduction with some underwriters, and Quotezone flags which panel members reward tracker installation at quote.

Context helps too. The UK average comprehensive premium of £579.52 in Q1 2026 (Quotezone regional and demographic pricing data) is the baseline a clean driver pays. Convicted drivers typically sit several hundred pounds above this depending on the offence, but the levers above can close the gap meaningfully at renewal one and renewal two as the conviction ages and the licence rebuilds.

Our expert says…

“Two things matter most for convicted drivers: declare every conviction and endorsement honestly, because the CUE database will catch anything missed, and compare across a panel that actually includes specialist convicted-driver underwriters rather than just mainstream insurers. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act timeline also catches people out: a conviction can be spent without the licence endorsement having expired, and the insurer question wording is what matters at quote, not your assumption about whether it counts.”

Greg Wilson, Founder & CEO, Quotezone

More convicted driver insurance questions answered

Do I have to tell my insurer about a conviction mid-policy?

Yes. Most UK motor policies include a material-change clause requiring the policyholder to notify the insurer of any new conviction, endorsement or pending prosecution as soon as it happens, not at renewal. Failing to disclose mid-policy can void cover from the date of the change, leaving any subsequent claim unpaid. The mid-policy notification usually triggers a re-rating: the insurer may charge a top-up premium for the remainder of the policy term, decline to continue cover, or in serious cases cancel the policy with notice. The driver then has to declare both the conviction and the cancellation on the next quote.

What happens if I don’t declare a motoring conviction to my insurer?

Non-disclosure of a conviction is a breach of the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012. Insurers cross-check declarations against the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE) database, which is shared across the industry. If a conviction is discovered, the insurer can void the policy back to inception, refund the premium, and reject any open claim. In the most serious cases a fraud marker is added to CUE, which raises future premiums across every insurer for years. The undisclosed conviction itself may also be referred for prosecution under the Fraud Act 2006 in extreme cases.

Can I get fully comprehensive cover as a convicted driver?

Yes, in most cases. Specialist convicted-driver underwriters offer the full range of comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, and third-party-only policies, though the premium loading is steepest on comprehensive cover. For minor endorsements such as a single SP30, comprehensive is often only modestly more expensive than third-party. For DR and DD codes, the gap between comprehensive and third-party can be wide enough that third-party becomes the only affordable route in the first year post-ban. Quotezone’s panel typically returns quotes across all three cover levels so the driver can weigh the trade-off.

Does a non-motoring criminal conviction affect car insurance?

Sometimes. Insurers ask about any unspent criminal conviction under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, including non-motoring offences. Fraud convictions are the most heavily loaded because they correlate with insurance fraud risk. Violent offences and theft convictions also affect premiums, particularly with mainstream insurers. Specialist underwriters take a more nuanced view and can often still offer cover where high-street insurers decline. Spent convictions under ROA 1974 don’t need to be declared to most motor insurers, with limited exceptions for certain regulated employment categories. The five-year question wording most insurers use covers motoring and non-motoring convictions together.

How can I check if my motoring conviction is spent?

The rehabilitation period depends on the sentence rather than the offence type. For most motoring fines under £1,000, the conviction is spent one year after conviction; fines of £1,000 and above are spent two years after. Driving bans become spent on the day the ban ends. Custodial sentences follow longer timetables (two years after release for sentences under six months, never spent for sentences over four years). The licence endorsement is separate: most stay on the licence for four years from the offence date, DR codes for 11 years. The GOV.UK rehabilitation periods calculator confirms the date for any specific sentence.

Will a fixed penalty notice show as a conviction on my insurance?

It depends on whether penalty points were issued. A fixed penalty notice (FPN) with no points (such as a parking ticket or a non-endorsable offence) isn’t a conviction and doesn’t need to be declared. An FPN with three or more penalty points (typically issued for SP30 speeding, CU80 using a mobile phone, and similar offences) is treated as a conviction for insurance purposes once accepted. The endorsement appears on the licence for four years and must be declared to any insurer asking about convictions within the relevant disclosure period.

Can I add a named driver to my policy if I have a conviction?

Yes, and adding a low-risk experienced named driver often reduces the premium. The named driver must genuinely use the car (occasional, regular or shared use is fine) but must not be declared as the main driver if the convicted driver is actually the one driving the car most of the time. That practice is fronting and is itself insurance fraud, voiding the policy and triggering a CUE marker. Specialist underwriters expect honesty about who drives the car most: the savings come from a wider, lower-risk driver pool sharing the policy, not from misrepresenting who the main user is.

How does Quotezone help convicted drivers find cover?

Quotezone’s panel includes specialist convicted-driver underwriters who write this risk every day, alongside mainstream insurers, so the quote run usually surfaces materially lower prices than mainstream-only comparison sites can. The quote form asks the correct questions for each conviction code (SP, DR, CD, IN, BA, TT and others), avoiding the over-disclosure that mainstream forms force. Drivers can compare comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, and third-party-only quotes side by side, and add telematics, voluntary excess and tracker discounts on the journey. Quotezone takes no commission from drivers: the panel insurer pays the introduction fee at policy inception.

The UK average comprehensive car insurance premium fell to £579.52 in Q1 2026, down 9% year-on-year (Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index). Convicted drivers usually pay several hundred pounds above the baseline, but the loading varies sharply by offence: a single SP30 speeding conviction adds modestly to the premium, whereas a DR10 (drink driving) or DD40 (dangerous driving) endorsement typically doubles or trebles it. Spent convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 don’t need to be declared once they fall outside the relevant disclosure period.