Can I get car insurance if I have a bad driving record?

How is my car insurance premium calculated?

Insurance providers will take into consideration the following when you’re applying for car insurance:

• Your age
• Your occupation
• Your insurance claims history
• The type of vehicle you drive
• Where you store your vehicle at night
• If your vehicle is fitted with an alarm or immobiliser
• Any criminal convictions and driving convictions

How do endorsement codes and penalty points affect my insurance?

If you’re convicted of a motoring offence, the courts can fine you and ‘endorse’ your record with penalty points. Each endorsement has its own unique code and is allocated penalty points on a scale of 1 to 11 – the more serious the offence, the more points you’ll receive. Offence codes and penalty points stay on your driving record for four to 11 years, depending on the offence.

Here’s an overview of the different codes and the relevant penalty points – you can find more details here.

If you’ve experienced any of the following convictions, it’s likely that car insurance providers will see you as a higher risk to insure and your premium will probably be higher.

Accident offences
Codes AC10, AC20 and AC30 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Disqualified driver offences
Codes BA10 and BA30 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.
Codes BA40 and BA60 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the conviction.

Careless driving offences
Codes CD10 to CD30 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.
Codes CD40 to CD70 must stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of the conviction.
Codes CD80 and CD90 must stay for four years from the date of the conviction.

Construction and use offences
These codes must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Reckless/dangerous driving.
These codes must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the conviction.

Alcohol-related offences
Codes DR10 to DR30 must stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of the conviction.
Codes DR40 to DR70 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Drugs offences
Codes DG10, DG60 and DR80 must stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of the conviction.
DG40 and DR90 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence or four years from date of conviction where a disqualification is imposed.

Insurance offences
Code IN10 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Licence offences
These codes must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Miscellaneous offences
These codes must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Motorway offences
Code MW10 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Pedestrian crossing offences
These codes must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Speed limits
These codes must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Traffic direction and sign offences
These codes must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Theft or unauthorised taking
Code UT50 must stay on a driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

Do I need to tell my insurance provider I’ve been on a speed awareness course?

You have to inform your insurance provider of any motoring conviction, and that includes a speeding offence. While a speeding awareness course is not a conviction, it’s still advisable to let your insurance provider know you’ve taken one. If your provider specifically asks you whether you’ve been on a course, you will need to tell them as omitting to do so could amount to fraud.

Some insurance providers may increase your premium as a result of you taking the course, while other might not. If you’re given a higher quote for your insurance when you come to renew it, it’s probably a good idea to shop around to find a better deal.

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