Convicted driver insurance is a type of car insurance designed to cover convicted drivers who have been disqualified from driving, including drink drivers and other people convicted of serious motoring offences.
Insurance companies will typically offer convicted driver insurance as an add-on or optional extra when taking out a comprehensive policy, and the policies tend to be expensive because convicted drivers are seen as high risk. A convicted driver might also need this type of insurance if they have been banned from driving after being involved in a road traffic accident.
Here, we’ll look at the commonly asked questions about this type of cover, and how best to secure a competitive quote.
Can I get car insurance with a conviction?
This is a question that convicted drivers will often ask themselves when they get convicted of a driving offence.
The answer for this is very much dependent on the nature of the conviction, and also on company policy. However, convicted driver insurance has become more readily available in recent times due to changes in legislation around drink driving.
Convicted driver insurance, as the name suggests, is car insurance that convicted drivers can purchase. This type of insurance will usually cover you for some of the following
- Accidents that happen to other people as a result, these could be your passengers or other road users.
- Damage that involves another vehicle, e.g., if you hit someone’s parked car on the way home from a party.
Can you get car insurance after a drink driving ban?
If you have been convicted of drink driving or if you have been disqualified from driving, you probably won’t be able to get well-priced regular insurance unless the conviction is very old.
However, convicted driver insurance can usually help convicted drivers to get back on the road, but insurers often have terms and conditions that must be met to maintain their cover or renew their policy. Convicted drivers who drive while disqualified from driving also face difficulties obtaining convicted driver insurance as this is classed as the same as driving without car insurance and insurers will either refuse to offer convicted driver cover or will likely increase premiums dramatically. This is why it is so important to speak with multiple brokers to ensure you get the most suitable cover and price.
Can you insure a car when disqualified?
Insurers can choose whether or not to cover convicted drivers who are currently banned from driving but if they do so this will often be at their own discretion. If you are thinking about getting convicted driver insurance when you are already disqualified it would probably be best to contact your insurer first.
Convicted drivers’ insurers are gradually becoming more common, although these types of policies still don’t appeal to everyone due to their restrictions and limitations.
People looking for convicted driver insurance need to shop around as is always advisable; different insurers have different policies and exclusions. Shop around before committing to a policy so that you can find the best convicted driver’s policy suited to meet your needs.
Do you have to declare driving convictions for car insurance?
It is usually a requirement for convicted drivers to disclose any driving convictions, however minor. It’s vital to check the terms and conditions of their policy so they know what happens if they fail to provide full disclosure about any extra motoring offences.
Some convicted drivers will be disqualified by their insurer following an undisclosed motoring offence while others will have increased premiums added to their policy at renewal time. If convicted drivers fail to disclose any extra motoring offences then this can result in them having their cover restricted or cancelled entirely.
The best way to make sure you can get convicted driver insurance is to shop around and compare every quote, something we take care of for you at QuoteSearcher.
We partner with brokers who can provide a specialist service for convicted drivers; so check what they cover and don’t be afraid to ask questions about any aspect of their policies that seem unclear before committing to buy a policy from them. Fill out the form today to get started!