Car insurance guide

Driving convictions - what difference do they make?

If you get a motoring conviction you have to tell your insurer about it, and they will take it into account when working out what to charge you for your insurance. Insurance companies see you as being at greater risk of having an accident and will charge you more for your policy.

How big an impact a conviction will have on the cost of your insurance depends on a number of things including insurance companies' conviction policies, the type of conviction, the car you drive, your age and possibly gender.

You are more likely to pay a hefty premium if you have a drink driving conviction, compared to a solitary speeding conviction which may only increase your premium a little in comparison.

Most insurance companies will ask you about any driving convictions you have received in the past 5 years. It is really important that you disclose any convictions to them, in fact you have to by law under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

If you don't disclose a conviction and you make a claim on your policy, your insurance company can refuse to pay the claim. Alternatively they can make an additional charge for the conviction and won't authorise the claim until the charge is paid.

• Most common offences

  
  
• SP10 - Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits
• SP30 - Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road
• SP50 - Exceeding speed limit on a motorway
• SP60 - Undefined speed limit offence
• TS10 - Failing to comply with traffic light signals
• IN10 - Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks
• CU80 - Using a mobile phone whilst driving a vehicle or supervising a learner
• DR10 - Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit
• LC20 - Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
• CD10 - Driving without due care and attention
  
  

• Accident offences

  
  
• AC10 - Failing to stop after an accident
• AC20 - Failing to give particulars or to report an accident within 24 hours
• AC30 - Undefined accident offences
  
  

• Careless driving

  
  
• CD10 - Driving without due care and attention
• CD20 - Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users
• CD30 - Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for others
• CD40 - Causing death by careless driving when unfit through drink
• CD50 - Causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs
• CD60 - Causing death by careless driving with alcohol level above the limit
• CD70 - Causing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for analysis
• CD71 - Causing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for drug analysis
  
  

• Construction and use offences

  
  
• CU10 - Using a vehicle with defective brakes
• CU20 - Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of use of an unsuitable vehicle
• CU30 - Using a vehicle with defective tyre(s)
• CU40 - Using a vehicle with defective steering
• CU50 - Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of load or passengers
• CU60 - An undefined construction and use conviction
• CU80 - Using a mobile phone whilst driving a vehicle or supervising a learner
• CU84 - Causing or permitting driving whilst using a mobile phone
  
  

• Disqualified driver

  
  
• BA10 - Driving whilst disqualified by order of court
• BA20 - Driving whilst disqualified by reason of age
• BA30 - Attempting to drive whilst disqualified by order of court
  
  

• Drink or drugs

  
  
• DR10 - Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit
• DR20 - Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink
• DR30 - Driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for analysis
• DR31 - Driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for drug analysis
• DR40 - In charge of a vehicle while alcohol level above limit
• DR50 - In charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink
• DR60 - Failure to provide a specimen for analysis (other than driving)
• DR61 - Failure to provide a specimen for drug analysis in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive
• DR70 - Failing to provide a specimen for breath test
• DR80 - Driving or attempting to drive when unfit through drugs
• DR90 - In charge of a vehicle when unfit through drugs
  
  

• Insurance offences

  
  
• IN10 - Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks
  
  

• Licence offences

  
  
• LC10 - Driving without a licence
• LC20 - Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
• LC30 - Driving after making a false declaration about fitness when applying for a licence
• LC40 - Driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability
• LC50 - Driving after a licence has been revoked or refused on medical grounds
  
  

• Miscellaneous offences

  
  
• MS10 - Leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position
• MS20 - Unlawful pillion riding
• MS30 - Unlawful play street offences
• MS40 - Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight or refusing to submit to a test
• MS50 - Motor racing on the highway
• MS60 - Offences not covered by other codes
• MS70 - Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight
• MS80 - Refusing to submit to an eyesight test
• MS90 - Failure to give information as to identity of driver etc
  
  

• Motorway offences

  
  
• MW10 - Contravention of Special Roads Regulations (excluding speed limits)
  
  

• Non-endorsable offences

  
  
• NE99 - Non endorsable offence
  
  

• Pedestrian crossings

  
  
• PC10 - Undefined Contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations
• PC20 - Contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations with moving vehicle
• PC30 - Contravention of Pedestrian Crossing Regulations with stationary vehicle
  
  

• Provisional licence offences

  
  
• PL10 - Driving without ‘L’ plates
• PL20 - Not accompanied by a qualified person
• PL30 - Carrying a person not qualifies
• PL40 - Drawing an unauthorised trailer
• PL50 - Disobeying conditions of a provisional licence
  
  

• Reckless/Dangerous driving

  
  
• DD10 - Driving in a dangerous manner
• DD20 - Driving at a dangerous speed
• DD30 - Reckless driving
• DD40 - Dangerous driving
• DD50 - Causing death by dangerous driving
• DD60 - Manslaughter or culpable homicide whilst driving a vehicle
• DD70 - Causing death by reckless driving
• DD80 - Causing death by dangerous driving
• DD90 - Furious driving
  
  

• Special code

  
  
• SC19 - Section 19 (Transport Act 1981) Disqualification
• SC35 - Section 35 (Transport Act 1981) Disqualification
• SE19 - Disqualification under totting up procedure
• SE35 - Disqualification under totting up procedure
• TT99 - To signify a disqualification under totting up procedure
  
  

• Speed limits

  
  
• SP10 - Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits
• SP20 - Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles)
• SP30 - Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road
• SP40 - Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit
• SP50 - Exceeding speed limit on a motorway
• SP60 - Undefined speed limit offence
  
  

• Theft or unauthorised taking

  
  
• UT10 - Taking and driving away a vehicle without consent
• UT50 - Aggravated taking of a vehicle
  
  

• Traffic direction and signs

  
  
• TS10 - Failing to comply with traffic light signals
• TS20 - Failing to comply with double white lines
• TS30 - Failing to comply with ‘Stop’ sign
• TS40 - Failing to comply with direction of a constable/warden
• TS50 - Failing to comply with traffic sign (excluding ‘stop’ signs, traffic lights or double white lines)
• TS60 - Failing to comply with a school crossing patrol sign
• TS70 - Undefined failure to comply with a traffic direction sign
  
  

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