We can help you find the right policy if you have a criminal record
Having a criminal record will increase the cost of your car insurance, whether your conviction is motoring-related or not, because insurers see you as a greater risk.
All convictions matter to your insurer, regardless of the crime, including robbery and driving under the influence of drink or drugs. Even minor anti-social crimes like littering count.
Even though it’ll cost you more and fewer insurers will be willing to cover you, you can still get the same level of cover as someone without a conviction.
Failure to honestly disclose a conviction when asked could be classed as fraud and invalidate your insurance
Insurers will ask you to disclose your criminal convictions to work out if you can be covered.
You must declare any unspent convictions you have.
Unspent convictions are in place for a set period. They can be short, last years or be indefinite.
If you get a conviction during your cover, you don’t have to let your insurer know until you renew, unless it states otherwise in your policy.
If you don’t disclose your unspent convictions when asked, your insurance will be invalid. Insurers can even get their money back from you if you’ve made a claim with them.
Final warnings, cautions and reprimands aren’t convictions, so they don’t need to be disclosed.
After a certain amount of time, depending on the severity of the crime, your conviction will become spent.
You don’t need to tell your insurer about spent convictions, even if you’re asked.
Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, spent convictions can’t count against you anymore.
If someone else needs to regularly drive your car, like a friend or relative, then you can add them to your car insurance as a named driver.
As your policy will cover another driver, you’ll need to give the insurer their details too, which includes disclosing any criminal convictions they have.
The convictions of named drivers can affect the price of car insurance whether the main driver has convictions or not.
Don’t try and save money by listing someone without convictions as the main driver, when a driver with convictions will mostly be driving the car – this is called fronting. It’s illegal and a form of fraud.
Get £250 excess cover with your car insurance. For free. On us.[1]
Here are a few ways to potentially lower your premiums if you have criminal convictions
If you can afford to, paying more voluntary excess can make more policies available to you
The less you drive, the less likely you are to be in an accident
Invest in some extra security for your car, like an immobiliser or tracking device
Taking an advanced driving course shows you’re committed to being a safe driver
Your premiums are based on how well you drive, monitored by a black box that’s fitted to your car
Some will take referrals from the Probation Service and HM Prison Service, which can reduce your premium
[1]Up to £250 refunded after claim settled. Car insurance purchases only. Excludes breakdown, windscreen and glass repair/replacement. Full T&Cs apply.