Is There a Minimum Age for a Convicted Driver Policy?

To take out a Convicted Driver insurance policy with us, you must be at least 18-years-old. If you are 17-years-old, you will only be eligible for a Young Driver insurance policy through ourselves as long as you don’t have any convictions.

New Driver Probationary Period

Being a young driver and getting driving convictions doesn’t just impact your ability to get insurance and the subsequent cost of cover if you can get it; it can also have significant repercussions on you even being able to drive at all! 

All new drivers (the majority of which are likely to also be young drivers) passing their driving test for the first time, are subject to a two-year probationary period from the date they pass their test. This means that if any new driver is convicted of a driving offence during their two-year probationary period, and that offence results in them getting a driving licence endorsement and accumulating 6 penalty points or more, then their driving licence is revoked altogether. So, get 6 points on your licence within the first two years of driving, and lose your licence!

Re-taking Your Driving Test

If your driving licence is revoked under the New Drivers Act, then you will have to start the process from scratch, from applying for your Provisional Licence, to passing your Theory and Practical tests all over again. 

Driving Ban For Young Drivers

There are certain driving offences which, if received by a new driver, carry a compulsory disqualification and are not subject to the New Drivers Act.

These offences include:

• Driving or attempting to drive with excess alcohol
• Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink or drugs
• Failing to provide a specimen for analysis 

Any new driver being convicted of one of these offences will lose their licence due to the punishment of these offences, and not as a result of the New Drivers Act. The New Drivers Act will only apply if a new driver is awarded/accumulates 6 penalty points or more on their driving licence within the two-year probationary period.

Drink Driving Offences Without a Ban

There are some drink driving offences where, if convicted of the offence, disqualification is NOT necessarily compulsory. In these instances, while a disqualification is not obligatory, it can still be imposed. If a ban is not imposed, then the driver must be awarded 10 penalty points instead. 

These particular offences include:

• Being in charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs
• Being in charge of a vehicle with excess alcohol
• Failing to provide a specimen for analysis (while in charge)

If any new driver that is still within their two-year probationary period is convicted of any of these offences, even if they do not get an automatic driving ban, they will receive 10 penalty points, which will subsequently result in them losing their licence automatically in line with the New Drivers Act.

Motorists with Convictions Can Struggle to Obtain Car Insurance

It doesn’t matter what age you are, getting a competitive Convicted Driver insurance quote can sometimes feel like a struggle, and as a young driver with convictions you will have two things preventing you from getting a cheap Car insurance policy.

Young Drivers in general are seen as a high-risk insurance group, because the statistics show they are more likely to be involved in an accident or make an insurance claim. Similarly, convicted drivers are also seen as a higher risk to insurers than regular motorists, and again this is proved by statistics. Therefore being a young driver with convictions means finding a Car insurance policy may not be easy, let alone finding one with a price you are happy with.

In fact, many insurance companies, including those who specialise in Convicted Driver insurance, will often refuse to insure motorists with convictions that are below a certain age. These restrictions can make it a lot harder for drivers of a certain age with convictions to get cover. However, at Think Insurance we are happy to try and find a Convicted Driver insurance policy for you, if you are above the age of 18.

How to Lower the Price of Your Convicted Driver Insurance

If you are a young driver with convictions you are going to find it difficult to get a low price for your Car insurance wherever you go, which is why you should look closely at your insurance needs and think about exactly what you need insured. 

You may even have to sacrifice certain levels of cover to keep the price down, such as opting for a Third Party Only policy instead of a Comprehensive policy, or forgoing Breakdown or Legal cover. When taking out any type of insurance policy, you should always aim to get the insurance that’s right for you and not just opt for the cheapest.

Reducing your mileage can be a great way of lowering the price of your insurance policy. Of course, if you need a car/vehicle to get to work then you might not have a choice over this and therefore require a certain number of miles. The mileage you do a year isn’t the only thing you should look at when taking out a Convicted Driver insurance policy.

The type of car you drive can have a huge impact on the price of your Convicted Driver insurance, and just like a Young Driver insurance policy, driving a car associated with poor driving behaviour, such as reckless driving and speeding, isn’t going to help.

In addition to the above, if you have a parent or close relative with a good driving history to add as a named driver, you may be able to lower the price of your Convicted Driver insurance that way.

Get a Convicted Driver Insurance Quote

If you would like to get a Convicted Driver insurance online quote you can do so by clicking ‘Get a Quote’ below or if you would like to talk to a member of our dedicated Convicted Driver insurance team please call 0800 221 8077.