Orlando Harmon
Drink driving is a serious offence and can have a significant impact on the cost of your car insurance. While it is still possible to get car insurance after a drink-driving conviction, you will likely experience higher premiums and fewer insurers will be willing to cover you. The exact cost will vary between insurance companies and brokers, and will depend on the level of cover required and your personal circumstances. In this paragraph, we will explore the topic of drink-driving and insurance, including the financial implications and steps that can be taken to mitigate these costs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Insurability | Drink drivers can still get insured but may need to use a specialist provider. |
| Cost | Drink drivers will likely pay more for insurance for five years after their conviction. |
| Policy options | Drink drivers may have fewer policies to choose from. |
| Mileage | Drink drivers may be able to lower their insurance costs by reducing their mileage. |
| Security | Drink drivers may be able to lower their insurance costs by improving their car's security. |
| Black box | Drink drivers may be able to lower their insurance costs by using a black box to monitor their driving. |
| Pay-as-you-go | Drink drivers may be able to lower their insurance costs by using a pay-as-you-go policy. |
| Excess | Drink drivers may be able to lower the cost of their annual policy by increasing their excess. |
| Rehabilitation course | Drink drivers may be able to lower their insurance costs by completing a rehabilitation course. |
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What You'll Learn
Drink driving convictions and insurance premiums
Drink-driving convictions usually increase the price of car insurance. This is because insurers will view you as a higher risk and more likely to be involved in a collision or make a claim on your insurance. The difference in price can vary depending on where you live, the type of car you drive, and the nature of your conviction. According to data from GoCompare, the median cost of car insurance for those with a drink-driving conviction between September 2024 and March 2025 was £856.
However, it is still possible to get car insurance after a drink-driving conviction, provided you've served your ban. Not all car insurance providers will cover you, and you may need to get a policy from a provider specialising in convicted driver insurance. You can compare quotes from specialist drink driver insurance providers to find the best price. The exact cost will vary between insurance companies and brokers and will depend on the level of cover required and your personal circumstances.
There are ways to keep the costs of insurance down after a drink-driving conviction. One way is to complete a drink-driving rehabilitation course. The court may offer you the opportunity to take such a course if your driving ban is for 12 months or more. Completing the course can reduce the length of your ban and may also lower your insurance premiums. Another way to keep costs down is to lower your mileage, as the fewer miles you drive, the lower the risk of a collision. Trading your car in for one in a lower insurance group can also help reduce your premium.
It's important to declare any drink-driving convictions to your insurance company for five years. Even if the conviction expires with the DVLA after four years, you must still declare it for the following year. Failing to do so may result in an unlawful breach of your statutory duty.
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Drink driving insurance specialists
Drink driving is a serious offence and can have a significant impact on the cost of your insurance. If you have a drink-driving conviction, you are required to declare it to your insurance company for up to five years, and your insurance costs are likely to be much higher as a result. You may also find that fewer insurers are willing to offer you cover.
However, it is still possible to get car insurance after a drink-driving conviction, even if your driving licence has been revoked. There are specialist insurance companies that provide cover for drivers with convictions, such as drink-driving. These companies can offer more affordable policies by spreading the cost of the higher risk across all the convicted drivers they insure.
There are also other ways to keep costs down. For example, you could complete a Drink-Driving Rehabilitation Course, which could reduce the length of your ban and lower your insurance premiums. You could also consider a black box insurance policy, where your driving is monitored by a telematics device. This could lower your costs if you can prove you're a safe and consistent driver. Other ways to reduce your premium could be to increase your voluntary excess or to pay per mile with a pay-as-you-go insurance policy.
It's important to shop around and compare quotes from multiple providers to find the best price. You can use price comparison sites to uncover prices from a range of insurers, but be aware that not all insurance companies appear on these sites.
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Drink driving convictions and insurance declarations
Drink-driving convictions usually result in higher insurance costs and fewer insurance company options. This is because insurers consider those with drink-driving convictions to be high-risk customers. The exact cost will vary across different insurance companies and brokers, and will depend on the level of cover required and your personal circumstances.
Drink-driving convictions must be declared to insurance companies for five years, even if the conviction expires with the DVLA after four years. After five years, the conviction is considered “spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act of 1974, and you are no longer required to disclose it. However, if an insurer asks about convictions after this five-year period, you must answer truthfully. Failing to declare a conviction can result in fines, points on your license, or even a driving ban.
There are ways to keep insurance costs down after a drink-driving conviction. One way is to complete a drink-driving rehabilitation course, which can reduce the length of your ban and potentially lower your insurance premiums. Another way is to shop around and compare quotes from different insurance providers, including those that specialise in insuring convicted drivers.
Additionally, some general tips for reducing car insurance costs include lowering your mileage, adding an experienced named driver to your policy, and trading in your car for one in a lower insurance group.
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Drink driving convictions and insurance refusal
Drink-driving is one of the most serious driving offences in the eyes of insurers, as claims for drink-drivers are so costly and the potential for damage and injury is huge. This means that drink-driving convictions usually push the price of car insurance up, and some insurers may refuse to cover you. However, it is still possible to get car insurance after a drink-driving conviction, although you might find it harder to find a good deal.
Drink-driving convictions fall under the category of motoring offences. Your specific offence will have a code dependent on the reasoning, but the most common ones are DR10 and DR20: driving or attempting to drive while either above the limit or unfit to drive respectively. Both of these will stay on your driving record for 11 years, and you can receive anywhere from 3 to 11 penalty points depending on the severity. However, after 5 years these convictions become spent, meaning they should not be held against you. That being said, it pays to read the small print of your policy – some providers may assume your driving history and input clauses into your policy to cover themselves. You will need to declare any drink-driving convictions to your insurance company for 5 years. Even if the conviction expires with the DVLA after 4 years, you still need to declare it with your insurer for the following year.
How to get insurance after a drink-driving conviction
Firstly, you should never hide a criminal conviction from an insurer when they ask, and you should always tell your insurer immediately whenever your circumstances materially change. You might be offered the chance to take part in a drink-driver rehabilitation course, which could help lower your perceived risk to insurers and may also reduce your premiums. You can also consider black box insurance (or telematics insurance), which involves a little device that records your driving habits and proves you’re a responsible driver. This can help to lower your costs if you can prove you're a safe, consistent driver.
How to find affordable insurance after a drink-driving conviction
There are several ways to find affordable insurance after a drink-driving conviction. You can use a comparison site such as Uswitch or Confused.com to establish which insurers would be cheaper if you didn’t have a conviction, and then call them directly. Some providers might be willing to negotiate a deal once they’ve discussed your driving history and the details of your conviction. You can also speak to a specialist insurer, broker, or charity that can recommend insurers who have experience of insuring people with similar convictions.
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Drink driving convictions and insurance cost-saving
Drink-driving convictions usually result in higher insurance costs and fewer insurance providers willing to offer cover. However, there are ways to mitigate these increased costs.
Firstly, it is important to shop around and compare quotes from different insurance providers. The cost of insurance for drink drivers can vary significantly between providers, and many insurers that specialise in covering convicted drivers can offer more affordable policies. These specialist insurers spread the cost of the higher risk across all drivers with convictions, allowing them to provide more competitive rates.
Secondly, completing a Drink-Driving Rehabilitation Course can help reduce costs. The course, which costs up to £250, educates drivers with convictions in an effort to reduce reoffending. Completing the course may be viewed favourably by insurance providers and could lead to lower premiums.
Thirdly, reducing your annual mileage can also lower your insurance costs. Driving fewer miles decreases the likelihood of being involved in a collision, which can make you appear less risky to insurers. However, it is important to be honest when applying for insurance and not to underestimate your mileage.
Additionally, you can consider a black box insurance policy, where your driving is monitored by a telematics device. If you can prove you are a safe and consistent driver, your insurance costs may decrease. Increasing your voluntary excess can also lower your premiums, as you are willing to contribute more towards the cost of a claim.
It is worth noting that a drink-driving conviction will impact your insurance costs for up to five years, and you are legally required to declare any convictions during this period. After five years, the conviction is considered 'spent', and you no longer need to disclose it to insurers.
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Frequently asked questions
Drink drivers are insured in the sense that if they are involved in a collision while driving over the legal alcohol limit, their insurance will still cover the cost of any third-party claims for injury or damage. However, the insurance provider might then try to recoup these costs from the drink driver as the policyholder.
A drink-driving conviction will likely result in higher insurance costs and fewer insurance providers offering cover. However, it is still possible to get insurance after a drink-driving conviction.
To keep costs down, you could complete a drink-driving rehabilitation course, lower your mileage, beef up your car's security, increase your voluntary excess, or compare quotes from specialist insurance companies.
