How Much Does 3 Points Increase Car Insurance Costs?

You cannot avoid penalty points in most cases. But in some instances of speeding, you can be offered a speed awareness course to avoid the penalty points. 

You must meet strict criteria to qualify for a speed awareness course, including not having been caught speeding in the past three years. You still have to pay for the course. 

How to find the cheapest insurance with a conviction

If you’ve got a conviction or points, getting insurance through a standard provider could be more expensive. 

You might find cheaper deals through specialist insurers.

I’ve partnered with Quotezone who can help you find the best insurance specifically for convicted drivers with points.

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How do I see how many points I have on my licence?

You can consult your driving record to see how many penalty points you have and why by visiting this government portal. You can also find details of the points on your licence by calling the DVLA. 

You need certain details to hand to find your record. You’ll need to know your driving licence number, the postcode on your driving licence and your National Insurance number. 

How many points could I get on my licence?

The number of penalty points added to your licence depends on the offence and details relating to the offence. You can receive between three and eleven penalty points for a single offence. 

You get disqualified from driving if you receive 12 penalty points within any three-year period. The ban lasts for six months usually, or at least 12 months if you had already been banned in the last three years.

Afterwards, you might have to look for disqualified driver insurance to get insured. 

Do penalty points on your licence affect insurance?

Driving convictions and penalty points can cause problems when trying to get insured. 

However, spent convictions and spent penalty points cannot affect your vehicle insurance, even if the insurer asks about them.

For context, your motoring convictions will usually become “spent” after five years.

Don’t get ripped off by insurance companies

Getting affordable car insurance with a conviction or points can feel impossible, especially if you’re using standard comparison websites. 

Luckily, there are some specialist insurers out there… you just need to know where to find them!

I’ve partnered with Quotezone to provide access to some of the best specialist convicted drivers’ insurance deals available.

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In partnership with QuoteZone

Can I get insured with three penalty points?

Yes, you’ll still be able to get vehicle insurance if you have three penalty points. 

The more penalty points you have, the fewer insurance companies will be willing to insure you. 

This is because insurance companies believe there is a correlation between drivers with penalty points on their licence and their likelihood of being involved in a road incident and needing to make a claim.

Do 3 points affect your insurance?

Yes, in most or all cases having three penalty points will increase your insurance premiums. 

You can get three penalty points for a wide variety of reasons, from incidents involving a pedestrian crossing to speeding events. 

Although you might consider some of these convictions as minor, insurers still punish drivers for having three points. The insurance company will view drivers with penalty points as a greater risk of being involved in a road incident, and therefore, a greater risk of making a claim.

To counter this additional risk, they make you pay more!

Does car insurance premiums go up a lot with 3 points?

The general rule is that insurance premiums will increase depending on how many penalty points you have on your licence. 

So having three penalty points will cause an increase, but the increase won’t be as big as if you have six, nine or eleven penalty points. 

How much extra will 3 points affect my insurance?

The difference three penalty points will make to your insurance premiums can depend on the insurer, but in general, you should expect a 5% to 10% increase in premiums. 

The increase in premiums can sometimes hinge on the reason you received the driving conviction. 

For example, premiums may increase more if you got three penalty points for dangerous driving or speeding in comparison to getting three penalty points for something perceived as a lesser offence.

However, the more serious offences will likely incur six points or more, so this may not be relevant.  

How much will my insurance go up with 3 points for speeding?

Three penalty points for speeding will typically increase your car insurance premiums by 5%-10%. 

Convicted drivers of exceeding the statutory speed limit are sometimes convicted riskier by insurers, so premiums could increase by more than other three-penalty-point convictions. 

Can I reduce the impact of penalty points on my car insurance premium?

There are some ways you might be able to find cheaper car insurance with penalty points on your licence. These include:

1. Changing to a vehicle that is usually less expensive to insure because it’s less powerful.

2. Search for non-mainstream insurers who are usually more understanding and lenient. You could find more affordable car insurance by searching for high-risk driver insurance or convicted driver insurance. 

3. Use the services of a vehicle insurance broker, preferably one that specialises in getting convicted drivers cheaper insurance. 

Do you have to declare points after 3 years?

Yes, you usually have to declare all driving convictions and unspent penalty points for five years.

Can insurance check if I have points?

Insurance providers can check your driving record with your permission. However, when you apply for an insurance policy you usually give them permission to check. 

So they might check after you’ve applied and accepted a policy, possibly in the days, weeks or months after. 

How long does 3 points stay on your licence?

The three penalty points endorsed to your driving licence will remain on record for four years, either from the date of the offence or the date of the conviction. 

Do you tell insurance if you get points?

Another common question regarding penalty points and insurance is if you have to notify them of newly endorsed points straight away. The internet has been littered with similar searches, and many turn to forums for an answer, just like this poster did:

Source: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/314848/3-points-tell-insurance-company 

The answer isn’t always the same. Some insurers put in the terms and conditions of their policy that you must tell them straight away, giving them the right to increase premiums. However, others don’t. 

So whether you have to tell your insurer about three penalty points straight away will depend on the policy you currently have. If in doubt always ask the insurer directly. 

Will my insurance cancel if I get points?

Your vehicle insurance won’t be cancelled if you get penalty points, unless the points you received result in a driving disqualification. 

However, as mentioned above, you might be obligated to tell your insurer about new penalty points. And if you don’t your insurance could be invalid. This isn’t always the case. 

Affordable Convicted Driver Insurance

To help you avoid some of the ludicrously expensive packages out there and actually find something reasonable I’ve partnered with Quotezone.

They bring together some of the best specialist deals for convicted drivers to make your search easier. 

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In partnership with QuoteZone

How do I remove points from my licence?

It’s not possible to have penalty points removed from your driving licence. The points are removed automatically when they’re due to “expire”. 

How much does 3 points affect insurance? (Quick summary!)

In most cases, premiums will increase by up to 10% with three penalty points. Although the exact increase can depend on the type of driving conviction and the insurance company. 

Have another insurance question?

Got an insurance or penalty point question that wasn’t answered above? I’d love to hear it and possibly make it into a blog just like this one.