Can you get car insurance with points on your licence, and how much more will it cost?
Yes. Most UK insurers will still cover you with penalty points, but you'll pay more. Admiral's October 2023 quote data showed an SP30 speeding conviction with 1–3 points raising premiums by about 34%, 4–6 points by about 58%, and 7+ points by about 94%. A CU80 mobile-phone conviction cost more, at roughly +55% for 1–3 points and +174% for 7+. You must declare unspent motoring convictions when asked, usually for 5 years. Points on their own expire sooner. See how long do motoring convictions stay on your licence and our hub on car insurance for high-risk and convicted drivers.
- Points rarely stop you getting cover, but they raise the premium, and the offence code matters as much as the number of points.
- Indicative uplifts (Admiral, Oct 2023): SP30 +34% (1–3 pts), +58% (4–6), +94% (7+). CU80 +55% (1–3 pts), +71% (4–6), +174% (7+).
- At 12 points within 3 years, totting up normally means a ban of at least 6 months. After that, see car insurance after a driving ban.
- New drivers lose their licence at just 6 points in the first 2 years. See 6 points in your first 2 years.
- Declare points while the conviction is unspent, typically 5 years from conviction for adults (see do you have to declare spent convictions).
How Insurers Price Penalty Points
What You Must Declare
Insurers can check your licence record through the DVLA's MyLicence service. A false answer can void the policy and lead to refused claims. If it's deliberate, it's fraud. See which insurance companies do not ask about criminal convictions for what you lawfully don't have to say.
How to Keep the Premium Down With Points
2. Consider telematics: see black box insurance for high-risk drivers.
3. Adjust your voluntary excess using the Car Insurance Deductible Calculator.
4. Protect your no-claims bonus, which offsets the conviction loading over time.
5. Re-quote when the points expire and again when the conviction becomes spent.
If a mainstream insurer declines you, read can an insurance company refuse to insure you, then try non-standard auto insurance specialists.
Illustrative Case: Two Speeding Tickets in 18 Months
Scenario: Aisha, 31, paid £520 a year with a clean licence. She then received two SP30 convictions (3 points each) 18 months apart, for 6 points in total.
Resolution & Judicial Outcome: After the first conviction, her renewal rose to about £700 (+34%). After the second, the cheapest quote was about £820 (+58%). Three more points within the 3-year window would take her to 9, and four more to 12, the totting up threshold. She took a telematics policy and diarized the dates when each conviction would become spent.
What You Should Do: Step-by-Step Action Plan
Critical Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving points off the form. Insurers can check your licence record.
- Accepting an automatic renewal after a new conviction without comparing.
- Forgetting that 6 points as a new driver means revocation.