Motorists who have a driving conviction will generally encounter significantly higher car insurance premiums than what they were paying previously. Some insurers will even refuse to insure someone with a driving conviction. Unfortunately, there is no way around it, you have to declare your driving history for the previous 5 years and if you lie, your insurance could be null and void.
Specialist Insurance Companies
However it's not all bad news, there are ways of obtaining car insurance without having to remortgage the house! There are a number of firms that cater for drivers with convictions, whether it's for dangerous driving or drink driving; they are able to offer competitive rates which may not be as expensive as you think.
Specialist insurance companies will have experience insuring drivers with convictions and will be able to advise you on a policy that suits you. Some will even recognise and take into account any courses you have been on to improve your driving, such as the Drink Drivers Rehabilitation Course or the Speed Awareness Course. Others will also look at you previous history prior to the conviction. If you had a clean license and have built up a no claims history then this could work in your favour and will slash your car insurance costs.
Add a Driver With a Clean Licence
Other ways you can reduce the cost of insurance is to add a driver who has a clean licence to the policy. Adding a named driver won't cost anymore and in most cases will lower your premiums.
Get Lower-End Car Insurance
If you are still struggling to find car insurance because of your conviction then consider opting for lower end insurance such as third party. This means that you will be less of a risk to the insurance company as they won't have to pay out if you cause damage to your own car.
A conviction on your record does not have to be the end of affordable car insurance. Shop around and don't just go with the first quote offered. There are plenty of insurance firms to choose from so make sure you get a quote from as many as possible before parting with your cash.