If you have a conviction then you might already but all too aware of how it affects the cost of your car insurance.

Depending on the type of conviction you have, it may seem unfair that you have to pay more for car insurance but the truth is that insurance companies simply go by statistics and how likely a particular person is to make a claim based on those statistics.

Unfortunately for you, if you have a conviction then you’re in a group of people who are considered high risk by insurance providers and therefore you can expect to pay more for you cover.

Is it necessary to tell insurers about your conviction?

Getting insurance with a criminal conviction can be a challenge so you might be tempted to lie if you have a conviction. This is not recommended however since it could easily void your policy if it were to be discovered later.

If you have a conviction then it will likely become ‘spent’ after a given period of time, which means you’re no longer obligated to declare it. If you conviction is unspent however then you must inform your insurance provider.

Other factors that impact cost

It’s useful to know what other factors affect the cost convicted drivers insurance since it might enable you to save money. They are –

  • The value of your car – This is perhaps the most obvious thing that will affect how much you pay for car insurance. The value of your car is always something insurance providers will take into consideration and it will certainly affect how much your insurance costs.
  • Your age – Age is certainly an important factor that insurance providers consider. As you’re probably already aware, younger driver are much more likely to be involved in accidents than those over the age of 30.
  • How secure you car is – How secure your car is isn’t just about whether it has an alarm, immobiliser etc. Where your car is parked when not in use is a big factor too since this is when it’s at most risk of being vandalized or stolen. If you have a secure garage where you can keep your car then you can expect to pay less than somebody who has to park on the street.
  • How many quotes you get – Something that will affect how much you pay for certain is how many quotes you get when looking for car insurance. Getting a lot of quotes will enable you to compare them and pick the best policy.