insurance hassles

[tailslider]

I have a clean license now, as I've managed to avoid any points in the last 3 years. However, if you look back to the last 5 years instead of just 3, I had a load of points and convictions back then.

Elephant and direct line both ask if I have any convictions in the last 5 years. The answer is yes - loads! I need an insurer to ask if I have any conviction in the last 3 years, then I could answer none.

Who is a cheap insurer that only asks about 3 years history?

[SGirl]

Not sure you'll find one - certainly every insurer I've ever asked for a quote has asked about points over the last five years.

[danhay]

Not sure if this really helps, but I think most of them ask for 5 years history because that is what you can verify with your licence. Points only count for 3 years, but remain on your licence for 5.

[loaf]

How long points remain on a licence depends on what the conviction was for.

For offences relating to drink/drugs and driving, causing death by careless driving while UTI and causing death by careless driving and failing to provide a specimen, the points stay on for 11 years from the date of conviction. For dangerous driving and all other disqualification offences it's 4 years from the date of conviction, for all other offences it's 4 years from the date of offence.

After these periods, I BELIEVE but I'm *not* certain that the offences are classed as 'spent' under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and you are not obliged to disclose them, but Madcop/BtB/other PH or can confirm or deny that.

[tailslider]

Even though I have a clean license for three years now, do you think insurance companies will penalise me for speeding offences committed 4 years ago?

[loaf]

tailslider said: Even though I have a clean license for three years now, do you think insurance companies will penalise me for speeding offences committed 4 years ago?

Most of the major companies ignore the first speeding offence, as it's a 'minor' offence, unless you're under 25. (Speeding offences, traffic signal offences, construction and use offences, licence offences, pedestrian crossing and most 'miscellaneous' offences are classed as minor. Insurance and careless driving offences are medium on the scale; accident, dangerous driving, racing on the highway, anything to do with drink/drugs and/or causing death are major and will almosty certainly involve either refusal to insure or an incredibly huge premium). Quite a few ignore the second, if you're over 25 or 30. If you have three, it's unlikely you're going to get away without a bump in premium.