By law, customers must fully and accurately complete all of the questions on the insurance form. Previously, the law instructed customers to declare all ‘material facts’, regardless of the questions on the form. However, a recent change to the law states that it is now the insurer’s responsibility to ask the right questions. When seeking drink-driver insurance, it will be vital to provide completely accurate information.

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 states that all criminals must have a rehabilitation period that’s based on the offence and the sentence that was applied.

Once your rehabilitation period is over, your conviction becomes spent. It is worth noting that any criminal offence, regarding driving or otherwise, that incurred a prison sentence of over four years is never spent and will always need to be declared on your insurance forms.

How long is it before my drink driving offence is spent?

The time before your drink-driving offence is legally spent depends on the offence itself. There is a wealth of information out there on the different types of drink-driving offences and how long they stay on your licence.

What if I don’t get asked about my convictions?

If you’re not specifically asked about any previous drink driving convictions, you don’t legally have to declare them. However, most insurers will ask clear and concise questions, and it would be very unusual for there to be no questions regarding unspent driving convictions.

If your insurance application form does not ask about unspent convictions, double-check the paperwork you receive from the insurer in the post.

What could happen when I declare my conviction?

A variety of occurrences could happen after you declare your drink driving conviction to an insurer. The worst-case scenario is that the insurer is unable to offer you a quote. Many of the larger insurance companies will not offer drink drivers insurance. For more information on the drunk drivers insurance that we offer, check our Convicted Driver insurance page.

Many insurance companies offer drink driver insurance. However, they raise the premiums significantly because drunk drivers are seen as a ‘high-risk’ category. To reduce the risk of paying sky-high insurance premiums, drink drivers should go through a specialist insurance broker, such as Insurance Revolution.

What if I don’t declare my conviction?

If you don’t declare your criminal convictions when asked by an insurer, any of the following could happen:

• Your insurance could be voided immediately.
• Your insurance could be voided, but you could be offered a few days ‘grace period‘ to allow you to arrange alternative insurance.
• They increase your insurance premium.
• Allow you to remain on the same insurance policy but impose new terms, such as a higher excess.

It’s always best to be honest about your drink driver convictions. Failure to do so could even result in another conviction, especially if you drive after your insurance has been deemed void.