Car Insurance Shouldn’t Be Just an Afterthought

Making preparations for the future is a very sensible course of action – C.S. Lewis wrote;

“The duty of planning tomorrow’s work is today’s duty; though its material is borrowed from the future, the duty, like all duties, is in the Present.”

When life presents us with a challenging situation, we are best able to deal with it.

If we have contingency plans in place… A very good practical example of this is the concept of insurance. Insurance is a means for us to mitigate the effects of an unwelcome incident.

Car Insurance – a Begrudging Purchase?

Insurance is available in many forms. You can insure your property, your vehicle, your goods, and even your life. Many consider property and health insurance to be a positive purchase, whilst feeling more reluctant at the thought of purchasing vehicle insurance. When we take into account all the benefits of vehicle insurance, we believe that it’s time we started to appreciate the true value of the product.

Try Compare offers a comprehensive range of vehicle insurance products that help to safeguard your future. For those convicted of motor offences, we offer specific convicted driver insurance, namely; DG10 insurance and IN10 insurance, to help penalised drivers back on the road. 

What Do the Statistics Say?

In the UK around 1 million drivers are currently uninsured, that’s roughly 4% of all motorists in the country. In the last decade, approximately 1.5 million cars have been seized after being used on the road without insurance. In 2017 the total number of motoring offences came to around 2.4 million…. Truly staggering numbers. Unfortunately now in 2020, recent statistics suggest that drug-driving is becoming more common than drink-driving, with some areas reporting a 50% increase in drug-driving arrests. In April Essex police reported the highest number of drug-driving arrests, at 266 in total.

Considering the worrying figures above, it is evident that having good quality insurance for your vehicle is imperative. For those who have driving convictions, let’s have a closer look at DG10 insurance, IN10 insurance and convicted driver insurance.

How To Get Safely Back on the Road After a Conviction

If you have served a previous driving conviction, here are the products that could be available for you;

DG10 Insurance 

In the UK it is against the law to drive (or attempt to drive) above the legal drug drive limit (this covers both legal and illegal drugs). As a responsible driver, it is your duty to be aware of the laws surrounding drug-driving – ignorance will be no defence in a court of law. The penalty for drug-driving can prove very costly, as insurance providers will take into account a DG10 conviction and increase premium costs for DG10 insurance. If you have been given a DG10 code on your licence and you are involved in an accident, your insurance provider will require you to have specific DG10 insurance cover in order to make a claim.

IN10 Insurance 

Driving without insurance, or even keeping an uninsured vehicle parked on the road is an offence by law, and those convicted face an IN10 conviction being placed on their license. All motorists are legally required to have at least the minimum level of insurance, which is ‘third party’ cover. If caught without insurance, you could be fined and points can be added to your license (even if the vehicle is driven by someone else). In addition to this, your insurance provider may refuse to renew your policy. Some providers may subsequently offer IN10 insurance, with a significantly increased premium price. It is always wise to use a price comparison site to compare prices and insurance products and make sure you have been offered a good deal. 

Insurance for Convicted Drivers

Convictions are separated into two categories; spent convictions, and unspent convictions. A conviction is classed as having been spent once the period of conviction has been completed. Unspent convictions on the other hand, are convictions that are still being served. Failure to disclose convictions will immediately render your policy invalid. Insurance providers typically shy away from offering convicted driver insurance cover to convicted drivers, and even if they do, premiums are often very high.

With all of the above insurance products for convicted drivers, you can expect to pay more for insurance cover due to the perceived higher likelihood of an insurer having to pay out for a claim. If you have a previous driving conviction and are looking for cheaper insurance, Try Compare is here to help you find affordable cover…

How Can I Get Affordable Vehicle Insurance With My Previous Convictions?

Choose the right car – Cars with smaller engines and less value will fall into a lower car insurance group, therefore bringing down the cost of your premium. Expensive cars with powerful engines rise to higher car insurance groups, subsequently increasing the cost of your premium. Alongside these factors, cars with higher performance can also expect a higher cost of insurance.

Voluntary excess – Increasing your voluntary excess contribution amount may reduce the cost of premiums.

Name an experienced driver – If you are a young driver it can be advantageous to add an experienced driver (such as a parent) to your car insurance to reduce the cost of your premium.

Extra security – Adding extra security measures to your vehicle reduces the risk of it being stolen or damaged, reducing the chance of a claim, thereby reducing the premium cost. You could fit an alarm, tracker, steering wheel lock, or immobiliser to your vehicle. Parking your car inside your garage or driveway can also help.

No claims bonus – Having a clean record for your existing or previous policy will build up a no claims bonus, increasing the likelihood of reduced premiums. A no-claims bonus of five or more years can give you discounts for up to 75%.

Less additional options – By only choosing the cover that you need the most, you can bring the overall cost of your premium down.

Pay annually – Annual premium payments are typically cheaper than monthly payments. Monthly payments usually charge a fee for interest.

Telematics – Install a telematics box to track your driving habits. The price you pay will be determined by how you drive – Drive safely to pay less for your insurance.

Multi-car policy – Many providers offer cheaper premium prices if other drivers in the same household are placed on the same policy.

Lower mileage allowance – The lower your mileage allowance, the lesser the time you spend on the road, decreasing your chance of an accident and reducing your premium cost. However, do take care to set a realistic mileage limit, otherwise, you may have to top this up which could cost more in the long run.

Avoid modifications – Modifying your vehicle with accessories and non-factory fitted equipment can increase insurance premium prices. 

Shop around – Look for comparable prices with multiple insurance providers to find the product and price that suits you. Don’t go for the first quote you find and make sure to contrast the benefits of differing policies.

Why Choose Try Compare?

After considering all the above options, it is always good advice to reach out and speak to professionals with specialist knowledge. At Try Compare our FCA regulated insurance brokers will match your requirements with insurance providers that can offer you the best deal. So, if you are looking for a great price on DG10 insurance, IN10 insurance or convicted driver insurance, all you need to do is complete our online form and wait for a call from one of our brokers. 

Make the right choice today with Try Compare!

Insurance Agent Examining Car After Accident -DepositPhotos

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