A speeding conviction doesn't just add points to your licence — it follows you on to your insurance for up to four years. This guide explains exactly what insurers see, how much it costs you, what you must declare, and what to do if you've been caught.
When you apply for or renew car insurance, insurers ask about motoring convictions. They do not automatically access the DVLA database — they rely on your honest disclosure. When you provide your driving licence number (which most insurers now request), they can use it to verify your record through the DVLA's My Licence service, but this requires your consent and is not universal practice.
What they are looking for are conviction codes — the standardised codes that appear on your driving licence record. The codes relevant to speeding are:
| Code | Offence | Typical points |
|---|---|---|
| SP10 | Exceeding goods vehicle speed limit | 3–6 |
| SP20 | Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle | 3–6 |
| SP30 | Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road | 3–6 |
| SP40 | Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit | 3–6 |
| SP50 | Exceeding speed limit on a motorway | 3–6 |
SP30 is by far the most common — it covers the vast majority of camera-detected and police-issued speeding offences on ordinary roads. Insurers treat all SP codes similarly: the code, the number of points, and the date of the offence are the key inputs to their risk calculation.
Speeding penalty points remain on your driving licence for four years from the date of the offence. For the whole of that period, you are required to declare them when asked by an insurer.
Watch the declaration period in your policy. Most insurers ask about convictions in the last 3–5 years. Some ask for five years even though points are only live for four. Read your policy's declaration section carefully — if it asks for five years, you must disclose convictions that occurred up to five years ago, even if the points have already dropped off your licence.
Once your points have fully expired and you are outside your policy's declaration window, you are no longer required to mention the conviction. At renewal, re-check whether it now falls outside the required period.
There is no single figure. The premium impact depends on your insurer, your age, your existing record, your vehicle, and where you live. That said, industry data gives a reasonable picture:
| Situation | Typical premium increase | Impact level |
|---|---|---|
| First offence, SP30, 3 points | 5–25% | Moderate |
| First offence, SP30, 6 points (court) | 20–40% | Significant |
| Two SP30 convictions | 30–60% | Significant |
| Totting-up ban (12 points) | 50–100%+ | Major |
| Court disqualification (Band C) | 50–150%+ | Major |
Young drivers — particularly those under 25 — typically see larger percentage increases because they already sit in a high-risk bracket. A 3-point SP30 that adds 8% to a 45-year-old's premium might add 20–30% to a 22-year-old's.
The increases are also compounding: a second conviction within the four-year window will push the premium up further, and some insurers will decline to quote at all once a certain number of points is reached.
A speed awareness course does not add penalty points to your licence and is not a criminal conviction. There is therefore nothing to declare as a motoring conviction.
However, some insurers ask a broader question: "Have you attended a driver improvement or speed awareness course in the last [X] years?" If that question appears on your application or renewal, you must answer it honestly. If it does not appear, you have nothing to declare.
In practice, most comparison site quote engines do not include a course attendance question, and many mainstream insurers do not ask either. Where they do ask and record it, the premium impact tends to be modest — far less than a conviction — because the course itself signals engagement with the issue rather than indifference to it.
The course is almost always the better outcome for your insurance. Accepting a speed awareness course means zero points, zero conviction code on your licence, and nothing mandatory to declare. Taking 3 points instead typically costs you more in insurance loadings over four years than the course costs to attend.
The obligation to disclose arises whenever your insurer asks. This happens at three points:
Non-disclosure voids your policy. Failing to declare penalty points when asked is a material non-disclosure. If you make a claim and the insurer discovers the omission, they can treat the policy as never having existed. You would not only lose the claim but also face the consequences of having driven without valid insurance — 6–8 penalty points, an unlimited fine, and possible disqualification.
A disqualification — whether from a single serious offence or from totting up 12 points — is a major conviction in insurance terms. Most standard insurers will either decline to quote or apply very large loadings. This is normal; it does not mean you cannot get insured.
Specialist convicted driver insurers and brokers handle disqualified and recently banned drivers routinely. Premiums will be substantially higher than before the ban, but they typically reduce year on year as the conviction ages, provided you accumulate no further offences.
You will usually need to declare a disqualification for five years after the ban ended, though some insurers ask for longer on higher-risk policies. After the declaration window closes, it should no longer affect your premium.
If you passed your driving test within the last two years, the standard penalty point system does not apply in the same way. Under the new driver rules, accumulating six or more penalty points within two years of passing your test results in automatic licence revocation — you lose your licence and must retake both the theory and practical tests.
Six points from a single speeding offence is possible: a fixed penalty notice gives three points, and a court conviction for a more serious speed can impose six. A new driver with a single court conviction for excessive speeding could lose their licence entirely.
On the insurance side, new drivers already pay the highest premiums in the market. A speeding conviction on top of that starting point can push premiums to levels that make driving financially unviable for some. The new driver 6-point rule means the stakes are not just financial — the licence itself is at risk.
The market for drivers with convictions is competitive, but the best deal varies significantly between providers. A few practical steps:
Speed Angel gives you a real-time speed limit display and a gentle alert when you edge over the limit — including on roads where the limit changes without a visible sign. Free to download.
Download Speed Angel Free ↓Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Insurance premiums and policies vary between providers, and the figures quoted are indicative averages only. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified insurance broker or adviser. Speed Angel makes no representation as to the accuracy of third-party information or the suitability of any insurance product.