How will a driving conviction code impact your car insurance quote?

UK driving licence endorsements, Conviction Codes (TT99, DR10, DD30) and Car Insurance

If you have committed a speeding offence (or any type of offence) it is easy and understandable to focus on the immediate problem i.e. the type of offence, the penalty it would attract and the possible solutions . What may be neglected are the long-term consequences of convictions which can often be even more problematic than the penalty imposed by the court. Some convictions like drink driving may result in difficulties in international travel for example.

Each conviction endorsed on a motorist’s licence will have a corresponding conviction code. If you break the 30 mph speed limit for example this will be reflected on your driving record as an SP30. A CU80 means that you have been caught using your mobile telephone whilst driving and if you've driven without insurance you will find yourself with an IN10.

But what exactly are these codes for and how do they affect you in the future?

Conviction Codes TT99, DR10, DD30...... WHAT?

Insurance companies tend to ask you for previous convictions in the last 5 years (up from the previous industry-standard of 4 years) and each blip in your record may nudge your premium up. Some codes have a minimal effect on premiums such as an SP30 however there are some that will increase your insurance premium by such an extent as to make your eyes water.

For the purposes of this article I am going to give an example of one of the most common problem-codes which is TT99.

TT99 is the code used when someone is disqualified from driving as a "totter" and that is, when someone accumulates 12 points or more in any 3-year period. As an experiment, I have used Confused.Com to provide some examples of how devastating this can be and for the purposes of this, I have used the the following vehicle and details:

  • Ford Fiesta Zetek, 2005 (Value estimated - £1350.00)
  • 1.4 litre engine
  • £250 excess
  • 10’000 mileage per year
  • Immobiliser and alarm fitted
  • 5 years protected no claims bonus
  • Parked in a secure garage at home in London

I have specifically chosen this as it is not top of the range vehicle, it’s a small engine and pretty much average in all specs.
In my first search I stated that I did not have any previous convictions within 5 years. The cheapest quote was from Admiral at £500.64 and the most expensive from Halifax which came in at £633.92

For my second search, I kept all details the same except I added in the TT99 code. The results were from entirely different insurers than those from the first search indicating that some insurers simply will not provide cover if you have a TT99 (it is worth noting I did my search as a “new customer” as opposed to an existing).

The results I did get however were significantly higher. The cheapest quote was from GoSkippy at £1509.71. The most expensive was from One Call at £2592.95 which is a staggering increase.

For comparison purposes, I did the same search with a newer vehicle; a Seat Leon, 1.4 from 2016 with an estimated value of £10,00000 (approximately). All other criteria was kept the same.
Without the TT99 code, the cheapest quote was from Admiral at £575.67 and the most expensive from Acorn at £2909.55. When I added the TT99 code the cheapest I could find was from U-Drive at £1315.30 with Acorn being the most expensive at a whopping £4008.27.

The impact of these quotes is even more significant when you consider that the code needs to be disclosed for five years! If you were insured by Acorn with a TT99 code you would pay over £20,000 to insure a Seat Leon.

The good news however is that avoiding a TT99 code is often achievable so if you are about to hit the 12 points mark (totting up) and want to keep your licence then I would strongly recommend seeking legal advice.

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Written by Neil Sargeant

Neil has specialised in road traffic law since 2008 and has worked in the UK’s leading motoring defence law firms which include 2 previous departments he had started and managed himself.



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