If you have penalty points on your driving licence, you may wonder whether you can still get driving instructor insurance. The good news is that having points does not automatically mean you cannot get driving instructor insurance.
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However, points and driving convictions can affect how insurers assess your risk. The type of offence, number of points, when you received them and your overall driving history can all play a part when you apply for cover.
If you are an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) or Potential Driving Instructor (PDI), it is important to be open about your driving history when requesting a quote.
In many cases, yes. Having penalty points does not automatically prevent you from getting driving instructor insurance.
Insurers assess each application based on its individual circumstances. A driver with a small number of recent speeding points may have different options from someone with several serious motoring convictions.
Your points may affect:
Whether an insurer is willing to provide cover
The number of insurers willing to quote
The cost of your driving instructor insurance
The terms and conditions of your policy
This means you should not assume that having points makes insurance unavailable. Comparing specialist driving instructor insurance options can help you find cover that matches your circumstances.
Insurers use information about your driving history when assessing risk. Penalty points can indicate a higher likelihood of future claims, so they may affect the premium you are offered.
However, insurers do not all assess risk in exactly the same way.
For example, an insurer may consider:
How many points you have
The type of offence
When the offence occurred
Whether you have previous convictions
Your claims history
Your age and driving experience
The vehicle you use for tuition
Your annual mileage
Where you live and teach
Your driving history is therefore only one part of the overall insurance assessment.
Different motoring offences carry different levels of risk. Speeding offences may result in penalty points, while more serious offences can lead to higher penalties or disqualification.
For example, GOV.UK states that endorsements can remain on your driving record for four or 11 years, depending on the offence. Insurers and employers may also be able to see certain endorsements during specified periods.
More serious offences can have a greater impact on your ability to obtain cover. These can include offences involving:
Drink or drug driving
Dangerous driving
Driving without insurance
Excessive speeding
Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving
Driving without due care and attention
The impact will depend on the individual circumstances and the insurer's underwriting criteria.
We provide bespoke cover designed specifically for the unique needs of driving specialists.
This is an important distinction because insurance eligibility and ADI eligibility are not the same thing.
If you want to become an ADI, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) assesses whether you are a "fit and proper" person to join and remain on the register.
Current DVSA guidance states that an applicant cannot apply to become an ADI if they have been disqualified from driving within the previous four years. It also states that the ADI Registrar has refused applications or removed ADIs from the register where they have had five or more penalty points within the previous three years under the totting-up rules.
Once you are an ADI, you must also tell the DVSA about cautions or convictions, including penalty points, within seven days.
Therefore, if you have several points or a serious driving conviction, check your position with the DVSA as well as speaking to an insurance provider.
They can, but there is no single increase that applies to every driver.
Insurance premiums depend on a range of factors, and insurers use their own underwriting criteria when calculating risk.
A clean driving record can help you present a lower-risk profile. However, having points does not necessarily mean you will receive an unaffordable quote.
At BG Insurance, we compare specialist driving instructor insurance options from our insurer panel. This can help you explore available cover based on your circumstances rather than relying on a single insurer's assessment.
Yes. When you apply for driving instructor insurance, you should provide accurate information about your driving history and answer questions about convictions and penalty points honestly.
You can check your current driving record through GOV.UK to see your penalty points and when endorsements are due to be removed.
Providing inaccurate information could create problems if you need to make a claim. Always give the insurer or broker the information they request so they can assess your application correctly.
Having penalty points does not automatically rule you out of driving instructor insurance.
BG Insurance specialises in insurance for ADIs, PDIs and driving schools. We compare specialist policies designed around driving tuition, including cover for dual-control vehicles and the specific risks associated with teaching learner drivers.
If you have points or driving convictions, tell us about them when you request a quote. We can then establish what options may be available based on your individual circumstances.
GOV.UK, Approved driving instructor (ADI) register guide: GOV.UK - ADI register guide
GOV.UK, Penalty points (endorsements): Overview: GOV.UK - Penalty points and endorsements
GOV.UK, How long endorsements stay on your driving record: GOV.UK - Endorsements and driving records
BG Insurance, Driving Instructor Insurance: BG Insurance - Driving Instructor Insurance
The BG Insurance Editorial Team writes practical, expert-led content for UK driving instructors, trainee instructors and driving schools. As a specialist driving instructor insurance broker, BG Insurance helps instructors understand their cover, manage risk and protect their business on the road.
If you need to claim against the policy you took out with BG Insurance, give us a call so we can help get things moving in the right direction.
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