Temporary Car Insurance for Convicted Drivers
Short-Term Cover For Drivers With Convictions
Short-term cover from 1 hr to 28 days for drivers with convictions.
Compare insurance quotes from leading temporary car insurance providers including:
What Is Temporary Car Insurance For Convicted Drivers?
Temporary car insurance for convicted drivers is a short-term policy that covers you to drive a specific car for anything from one hour to 28 days, even if you have unspent motoring or criminal convictions on your record.
Most policies provide fully comprehensive cover as standard, protecting you against accidental damage, fire, theft, and third-party liability. The cover works exactly like a standard temporary policy, but is underwritten by insurers who accept drivers with convictions.
This is a specialist version of temporary car insurance. If you do not have any convictions, a standard temporary policy will usually be cheaper.
How To Compare Temporary Convicted Driver Insurance
Enter the car’s registration, your driving details, and your conviction history.
Enter vehicle details
Type the registration number. The system pulls the car’s make, model, and insurance group automatically.
Add driver details
Licence type, years held, and the conviction code and date for each unspent offence. Be accurate, because undisclosed convictions can void a policy.
Choose cover duration
Select anything from one hour to 28 days. Pick the shortest duration that covers your trip, because adding unnecessary days pushes the price up.
Buy online
Review the quotes side by side. Every quote comes from an insurer authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority that accepts convicted drivers.
When Would You Need Temporary Convicted Driver Cover?
Any time you need to drive a car you are not already insured on and you have an unspent conviction, temporary cover gives you a way to stay legal without committing to an expensive annual policy.
Between annual policies
If your annual policy has been cancelled or refused because of a conviction, temporary cover bridges the gap while you find a specialist insurer willing to offer a long-term deal.
Borrowing a car
Temporary cover lets you borrow a friend’s or family member’s car without affecting their no-claims bonus. Your policy is completely separate from theirs.
Releasing a car from a police pound
If your car has been seized, you need valid insurance before the pound will release it. Impounded car insurance can be arranged as a temporary policy, often within minutes.
Test driving or collection a car
One-day cover is enough to test-drive a car from a private seller or collect a vehicle you have just bought. You do not need to own the car.
Short-term work or personal use
If you need a car for a job interview, a family emergency, or a short work contract, temporary cover gets you driving without the long-term commitment that convicted drivers often struggle to arrange.
Which Convictions Are Accepted?
Most specialist providers accept a range of motoring convictions including drink driving, driving without insurance, and speeding offences. The type and age of the conviction affect your premium, not necessarily whether you can get cover.
Common conviction codes
| Code | Offence | Typical Premium Impact |
| DR10 | Drink driving | High – expect to pay 2–3x standard rates |
| IN10 | Driving without insurance | High – treated as a serious risk indicator |
| SP30 | Exceeding the speed limit | Low to moderate – common and widely accepted |
| TT99 | Disqualification (totting up) | Very high – fewer providers accept this |
| CD10 | Driving without due care | Moderate – depends on circumstances |
| CU80 | Using a phone while driving | Low to moderate – widely accepted |
If you have a DR10 conviction, some providers specialise in drink driving cover and can offer better rates than general insurers.
Spent vs unspent convictions
You only need to declare unspent convictions. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, most motoring convictions become spent after five years (or eleven years if you received a prison sentence of more than 30 months).
If your conviction is spent, you do not need to mention it and it should not affect your premium. If you are unsure whether a conviction is spent, check the original court documents or ask a solicitor.
What Does Temporary Convicted Drivers Insurance Include?
The cover is the same as a standard temporary car insurance policy. Most convicted driver policies are fully comprehensive, protecting you and the car you are driving.
What is included?
| Covered | Not Covered |
| Accidental damage to the car you drive | Mechanical or electrical breakdown |
| Third-party injury and property damage | Commercial use (delivery, courier, hire) |
| Fire and theft | Vehicles you do not have permission to drive |
| Windscreen cover (most policies) | Undeclared modifications |
| Recovery to an approved repairer | Claims arising from undisclosed convictions |
If you fail to declare an unspent conviction when getting a quote, the insurer can void your policy and refuse any claim. Always disclose everything, even if you think it might increase the price.
Does it affect the car owner’s policy?
No, your temporary policy is standalone and the car owner’s annual cover and no-claims bonus are completely unaffected.
This makes it a better option than being added as a named driver if you have convictions, because your record will not push up their premium.
How Much Does Temporary Car Insurance for Convicted Drivers Cost?
Expect to pay between £30 and £60 per day depending on the conviction type, your age, and the car. This is more than standard temporary cover, but it is far less than the upfront cost of an annual convicted driver policy.
How convictions affect pricing
A minor SP30 speeding offence may only add a few pounds per day. A DR10 drink driving conviction within the last two years could double or triple the quote.
The further in the past the offence, the less it affects pricing.
How durations compare
| Duration | Typical Cost (Convicted Driver) | Standard Temp Cost |
| 1 hour | £25–£40 | £16–£25 |
| 1 day | £30–£60 | £20–£35 |
| Weekend | £50–£90 | £30–£55 |
| 1 week | £70–£130 | £40–£70 |
| 2 weeks | £100–£180 | £55–£95 |
| 28 days | £150–£250 | £80–£150 |
If you need cover for longer than 28 days, a monthly policy or specialist annual convicted driver insurance will usually offer better value per day.
How to reduce the cost
Choose a car in a lower insurance group, set a higher voluntary excess, and only buy cover for the exact time you need. Avoid high-performance or modified vehicles, which push premiums up further for convicted drivers.
What if you need longer cover?
Temporary policies run from one hour to 28 days. For a weekend or two weeks, choose the duration that matches your trip rather than buying separate daily policies.
Driving on public roads without valid cover is a criminal offence. Check the government’s vehicle insurance rules if you are unsure whether you need insurance for a specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, several specialist providers accept DR10 drink driving convictions. The quote will be higher than standard rates, and you must declare the offence if it is unspent.
No, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 spent convictions do not need to be disclosed to insurers. Most motoring convictions become spent after five years.
No, your temporary policy is completely separate. If you have an accident, you claim through your own provider and the owner’s no-claims bonus stays intact.
Yes. A temporary policy provides the valid insurance you need to collect a seized vehicle from a police compound.
The insurer can void your policy and refuse any claim. Non-disclosure of an unspent conviction is treated as fraud and could make it even harder to get insured in the future.
Most policies are fully comp as standard, covering damage to the car you drive plus third-party damage, fire, and theft. Check the policy wording to confirm before you buy.
Within minutes. Complete the quote online, pay securely, and your cover documents are emailed straight away.
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