For all drivers, and particularly businessmen and women, who face an allegation of speeding or another motoring offence and may face penalty points or a disqualification, a depressing and potentially expensive problem is likely to arise around insurance.
Convictions need declaring, points need declaring, disqualifications need declaring. Even speed awareness courses need declaring. And each is likely to result in your premium going up. 
The more serious the offence, and the more serious the penalty, the bigger the hit will be, and if you drive for business or with a policy beyond merely social, domestic and personal use the consequences can be even greater.
For many who have to appear in court the extra cost of insurance will cost them very significantly more than any fine imposed by the court. The insurance industry says it is about risk. Most motorists only ever see their premiums going up.
Insurance companies usually require you to declare all ‘unspent’ convictions, which will include traffic and motoring matters. This may apply not only to your personal policy, but may also apply to a work, trade or business policy.
There is a huge amount of misleading and plain wrong information on the internet about this topic. Most motoring offences such as speeding or using a handheld phone will usually have to be declared for at least five years from the date of conviction.
Drink driving or other more serious convictions may be longer, often 10 years or more. And convictions do not drop off, or become ‘spent’, if you get another conviction in the meantime.
So three points you got four-and-a-half years ago will not become ‘spent’ if you get another endorsement. Only five years in the future will both convictions get ‘spent’ or cleared from your record.
This can and probably will apply even if the points are no longer ‘valid’ or have been cleared from your DVLA record (which will often happen after four years). Confused? Shopping around for good insurance quotes can help, but you can be sure it will always be more expensive to have convictions, and especially to have been disqualified.
So getting the very best outcome is essential if you are to keep the future costs of insurance manageable, for you and your business or employment. Avoiding a ban might not only keep you your job, your business or your children at their various clubs, but it might also save you many thousands of pounds in extra insurance premiums for years to come.
For expert legal advice regarding a motoring offence, contact Mowbray Woodwards’ specialist team of motoring solicitors on 01225 485700 or email hello@mowbraywoodwards.co.uk
