Caught using your mobile phone behind the wheel? Picked up points on your licence as a result? That’s just one of the things that could mean insurers see you as a high-risk driver. And if you’re considered high risk, it can have a major impact on your car insurance premiums. We explain what could put you in a high-risk car insurance category and how to keep costs to a minimum.
High-risk car insurance caters for drivers that insurers think are more likely to make a claim, due to certain risk factors. Your age, your driving history and even where you live could mean an insurer sees you as a high-risk driver. Your risk factor might be compounded by the type of car you’re driving, too. When a car insurer sets your premiums, these are largely based on the level and type of risk the insurer thinks you represent.
You may be considered a high-risk driver if:
Unhelpfully, insurers don’t typically offer a button to click that will tell you whether you’re low, medium or high risk in their eyes. However, if you’re struggling to find an insurer that will offer you cover, or if the quotes you’re getting are sky-high, there’s a good chance you’re regarded as a high-risk driver.
There’s no magic formula for working out what factors are making you higher risk, and different insurers will measure risk differently. But if you fit one or more of the criteria outlined in the checklist above, it could well be the reason.
Unfortunately, yes, it can be harder to find cover from mainstream providers as a high-risk driver.
Generally, insurers determine their own driver categories. One provider might have 3 set tiers – for low, medium and high risk – while another might take a more nuanced approach.
Either way, car insurers are under no obligation to offer cover to all drivers, and some may decline to quote if they consider you a high risk. Insurers that are willing to offer cover are likely to charge more than they would for lower-risk drivers.
If you struggle to find cover from mainstream providers, it could be worth trying more niche insurers that specialise in high-risk car insurance.
Typically, yes. Once you’ve found a provider that’s willing to insure you, you should be covered in the same way as any other driver, depending on the level of cover you opt for. There are 3 main levels.
Of all the factors that can make you higher risk, a poor driving history is probably the most obvious. Been caught speeding or driving dangerously? Insurers will assume that this increases the risk of you driving too fast or unsafely again in the future, and load your premiums accordingly.
Here are some common driving convictions that can bump up your premiums substantially. They’ll also land you with points on your licence and/or a fine.
| Offence | Details |
|---|---|
| Speeding – “minor offence” | Provided you are not dramatically exceeding the speed limit, it is likely to be regarded as a “minor offence”. This will result in a Fixed Penalty Notice comprising £100 fine and 3 points on your licence. If it’s your first offence, you may be offered the option to pay to attend a speed awareness course, in which case the points will be eradicated. You won’t need to declare it to your insurer, so it won’t affect your premiums. |
| Speeding – “major offence” | If you’re caught doing more than 45% over the speed limit, the case may be passed to the magistrate’s court and you could face a bigger fine – up to a maximum of £1,000, or £2,500 if you were driving on a motorway. You’ll also receive more points on your licence (typically 6 points), or may even be banned from driving – typically for 7 to 56 days. |
| Using your mobile phone while driving | You should not use a handheld mobile phone while driving – including to send texts. This applies even if you’re sitting in stationary traffic. You could end up with 6 points on your licence and a £200 fine. |
| Failing to stop after an accident | This is regarded as a serious offence, with a maximum penalty of £5,000 or even 6 months’ imprisonment – though the latter is only in the most serious cases. You’ll also get 5-10 points on your licence, or may be disqualified from driving. |
| Driving without insurance | It is illegal to drive a car on UK roads without at least third-party insurance. If you are caught driving uninsured, the police could give you a fixed penalty of £300 and 6 penalty points. |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | Driving or attempting to drive while under the influence of drink or drugs – including if your alcohol level is above the permitted limit – is one of the most serious driving offences. You’ll receive up to 11 points on your licence and could face an unlimited fine, a driving ban of a year or more, and imprisonment. |
Yes. Most, if not all policies stipulate that you must tell your insurer about anything that raises your risk level unless you can reasonably expect the provider to know about it already. You should declare it to your existing insurer as soon as the offence takes place, and to all subsequent insurers when you get a quote.
Avoid unnecessary headaches by alerting your insurance provider to any changes in your driving record.
Yes. Data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) shows that certain age groups are much more likely to make a car insurance claim than others. This means people that fall into these age groups are seen as higher risk by default.
The biggest and most frequent claims are made by drivers aged 20 and under, who therefore face the highest premiums. Those aged 86 plus are also likely to be seen as higher risk due to significantly higher-than-average claim frequency and size.
When setting premiums, an insurer will look at your location’s level of crime, how quiet or busy the roads are and how many claims have been made for that area. If you live in a city with busy roads and a relatively high accident rate, or an area where car crime is rife, you’ll likely be seen as higher risk than someone who lives in a safer, rural area.
It might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you wonder what’s driving up your insurance premiums, but people in certain professions incur higher premiums than others, all else being equal. Sometimes this is down to when you’re likely to be driving. For example, doctors, nurses and other shift workers might be driving to and from work at unsociable hours (and potentially driving tired).
Potentially, yes. Even if your personal risk factors are low, your choice of car could put you into a high-risk category. So be prepared for high car insurance premiums if you drive any of the following:
You wouldn’t usually associate anything “high risk” with moderation, and the same is true of the cost of high-risk car insurance. As you’ve probably worked out by now, car insurance for high-risk drivers (or cars) is pricier than equivalent cover for low-risk drivers.
How much more expensive depends on exactly what’s pushing up your risk. As an example, let’s take one of the least avoidable risk factors: age. According to the ABI’s latest figures, 18-20 year olds pay average premiums of around £1,000. Drivers aged between 36 and 80 pay less than £500, on average. If you’re a young driver, check our dedicated young driver insurance guide for advice on how to keep costs down.
If more than one risk factor applies to you, the price is likely to go up exponentially. If you’re a 19-year-old, London-based driver with 3 points on your licence, be prepared for a shock when you get quotes.
Step one to reducing your risk level is to understand the factors affecting car insurance premiums. This can help you easily pick out ways to reduce your costs that apply to your particular risks.
A few tactics that could help reduce your risk level in a few cases include:
If you’re lumped into a high-risk car insurance category, there’s no one way to guarantee cover at a low cost. It’s worth comparing a range of providers. If necessary, speak directly to a provider that specialises in high-risk drivers.
Here are a few major steps you can take to reduce your premiums.
There may be any number of reasons why an insurer puts you in a high risk category with an equally high car insurance premium. But don’t fret just yet. If you’re careful, there are steps you can take to lower your costs.
Don’t default into auto-renewing with the same insurer from fear that nobody else will cover you. It’s always a good idea to shop around, even if it’s specialist cover. Once you have found some policies that match your needs, compare them to find the best.
| Response | |
|---|---|
| £50-99 | 23.94% |
| £25-49 | 22.65% |
| £100-£199 | 19.69% |
| Not sure | 13.51% |
| £1-£24 | 12.61% |
| N/A there is no price hike that would stop me letting my car insurance auto-renew | 6.44% |
| £200 or more, please specify | 1.16% |
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