How long do bans remain on your license?

Kingy · 9 Mar 2006 at 09:16

I was done for drink driving (DR10) on 12 June 2002. Does anyone know at what point the conviction expires and doesn't have to be declared for insurance purposes?

I know it stays on your license for 10 years, but wasn't sure if I had to declare it for 4 or 5 years.

Anybody know?

Dandle · 9 Mar 2006 at 09:21

I thought you had to declare it the whole time it was on your license.

derfderfley · 9 Mar 2006 at 09:29

Kingy said:
I was done for drink driving (DR10) on 12 June 2002. Does anyone know at what point the conviction expires and doesn't have to be declared for insurance purposes?

I know it stays on your license for 10 years, but wasn't sure if I had to declare it for 4 or 5 years.

Anybody know?

I know it's not what you want to hear but, I'd tell the insurance company till it's gone from your licence. If they are not going to load for it because it's 4/5 years down the line, then that's fine they won't take it into account. I started doing this when I had points from speeding convictions on mine (see below). And they would just tell me when I gave them the endorsement code (SP30) and the date of the endorsement, that my insurance would not be loaded for it.

The thing to remember is a insurance company may well ask for a copy of your licence in the event of a claim, and they will then use the fact that you didn't tell them about a expired conviction as excuse not to pay out. I know, I've been there

Better to declare everything, than nothing.

Kingy · 9 Mar 2006 at 09:39

Ok, perhaps a more relevant question then would be to ask if anyone knows how long it is before a DR10 expires and/or insurance companies stop loading the premium?

I want a new toy for the summer!

Taking fleeting glances at the Xsara VTS, ST24, Celica 140/190 and SV650S, all of which are going to be vasaline job while my endorsement is valid.

Will Gill · 9 Mar 2006 at 10:20

5 years till insurance companies stop caring

pay through the nose till then

EddScott · 9 Mar 2006 at 12:10

Got a DR10 Feb 01 for 12 months. Got beaten up and the guy was going to wreck my car too so I drove it home. To be fair the police didn't give a monkeys about the bloody face just focused on the fact I was worried about my car and should have walked home. When asked if they would have repaired my car for any damage the answer was "It wasn't damaged though was it"

Also in court the police said the engine of the car was hot so had obviously been driven. I had an argument with the copper on my doorstep when they arrested me because I saw him do it and it was actually cold. Blatantly lying in court but how do you defend yourself against those who are supposed to defend you?

Cost me about £2,500 - £3,000 and I had to sell my beloved GTIR.

This year I've not had to pay extra for the DR10 so finally my Impreza insurance is almost sensible.

It stays on your license for11 years. If you get caught again during those 11 years I think its instant 3 years irrespective of alchohol level - although a high level may also include jail/community service.

EDIT - I've explained what happened not to defend my actions but to answer the "think of the children" brigade.

Kingy · 9 Mar 2006 at 12:36

EddScott said:
I've explained what happened not to defend my actions but to answer the "think of the children" brigade.

I have to take a deep breath and smile sweetly whenever said brigade starts. I think the whole marketting and education behind Drink Driving is fundamentally flawed. They play shock tactic clips on TV without giving any real information (it takes less than you think to be a drink driver! - WTF?) that Joe Bloggs looks at and thinks it'll never happen to them. I see people so many times in pubs that have had 2 pints, and stopped drinking so as to not be over the limit it's untrue.

The reality is that far more people are caught drink-driving than there are drink-related accidents.

If the adverts showed case studies of people that had been done, and what they'd had and lost, there'd be a lot more people that'd think twice about doing it.

/waits for holier than thou 'the only safe way is not to drink at all' blah blah blah.

/rant

Another 15 months until toy time then it seems... *sigh*

Enfield · 9 Mar 2006 at 12:38

A DR10 stays on the license for 10 years doesn't it?

Insurance companies usually ask if you've had any points in the last 3 years so in theory they're going to know about the points for at least 13 years? And rightly so.

Kingy · 9 Mar 2006 at 12:58

Enfield said:
A DR10 stays on the license for 10 years doesn't it?

Insurance companies usually ask if you've had any points in the last 3 years so in theory they're going to know about the points for at least 13 years? And rightly so.

I'm not sure that makes sense, but even it were correct it would only apply if points were given in addition to the ban.

EddScott · 9 Mar 2006 at 13:57

Kingy said:
I have to take a deep breath and smile sweetly whenever said brigade starts. I think the whole marketting and education behind Drink Driving is fundamentally flawed. They play shock tactic clips on TV without giving any real information (it takes less than you think to be a drink driver! - WTF?) that Joe Bloggs looks at and thinks it'll never happen to them. I see people so many times in pubs that have had 2 pints, and stopped drinking so as to not be over the limit it's untrue.

I guess what they are trying to do is shock people into not drinking at all before they drive. They can't make it zero tolerance because you'll get the occasions where zero tolerence doesn't work. So in an effort to create a social zero tolerance they show these shock tactics adverts.

Enfield said:
A DR10 stays on the license for 10 years doesn't it?

Insurance companies usually ask if you've had any points in the last 3 years so in theory they're going to know about the points for at least 13 years? And rightly so.

IIRC its 11 years but its certainly at least 10. The clock starts ticking on the date you are convicted. So if you get 12 months ban, once you get the license back you have 10/9 years left on your license.

As for speeding, I don't know.

Personally the whole police/road monitoring system is shafted. They hide on completely straight roads out of town to catch speeders but you won't catch them sat in and around estates where children are bound to be.

I found 2 cops hiding in someones driveway trying to catch people who didn't brake in time into a 30 zone from a 60 - easy money obviously. I asked them if they could sit with the speed gun at the end of my road by my house and catch the idiots that hammer past my house - they said they'd look into it :rolleyes:

The_Dark_Side · 9 Mar 2006 at 18:40

EddScott said:
IIRC its 11 years but its certainly at least 10. The clock starts ticking on the date you are convicted. So if you get 12 months ban, once you get the license back you have 10/9 years left on your license.

spot on,11 years from the date of conviction.
unless the legislation has changed since the last time i checked if you are caught twice within a ten year period the minimum ban is 2 years,get caught three times in a ten year period and they can ban you for life.
you can only appeal against the length of your ban if it's over 2 years btw.

The_Dark_Side · 9 Mar 2006 at 18:42

Enfield said:
A DR10 stays on the license for 10 years doesn't it?

Insurance companies usually ask if you've had any points in the last 3 years so in theory they're going to know about the points for at least 13 years? And rightly so.

not exactly as you don't get points for DR10,it's an instant ban.
most insurance companies in my experience as for any convictions within the last FIVE years so six years after receiving a DR10 you can cheerfully say no and get a reasonably sensible quote.
the first thing your company will know about it is when they copy your license for filing purposes but by then the quote has been given and accepted by you.

L Plate · 9 Mar 2006 at 19:34

The_Dark_Side said:
not exactly as you don't get points for DR10,it's an instant ban.
most insurance companies in my experience as for any convictions within the last FIVE years so six years after receiving a DR10 you can cheerfully say no and get a reasonably sensible quote.
the first thing your company will know about it is when they copy your license for filing purposes but by then the quote has been given and accepted by you.

thats not necessarily true though, i am insured by Admiral, i had points but even after they had run out and i moved over to Admiral (and i never declared having had any because they were done with) they still turned up on a No Claims certificate and it clearly showed that i had points nearly 9 years earlier.

Not that it affected my insurance premiums, but its abundantly clear that they have access to information that can tell them if you have points or not, and its specifically to stop people committing fraud by not disclosing information

Most insurance companies i have spoken to in the past have asked if i have recieved any points, and then also asked if i have ever been banned from driving, again some of them still take that into consideration when its Drink drive related for 10 years

The_Dark_Side · 9 Mar 2006 at 21:01

L Plate said:
thats not necessarily true though, i am insured by Admiral, i had points but even after they had run out and i moved over to Admiral (and i never declared having had any because they were done with) they still turned up on a No Claims certificate and it clearly showed that i had points nearly 9 years earlier.

they do share data that's true,but bearing in mind you can be covered instantly over the phone after answering their questions they cannot come back to you after agreeing a price and add to the premium.....unless you lied about something that is.

L Plate said:
and its specifically to stop people committing fraud by not disclosing information

remember as long as you answer their questions honestly you cannot be defrauding them.
if they ask have you had any convictions in the last five years,you can safely say no if your last conviction was 6 years ago unless they clearly state the last 10 years for offences like DR10.

L Plate said:
Most insurance companies i have spoken to in the past have asked if i have recieved any points, and then also asked if i have ever been banned from driving, again some of them still take that into consideration when its Drink drive related for 10 years

if they ask those questions then this of course pins you down to a specific answer.

Rotty · 9 Mar 2006 at 22:50

most insurers ask if "you have ever been banned" in my experience

I was under the impression that it affects premiums for a 10 years

The_Dark_Side · 10 Mar 2006 at 00:02

Rotty said:
I was under the impression that it affects premiums for a 10 years

DR10 only affects your premium for five years unless they specifically ask about it.
almost all insurers i've dealt with only ask if i've had any convictions in the last five years and the odd insurer has asked me if i've ever been refused insurance for whatever reason.

TONY · 10 Mar 2006 at 00:32

I will have to wait until 2007 before I can say no to that question (banned in 2002 for drink driving) although my insurance has dropped by hundreds every year since I was banned with the help of no claims bonuses I now pay £1200 fully comp on an Audi TT 225 (insurance group 18) which isn't too bad as I am only in my mid 20's.

Dr Who · 10 Mar 2006 at 07:18

Most insurance companies ask "Have you EVER been disqualified from Driving, If yes, please give details"

The_Dark_Side · 10 Mar 2006 at 17:18

Dr Who said:
Most insurance companies ask "Have you EVER been disqualified from Driving, If yes, please give details"

IMHO i totally disagree with you on that.
the first company i looked at (five minutes ago) only asked the following:-

Have you or your additional drivers had:

any accidents, losses or claims (regardless of fault) in the last three (3) years?
or
any motoring offences, points or disqualifications (including pending convictions) in the last five (5) years?

most of the others i've dealt with ask similar questions.

L Plate · 11 Mar 2006 at 14:15

Sorry but i would back him up on that though, and in my experience when they have asked they have never mentioned whether it had to have been in the last 5 years, i suspect this is so they trick you into telling them thinking that its only a penalty if its within the last 5 years, when lets face it, if they are underwriting your insurance they can charge you what they want

However on the online applications and search forms it normally states specifically "in the last 5 years"