Car cover 'could increase sharply following drug conviction'

Date: 8/2/2011

A drug conviction that appears on the offender's driving licence could have a dramatic effect on the amount they are quoted by insurance companies, it has been revealed.

And price comparison site moneysupermarket.com has also warned that some insurers will not provide cover at all for people with a DR80 conviction.

Britons who are able to find a provider willing to offer them a policy may find that their premium increases by as much as 78 per cent following a conviction - with prices increasing from an average of £404 to £720.

Peter Harrison, Car Insurance Expert at moneysupermarket.com, said: "A conviction could also lead to a £1,000 fine, a 12-month driving ban, and even a possible prison sentence. It is simply not worth taking the risk - the results of doing so can be costly and very damaging."

He went on to welcome the government initiative that sees police officers armed with devices that allow them to test people for the consumption of drugs.

Elsewhere, recent research by Brake and Direct Line revealed that 47 per cent of respondents to a poll admitted to travelling at a speed of more than 60 mph while attempting to overtake on country roads at least once.

Posted by Sarah Bailey