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Does a First Time Speeding Ticket Affect Insurance?

Written by, Marija Petkova

Updated September, 7, 2022

Insurance companies look at various factors before setting premiums for drivers. If you commit a motor offence, like speeding, your insurance might go up.

But, does a first time speeding ticket affect insurance?

Read to find out!

Does a First Time Speeding Ticket Affect Insurance?

A first-time speeding ticket may and may not affect the cost of your insurance – it all depends on your insurance company.

A speeding offence will likely bump up your insurance premium because insurance providers base their pricing on claims statistics. If you committed a motoring offence in the past 5 years, insurers will see it as a risk and probably charge you more for the insurance. 

Still, some insurance companies may be willing to ‘forgive’ minor motoring offences.

What Are The Different Types of Speeding Offences and How Many Penalty Points Do They Carry?

The minimum number of penalty points you can receive for speeding is 3.

Depending on the type and the severity of the offence, you might get more penalty points added to your licence. The maximum amount of penalty points for a speeding offence is 6.

  CodeOffence   Penalty    points
SP10Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits      3-6
SP20Exceeding speed limit for the type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles)      3-6
SP30Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road      3-6
SP40Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit      3-6
SP50Exceeding speed limit on a motorway      3-6

How Much Will I Be Fined for Speeding?

The minimum fine for exceeding the speed limit is £100 (in addition to the penalty points).

The amount you’re fined depends on how much over the speed limit you were driving and your weekly income. So knowing the speed limit for each type of vehicle, even for vans, is crucial.

The maximum fine for speeding is £1,000 (£2,500 if you were driving on a motorway).

If you’re prosecuted for speeding, you’ll be put into one of the six bands (A-F), based on how fast you were driving. The band determines how many points you’ll get on your licence and how much you’ll have to pay for the fine.

BandRecorded speedPenalty pointsFine
Band A1-9mph over the legal limit325-75% of weekly income
Band B11-20mph over the legal limit4-675-125% of weekly income
Band C21mph and more overt the legal limit6125-175% of weekly income
Band D,E,FOther factors (ex. Offences committed on bail)/200-700% of weekly income

Did you know: You may be offered to attend a speeding awareness course to avoid the fine and the penalty points. Police will give you that option only if they believe that it’s appropriate for the offence and if you haven’t been to a course in the last 3 years. Here’s how much a speeding awareness course costs.

How Much Does Your Insurance Go Up After a Speeding Ticket?

The amount mainly depends on the type of conviction and the driver’s age

A speeding conviction on a public road (an SP30 speeding offence) can add about £36 a year to your premiums. Motorway convictions (an SP50 driving offence) might add an average of £101 to your insurance bill, according to market research company Consumer Intelligence.

Insurance costs with and without speeding convictions

Type of driverNo convictionsAny speeding convictionSP 30 convictionsSP 50 convictions
All drivers£693 £743£729 £794
Under 50s£795 £840£836£865 
Over 50s£469£527£483 £635

Did you know: Not declaring the points on your insurance coverage could end up invalidating your policy, even if you receive a speeding ticket after taking out a policy. Here’s what happens when you drive uninsured

How to Lower Insurance After a Speeding Ticket?

There are several ways you can try to reduce your insurance premiums in case the points on your licence increase your insurance. 

  • Telematics: Also known as GPS car insurance or ‘black box’ car insurance, installing a telematics device helps insurance companies monitor the insured’s driving to calculate your insurance rate. The device tracks things like acceleration, speed, and braking, among other things.
  • Mileage: Low mileage means that you drive less, and the less you drive, the smaller the chance that you can get involved in an accident. If you agree to keep your mileage under a certain number, your insurance provider will offer lower premiums. 
  • Security: Fitting your car with extra security devices like alarms and immobilisers. However, you’ll need to contact your insurance provider and ensure they recognise the devices you plan to buy.

How Will I Know If I’ve Been Caught By a Speed Camera?

There’s only one way to know for certain that you’ve been nabbed by a speed camera, and that’s the appearance of a notice in the post. 

You’ll receive two notices on your address within 14 days, including: 

  • a Notice of Intended Prosecution( NIP)
  • a section 172 notice

You’ll have 28 days to fill in the details in the section 172 notice and send it back, after which you’ll be sent a Fixed Penalty Notice( FPN). 

If you don’t respond to the notice, you’ll have to go to court.

What Happens If You Get a Fixed Penalty Notice?

That depends on how you plead. 

If you plead guilty, you’ll receive a £100 fine and have 3 points added to your licence. These 3 points on your licence can increase your insurance and stay on your record for a minimum of 4 years unless you’re offered to attend a speed awareness course. 

If you plead not guilty, your case will be referred to court. If you’re found guilty, you could end up paying a bigger fine and have more points added to your licence. You could also get disqualified from driving or have your licence suspended.

Bottom Line

A speeding offence is considered a ‘surchargeable’ incident, meaning it’s an event that can raise your insurance premiums. Some insurance providers may consider ‘forgiving’ a minor traffic violation, especially if it’s a first-time offence. Others may apply the ‘surcharge’ until the points disappear from your record but reduce the amount for each year you go without an incident. 

Frequently Asked Questions And Their Answers

How long do speeding tickets stay on your record?

Penalty points in the UK can stay on your driving record for 4-11 years, depending on the offence. 

Does 3 points on license affect insurance?

If 3 points are added to your licence, your insurance can increase by a 5% rate. 6 penalty points could push the cost of insurance up by 25%.

Can I speed in an emergency?

You can be fined for speeding regardless of the reason. Fire, police, and ambulance services are the only ones that are allowed to go over the speed limit when responding to an emergency. 

Do I need to tell my insurance about a speeding ticket?

You are required to inform your insurance provider when you commit a traffic violation, including a speeding ticket. If you forget to tell your insurance provider about points on your licence, your provider might invalidate your insurance. 

Does a first time speeding ticket affect insurance?

Any speeding offence can increase your premiums, regardless of whether it was a first or not, though some insurance providers may give you a pass for a minor violation.

My name is Marija, and I'm a financial writer at DontDisappointMe. Although finance might not be everyone's cup of tea, my 10+ years of working in one of the biggest banks in my country, and my interest in extensive research on everything finance/investment-related, have made me somewhat of an expert in the field (if I do say so myself). No longer having the passion to work in a corporate setting, I decided that I couldn't let all of this knowledge go to waste so I started writing. And, here I am! Today I try to share my knowledge with my audience in the hopes of making this topic as simple and interesting as possible. In my leisure time, I like spending time with my family and travelling to new locations.