Driving is an experience many of us enjoy, but with it comes many necessary laws and practices that we must strictly adhere to all times. We may (on occasion) be tempted to break one or two of them, but to do so would be to risk not only your personal safety, but those of everyone else on the road. If you ever do break the rules, you’ll be committing a driving offence which will result in some form of punishment.
Many offences such as; speeding, dangerous and erratic driving, and driving under the influence, can pose a significant risk to other motorists, and the punishments for these are often more severe, potentially leading to fines, penalty points or even a complete driving ban.
Every offence has been designated with a specific code, and each code issues between 1 to 11 penalty points. As you might expect, the more serious the offence, the more points issued. For each offence you commit the appropriate code is placed on your driving licence, along with any penalty points. These codes stay on your driving record for between four to eleven years, depending on the offence. At any point that a license accrues 12 points, the license holder is banned from driving (until such a time that the penalty points have been served and are taken off).
Of the many penalty codes given for offences, some of the more common are; a DG10, DR10, IN10, and a TT99. Motorists with these offences that try to obtain insurance can find it a real challenge as insurers now deem them to be ‘high risk’ customers.
DG10 insurance – A DG10 endorsement code is usually placed on a driving record for the offence of driving (or attempting to drive), with a drug level above the specified limit. Penalty points of between 3-11 are then applied, which will remain on a driving license for 11 years (from the date of conviction). If you have a DG10 code on your license, you can expect DG10 insurance premiums to be higher. An insurance provider will make an assessment based on age, experience, convictions, geographical location, and any other relevant factors, before offering you DG10 insurance. It is important to note that if you have a DG10 conviction, you must then have specific DG10 insurance. Purchasing DG10 insurance potentially carries with it an increase in premium prices of up to 78%. Some providers may even reject your application entirely.
DR10 insurance – A DR10 code is applied for the act of driving (or attempting to drive), with an alcohol level above the legal limit. Penalty points of between 3-11 are then applied, which will remain on a driving license for 11 years (from the date of conviction). DR10 insurance is mandatory if you have been convicted of driving under influence of alcohol. If you are given a DR10 conviction your premiums for DR10 insurance will be higher than they are with standard insurance. However, there are ways you can keep your premiums as low as possible, for example by shopping around with various providers, opting for a higher excess amount, installing equipment that logs driving behaviour, and by not installing modifications to your vehicle.
IN10 insurance – An IN10 endorsement code is usually issued for the offence of driving an uninsured vehicle. Penalty points of between 6-8 are then applied, which will remain on a driving license for 4 years (from the date of conviction). Although you may not necessarily be driving dangerously, the act of driving without insurance deems you as a ‘high risk’ customer by insurance providers. As with the other penalty codes listed above, you’ll need specific insurance for the offence committed. In this case you would require IN10 insurance.
TT99 insurance – A TT99 endorsement code (also known as a ‘totting-up ban’), is usually issued to a driver
that has incurred 12 points or more on their license over a period of three years. The driver may have also been disqualified from driving. This endorsement code stays on your records for 4 years from the date of conviction. Failure to inform insurance providers about any convictions that you have received is considered an illegal act. It will invalidate your car insurance and, if caught, you could end up with a driving ban. If you are looking for TT99 insurance at affordable prices, you should have a look at all the available different options on the market to you, so that you can find the best deal.
Try Compare is here for you and can do much of the hard work on your behalf. We offer DG10 insurance, DR10 insurance, IN10 insurance and TT99 insurance at the best prices to you. We work with some of the top insurance brokers in the UK who can help you find quotes that are best suited to your particular circumstances.