Drivers With 6 Penalty Points Pay 58 Percent More for Car Insurance, Confused.com Finds

• A driver with 6 penalty points was quoted car insurance prices 58 percent higher than a driver with a clean record between January and June 2026, according to Confused.com.
• Confused.com data shows 47,598 GB licence holders were disqualified for reaching 12 or more points between the spring of 2025 and the spring of 2026, and drivers aged 25 to 44 made up 52 percent of them.
• Applying the 58 percent rise to the £713 average premium in the Confused.com and WTW Q3 2026 index gives roughly £1,127, about £414 more a year (a Motoring Chronicle calculation, not a quoted price).

The cost of penalty points arrives long before a ban does. Confused.com says the car insurance prices quoted to drivers with 6 penalty points between January and June 2026 were 58 percent higher than the prices quoted to drivers with a clean record. The figure comes from research the comparison site published in October 2026, which also counted how many drivers lost their licence altogether.

Between the spring of 2025 and the spring of 2026, 47,598 GB driving licence holders were disqualified after collecting 12 or more penalty points, according to data obtained by Confused.com. That works out at more than 130 drivers a day, a Motoring Chronicle calculation from the annual total.

For a sense of what 58 percent could mean in pounds, the Confused.com and WTW Car Insurance Price Index for Q3 2026, published on 29 September 2026, put the average premium at £713. The 58 percent figure comes from a different Confused.com data set and a different time window, and the £713 average includes drivers who already carry points, so treat this sum as an illustration only: 58 percent on top of £713 is roughly £1,127, or £414 more a year.

The Ban Is Only Part of the Bill, and the Premium Rise Starts at 6 Points

Most drivers think of penalty points as a problem that only bites at 12. The Confused.com research suggests otherwise. Its figures cover two separate costs: the loss of a licence for those who reach the limit, and a higher insurance price for those who sit part of the way there.

Who is being banned

Confused.com broke the 47,598 disqualifications down by age group. Drivers in the 25 to 34 band were the largest single group with 12,537 disqualifications, followed closely by the 35 to 44 band with 12,415. Together those two bands account for 24,952 drivers, or 52 percent of all disqualifications.

The other bands, in order, were 45 to 54 with 8,144, 55 to 64 with 5,766 and 17 to 24 with 5,745. Drivers aged 70 and over recorded 1,510 disqualifications and those aged 65 to 69 recorded 1,474. Seven licence holders under 17 were also disqualified.

These are counts of drivers, not rates. The data does not say how many licence holders sit in each age band, so it cannot show which age group is most likely to be banned. Confused.com itself notes that relatively few drivers, as a share of all licence holders, were disqualified in the 12 months.

How quickly the points add up

Confused.com points out that reaching 12 points in three years is easier than many drivers expect. Speeding on a public road or motorway carries 3 to 6 points. Driving without insurance carries 6 to 8 points. A driver convicted of both offences is already at or close to the limit, and one more offence can finish the job.

A driver who reaches 12 or more points within a three year period faces disqualification. Confused.com motoring expert Matt Crole-Rees says those banned for totting up typically face a 6 month ban, while serious offences carry longer disqualifications. The length is set by the court, based on the offence and the offender’s history.

Anyone disqualified for more than 56 days has to reapply for a new licence, and a court can order a retest. That adds the cost of a new application and, for some, new lessons and a new test fee to the loss of driving time.

Newly qualified drivers face a lower limit

Different rules apply in the first two years after passing a test. A new driver who collects 6 or more penalty points in that period has their licence revoked. Confused.com found that 63 percent of motorists did not know about this threshold.

There is also an administrative overlap that can push a new driver past the limit. If a new driver commits several offences at the same time, or is caught again while the offences behind the first 6 points are still being processed, they can reach 12 or more points and be issued a TT99 endorsement for totting up, bypassing the 6 point revocation.

Many drivers do not know the limit

Confused.com also surveyed 2,000 UK motorists. Nearly half, 46 percent, did not know how many points a driver can build up before facing a ban, and 26 percent believed the threshold was lower than 12.

The survey also tested opinion on tougher rules. More than two thirds, 67 percent, said every disqualified driver should have to retake the driving test before returning to the road. At present only drivers a court orders to retest must do so, along with new drivers whose licences are revoked at 6 points.

Over 4 in 5 respondents, 81 percent, said they would support extending at least one disqualification period for serious offences. The minimum ban for causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs is 5 years, and 73 percent of those surveyed said that is too short. Some 63 percent said the 1 year minimum for driving under the influence of drink or drugs is too short, and 57 percent said the same of the 1 year minimum for driving over the alcohol limit.

Confused.com links those views to a government consultation earlier this year that included a review of disqualification periods for these offences. A consultation is a proposal stage, and no change to the minimums quoted above has been reported by Confused.com, so the current figures apply until the Government confirms otherwise.

What insurers can see

Points also change how insurers treat a policy. Drivers have a legal duty to tell their insurer about penalty points. Some insurers want to be told immediately, while others only ask at renewal, so the wording of an individual policy decides when the duty bites. Failing to declare points can invalidate a policy.

Hiding points is also harder than it sounds. Confused.com says insurers can access the DVLA central driver database through the MyLicence scheme, so an insurer can often find out without being told.

Can You Avoid the Penalty Points Premium Rise?

The 58 percent figure applies to drivers who already hold 6 points, so the best protection is to stop points reaching the licence in the first place. For drivers who already have them, there are still steps that limit the damage.

Check what is on your licence

Start with your own record. The GOV.UK service for viewing or sharing your driving record is free and shows the endorsements on your licence. Knowing the exact count tells you how far you are from 12, and from 6 if you passed your test within the last two years.

Declare points accurately

Enter points exactly as they appear on the record when you compare prices. Leaving them out can produce a cheaper quote that falls apart at the point of a claim, and Confused.com warns that failing to declare can invalidate a policy. Read the policy wording to see whether your insurer wants to hear about new points immediately or only at renewal, and tell them on that schedule.

Think hard before a second offence

With a 12 point limit over three years, the offence that counts most is the one after you already have points. Speeding carries 3 to 6 points and driving without insurance carries 6 to 8, so a single further offence can move a driver from a surcharge to a ban. If your points are close to the limit, treat every trip as if the next offence ends your licence, as it can.

Ask about a speed awareness course

For some lower level speeding offences, the police can offer a speed awareness course in place of points. It is offered at the discretion of the police force and you pay the course fee, but completing it keeps the endorsement off your licence and so keeps it out of insurance quotes. If you are offered one, compare the fee with the premium rise that points can bring.

Newly qualified drivers: keep offences apart

If you passed your test in the last two years, a single 6 point offence, or two offences that add up to 6, can cost you the licence. Confused.com notes that offences committed at the same time, or processed at the same time, can still lead to a 12 point total. Do not assume a first conviction is the end of it until the record is updated.

Shop around and buy early

Premiums also move with timing. In its Q2 2026 price index, published on 19 August 2026, Go.Compare reported that buying a policy 26 days before renewal saved drivers more than £150 on average. Drivers with points should start comparing quotes early, as the price spread between insurers can be wide when a record carries endorsements.

If a ban looks likely

If you are disqualified for more than 56 days, plan for the application process. Confused.com says you must reapply for a new licence, and a court can order a retest. Check the exact ban length and conditions with the court, and speak to a solicitor if you want advice on your own case.

Sources:

• Insurance Edge: Almost 50,000 Drivers in UK Have 12 Points on Their Licence, in Just One Year (Confused.com research, 6 October 2026)