Why Compare CD50 Car Insurance?
Most Standard Insurers May Decline CD50
CD50 is a serious endorsement code. Many providers will not quote. Clean Green Cars introduces you to specialist brokers who work with providers experienced in covering serious driving convictions.
Every Insurer Assesses CD50 Differently
One provider could decline while another considers your full circumstances. Clean Green Cars connects you with brokers who take a case-by-case approach.
Your Record Could Improve Over Time
Each conviction-free year could work in your favour. Specialist brokers understand this and may find you a more competitive price as your record improves.
CD50 Car Insurance At A Glance
- CD50 means causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs under Section 3A of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
- The penalty is 3 to 11 penalty points, an unlimited fine, up to life imprisonment, and an obligatory driving ban of at least 5 years.
- An extended driving retest is compulsory before your licence is restored. New drivers may face additional restrictions.
- Click the green button above to compare CD50 quotes from convicted driver insurance.
What Is a CD50 Conviction?
CD50 is the DVLA endorsement code for causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs. It falls under the drug driving law and is one of the most serious motoring offences in UK law.
| Penalty | Details |
|---|---|
| Penalty Points | 3 to 11 |
| Driving Ban | Obligatory – minimum 5 years |
| Maximum Fine | Unlimited |
| Time on Licence | 11 years on licence from date of conviction |
| Spent After | Depends on the sentence. For shorter sentences, the minimum rehabilitation period is at least 5 years, and longer for more severe sentences. If a life sentence or very long custodial sentence is imposed, the conviction may never become spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. |
Can You Get Insurance With a CD50 Conviction?
Yes, though CD50 is a serious endorsement code and many mainstream insurers may decline. Specialist brokers are usually the most reliable route.
Clean Green Cars introduces you to brokers experienced with serious convicted driver insurance.
See the full careless driving category for related endorsement codes.
A CD50 stays on your licence for 11 years from the date of conviction. During the obligatory disqualification period (minimum 5 years), you cannot legally drive and therefore cannot hold motor insurance as a main driver. Once your ban ends and you have passed the compulsory extended retest, you can begin looking for cover.
Most mainstream insurers are likely to decline applications from drivers with a CD50. Specialist brokers who work with convicted driver insurance every day are usually the most realistic route to finding cover. These brokers have access to insurers who consider serious conviction codes and understand how to present your application.
Your options may gradually improve as the years pass. Each year of clean, claim-free driving after returning to the road could help demonstrate to insurers that you present a lower risk than your conviction history might suggest. Clean Green Cars introduces you to specialist brokers who understand this process.
Who Needs CD50 Car Insurance?
CD50 is a serious endorsement code related to drug driving offences. Here is who typically needs to compare CD50 car insurance quotes.
Starting Again After Your Ban Ends
The ban is over and you passed the extended retest. Getting insured again feels like another hurdle, but specialist brokers handle this transition regularly and could make the process less daunting.
Released and Rebuilding Your Life
You have served your sentence. Specialist brokers understand the full timeline from conviction to getting back on the road and know which insurers will consider your application.
After the Extended Retest
The compulsory retest is behind you. You need your first policy since conviction. Specialist brokers can guide you through the process without judgement.
Each Clean Year Counts
Time since conviction matters. Each year without further incidents could reduce your loading. Specialist brokers can help you track when your options start to improve.
Carrying Other Endorsements Too
A CD50 alongside other codes on your licence narrows your options, but specialist brokers handle complex records and know which insurers assess each case individually.
Worth Knowing: However difficult the circumstances, specialist cover is available. Clean Green Cars introduces you to brokers who handle drivers with CD50 endorsements and understand what the journey back looks like.
What CD50 Car Insurance Covers
A CD50 on your licence does not change what your policy is designed to cover. It changes how much you pay and which insurers will consider your application.
Here is what each level of cover could include. Please note that policy features, benefits, terms and conditions vary among insurance providers, so always check the policy wording.
| Feature | Comprehensive | Third Party, Fire & Theft | Third Party Only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage to your own vehicle | Yes | No | No |
| Fire and theft protection | Yes | Yes | No |
| Damage to other people's property | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Injury to other people | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windscreen cover | Often included | Rarely | No |
| Courtesy car | Sometimes included | Rarely | No |
Cover Tip: After a lengthy ban, comprehensive cover could sometimes cost less than third party only. Compare all three levels before deciding.
What CD50 Car Insurance May Not Cover
A single missed detail could mean a claim gets declined. CD50 carries similar exclusions to dangerous driving convictions. Here is what CD50 car insurance usually does not cover.
Standard Exclusions
- Undeclared Convictions - If you do not tell your insurer about your CD50 or any related convictions, they could invalidate your policy and may decline all claims.
- Driving Under the Influence - If you cause an accident while impaired by drink or drugs, your insurer could decline your claim regardless of any other conviction on your record.
- Undeclared Vehicle Use - If your policy covers social use but you are driving for business, your insurer could decline a claim for using the vehicle outside your policy terms.
- Racing or Track Use - Standard policies do not cover racing, track days, or competitive events.
Important Limitations
- Higher Compulsory Excess - Some insurers apply a higher compulsory excess for convicted drivers, which means you pay more before a claim is settled.
- Mileage Restrictions - Your policy may limit your annual mileage. Exceeding it could affect whether a claim is paid in full.
- Vehicle Value Cap - Some convicted driver policies may cap the maximum value of vehicle they will insure.
- Named Driver Restrictions - Some policies may limit who else can drive your car after a conviction of this nature.
Extras Worth Adding
Your standard policy is designed to cover the basics. These extras fill gaps that could matter after a serious conviction.
May help cover roadside assistance if your car breaks down away from home, subject to policy limits and conditions.
May help cover your legal costs if you need to dispute fault after an accident, depending on your policy terms.
May help cover the cost of replacing your keys if they are lost or stolen, subject to policy limits and conditions.
May be needed if you have built up years of no claims and want to keep your discount safe after a claim, subject to insurer acceptance criteria.
May pay a set amount if you are hurt in a crash and cannot work, depending on your policy terms.
May be needed if you want to prove safe driving habits after your conviction. A black box tracks your speed, braking, and mileage, which could help reduce your renewal price.
What Affects the Cost of Car Insurance with a CD50 Conviction?
Your quote depends on the circumstances of the conviction, the length of your disqualification, and your overall driving history.
| Key Factor | Impact on Your Price |
|---|---|
| Your CD50 conviction | CD50 involves causing death while unfit through drugs. Most mainstream insurers may decline. |
| Time since conviction | Your price could drop each year as the CD50 ages. A conviction from several years ago may cost less to insure than a recent one. |
| Other convictions on your licence | A CD50 on top of other motoring convictions could push your price up sharply. |
| No claims discount | A long no claims history could help offset some of your CD50 loading. |
| Your vehicle (group, age, value) | Higher insurance group cars cost more to insure. Choosing a lower group car could help. |
| Annual mileage | Lower mileage usually means lower risk. Make sure your estimate is accurate. |
| Cover level | Comprehensive cover could cost less than third party only for some convicted drivers. Always compare all three levels. |
| Where you live | Your postcode affects your base price before any conviction loading is added. |
Price Insight: The loading for a CD50 is significant, especially in the early years. But it does not stay the same forever. Each clean year could bring it down, and comparing annually helps you track when prices start to ease.

Ways to Cut Your Car Insurance Cost
A CD50 could push your premium up considerably. Here are practical steps that could help.
Compare at Every Renewal
Your loading could reduce each year as the conviction ages. Do not accept your renewal price without checking alternatives. Get quotes above.
Use Telematics to Demonstrate Change
A black box gives your insurer evidence of safe, consistent driving. After a CD50, demonstrating responsible behaviour could be the most powerful tool you have.
Choose a Modest Vehicle
Cars in lower insurance groups cost less to insure. After a serious conviction, a lower-risk vehicle could make a meaningful difference to your premium.
Raise Your Voluntary Excess
A higher excess could reduce your premium. Make sure the amount is one you could genuinely afford if you needed to claim.
Pay Annually If Possible
Monthly payments include interest charges. Paying the full year upfront could reduce what you pay overall.
Add an Experienced Named Driver
Adding someone with a clean licence and driving experience could help balance how insurers assess your application.
Secure Your Parking
A driveway or garage is lower risk than on-street parking. Let your insurer know where you keep the car.
Saving Tip: Every year without further incidents could make a difference. Compare quotes above - Clean Green Cars introduces you to brokers who understand serious convictions and the time it takes to rebuild.
How to Compare CD50 Car Insurance Quotes
Getting quotes after a CD50 does not take long. If you need short-term cover first, temporary convicted driver insurance may help. Start comparing above.
Enter Your Vehicle Details
Add your registration, make, model, and where you park overnight.
Add Your Personal Details
Enter your name, address, date of birth, and occupation.
Declare Your CD50
Select the CD50 conviction code, enter the date of offence, and the number of points. Declare any other endorsements too.
Complete Your Driving Record
Choose your cover level, add your no claims discount, and confirm any previous claims.
Review Your Quotes
Specialist brokers send you quotes based on your details. Compare prices and cover levels, then pick the one that fits.
What Our Expert Says
A CD50 conviction means living with the knowledge that a life was lost. The legal and emotional consequences are immense, and the insurance implications can feel like one more obstacle in an already overwhelming situation.
CD50 records a conviction for causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs under Section 3A(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It carries up to life imprisonment, an unlimited fine, an obligatory ban of at least 5 years, and a compulsory extended retest.
The endorsement stays on your licence for 11 years from the date of conviction. Specialist brokers understand the weight of what that means and work with insurers who assess each application on its own circumstances rather than declining on the code alone.
Co-founder of Clean Green Cars

Common CD50 Car Insurance Questions
What Is a CD50 Conviction?
CD50 is the DVLA endorsement code for causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs under Section 3A(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
How Long Does CD50 Stay on Your Licence?
CD50 stays on your licence for 11 years from the date of conviction.
Can You Get Insurance With a CD50 Conviction?
Yes. Specialist brokers work with insurers who consider CD50 applications individually. Clean Green Cars introduces you to these brokers.
What Is the Maximum Sentence?
Up to life imprisonment, an unlimited fine, and an obligatory ban of at least 5 years with a compulsory extended retest.
Is CD50 a Criminal Offence?
Yes. CD50 is an indictable offence tried in the Crown Court.
What Is the Difference Between CD50 and CD40?
CD50 involves drugs. CD40 involves drink. Both carry the same maximum penalties and the same 11-year endorsement period.
Do You Need an Extended Test After CD50?
Yes. A compulsory extended driving test is mandatory after a CD50 conviction.
How Long Is the Ban?
The obligatory ban is at least 5 years. Courts may impose a longer period depending on the circumstances.
How Long Must You Declare CD50?
You must answer your insurer’s questions truthfully, which usually means declaring CD50 for at least 5 years, and often longer for very serious offences. Most insurers ask about convictions for at least 5 years.
What Happens After I Submit My Details?
After you submit your details, Clean Green Cars introduces you to specialist brokers who handle drivers with serious motoring convictions. They contact you directly with quotes. There is no obligation to buy.

Related Careless Driving Codes
CD50 sits within the careless driving family of endorsement codes.
You may also want to consider temporary car insurance for convicted drivers if you need short-term cover.
Driving without due care and attention
Compare CD10 quotesDriving without reasonable consideration for other road users
Compare CD20 quotesDriving without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other road users (combined)
Compare CD30 quotesCausing death through careless driving when unfit through drink
Compare CD40 quotesCausing death by careless driving with alcohol level above the limit
Compare CD60 quotesCausing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for analysis
Compare CD70 quotesCausing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving
Compare CD80 quotesCausing death by driving: unlicensed, disqualified, or uninsured drivers
Compare CD90 quotesSearch & compare quotes from UK CD50 Car Insurance Providers

Useful Resources
- GOV.UK – Penalty Points – How penalty points work.
- GOV.UK – Driving Disqualifications – Bans and retests.
- GOV.UK – View Your Licence – Check your points online.



